Gothic Literature vs. Magical Realism (Essay Example)

Gothic Literature and Magical Realism are two similar writing styles that are exhibited in “The Fall of the House of Usher”, and “House Taken Over”. Throughout both stories you can see similarities and differences between the two styles of writing. Also while reading both texts you can see how they have similarities and differences in their settings.

The genre Gothic Literature and Magical Realism are similar in a few ways. One of those ways is that they both have supernatural elements. In the story “The Fall of the House of Usher” the house gets struck by some sort of light and the house then disappears into the ground. Then in “House Taken Over”, some unknown thing is slowly taking over the house. This thing that is taking over the house seems to be a supernatural force of some sort that the narrator claims he can hear. 

Throughout the stories “House Taken Over” and “The Fall of the House of Usher” there are similarities in the setting. One similarity is that both mansions are old and have been passed down through generations. In the story “House Taken Over” the author states,”We liked the house because, apart from its being old and spacious (in a day when old houses go down for a profitable auction of their construction materials), it kept the memories of great-grandparents, our paternal grandfather, our parents and the whole of childhood”(Cortazar 37). Another similarity is they both take place in large pleasant mansions.

From the two stories you can see differences between the two genres. One of those differences is Magical Realism is based in a more realistic way whereas gothic literature is more unrealistic. In the story “The Fall of the House of Usher” the house is very gloomy and Roderick’s sister comes back from the dead which shows its gothic literature. Then in the story “House Taken Over” the house seems to be a normal yet older house that is taken over by an unknown thing which is magical realism. 

Between the two stories there are several differences in the setting of the stories. One of the differences is the condition of the houses are different, in “The Fall of the House of Usher” the house is run-down. In the story “The fall of the house of Usher” the author states,” I looked upon the scene before me—upon the mere house, and the simple landscape features of the domain—upon the bleak walls—upon the vacant eyelike windows…an unredeemed dreariness of thought which no goading of the imagination could torture into aught of the sublime”(Poe 14). In the story “House Taken Over” the house is described as old but it is mentioned that the owner and his sister keep up with cleaning it so the house is in good condition. In the story the author states,”We rose at seven in the morning and got the cleaning done, and about eleven I left Irene to finish off whatever rooms and went to the kitchen”(Cortazar 37). 

While reading the texts “The Fall of the House of Usher’ and “House Taken Over” you can see similarities and differences in their writing style and setting. The setting of both of the stories is an old mansion but unlike the house of Usher the mansion in “House Taken Over” is well taken care of and in good condition. Also both the writing styles include a supernatural aspect but “The Fall of The House of Usher” has a more gloomy tone because it is gothic literature and “House Taken Over” is less gloomy since it is Magical Realism.