| The American Female Gothic (AFG) is, essentially, female authors’ use of the horrifying to critique the patriarchal American society and shed light on women’s experiences within it. AFG authors often describe injusticeas part of the American experience —a reality that is discordant with the widely-propagated American Dream ideal. To further explore this genre and its implications about its society, I analyze five novels published after the mid-20th century —one for each of the decades from the 1960s to the 2000s. This analysis provides greater perspective on the recent evolution and current state of the AFG, as well as on American society and women’s role within it. By paying attention to female authors —who have sometimes been treated as literary and social outsiders —uncomfortable truths are exposed as they render themselves as ineradicable parts of the patchwork quilt that is American culture. Key Words: American Female Gothic, feminism, Gothic, Female Gothic |