Paper Topic:

Compare and Contrast the following authors use of the shock ending

Gothic Special Effects : Shock Endings in the Fiction

of Stevenson , Poe , and Bierce Observed through modern eyes , the '93shock '94 endings so prevalent in Gothic fiction of the nineteenth century are likely deprived of a bit of their former gusto and visceral impact . Not only have modern minds grown very well accustomed to the device of '93shock '94 endings in fiction , as well as in other forms of media : films , television , music and even , to some extant , contemporary visual arts such as abstract-expressionist sculpture and painting , many of which utilize

br shock and surprise as part of their overall aesthetic impact (Frascina and Harris

However , to nineteenth century audiences , the device of the '93shock '94 ending in Gothic fiction was not only perceived as inventive and new , but also in many cases as scandalous or worthy of much popular attention and debate . In this light , the use of the '93shock '94 ending in Gothic fiction may be regarded almost as a popular trend or , in fact , as a '93special effect '94 used by Gothic , who , in addition to winning over or scandalizing audiences with this technique , also found innovative ways of putting the technique into the service of theme and self-expression (Thomson , Voller , and Frank These traits of popular self-expression are well-evident in the Gothic fiction of Stephenson , Poe , and Bierce

In many cases , the '93shock '94 ending , as integrated into an allegorical work , provided a deep psychological catharsis for both the author and reader . This is evidenced by the enduring , iconic stature of particular Gothic characters , themes , and settings , notably : Poe '92 '93The Fall of the House of Usher '94 Bierce '92s '93An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge '94 and Stephenson '92s '93The Strange Case of Dr . Jekyll and Mr . Hyde '94 (Thomson , Voller , and Frank Shock Endings Page -2- '93The Strange Case of Dr . Jekyll and Mr . Hyde '94 was published by Stephenson late in his life and career , after he had already established a popular idiom and when he was in need of both emotional and financial stability . In a letter to W .H . Low written on December 26 , 1885 Stephenson writes of his new novella , saying : '93I have another thing coming out , which I did not put in the way of the Scribners , I can scarce tell how but I was sick and penniless and rather back on the world , and mismanaged it . I trust they will forgive me (Colvin 443

Though financial considerations no doubt played a part in the composition of '93The Strange Case of Dr . Jekyll and Mr , Hyde '94 the primary thematic impulse of the work is psychological , a confrontation with self-alienation and fear : '93Here emerges a sense of change that defies the very idea of subjective continuity a kind of auto-alienation is implied by which the self is turned into another , a disguised other , the strangest other of all '94 (Mills 1

The Gothic form of the work...

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