Books matching: grotesque characters
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- #1
Save:'Wise Blood' by Flannery O'Connor is a novel that delves into the existential crisis of the characters, particularly Hazel Motes, who returns from the war to create a new religion, The Church of God Without Christ. The story follows Motes as he navigates through a world filled with bizarre and unlikable characters, all set in a Southern gothic backdrop. The writing style is described as direct, disturbing, and darkly comic, drawing parallels to authors like Cormac McCarthy and Nathanael West.
Hazel Motes sat at a forward angle on the green plush train seat, looking one minute at the window as if he might want to jump out of it, and the next down the aisle at the other end of the car. The t... 'Everything That Rises Must Converge: Stories' by Flannery O'Connor is a collection of short stories set in the deep South, focusing on themes of race, morality, and the human spirit. The stories feature flawed and unlikeable characters who often meet ironic and sometimes violent fates, showcasing O'Connor's uncompromising writing style that delves into the complexities of human nature. The book captures the essence of the Southern culture, blending humor with tragedy and offering poignant insights into societal issues of the time.
She was a girl who started with a gift for cartooning and satire, and found in herself a far greater gift, unique in her time and place, a marvel. She kept going deeper (this is a phrase she used) unt...- #3
Save:'Boy in Darkness' by P.J. Lynch, Mervyn Peake is a dark and macabre tale that follows the young Titus Groan as he escapes the confines of the castle of Gormenghast and embarks on a nightmarish journey. He encounters eerie creatures like the Goat, Hyena, and the chilling Lamb in a strange land ruled by the Lamb with omnipotent power. The vivid and poetic descriptions create a haunting atmosphere that repels and attracts the reader, showcasing Peake's evocative and rich descriptive language.
The book delves into themes of power, deformity, and the horrors of a twisted reality, as Titus navigates through a nightmarish world filled with grotesque characters and unsettling situations. Peake's writing style focuses on creating atmospheric settings and evoking a sense of dread and fascination, rather than intricate plotlines or detailed character development, making it a compelling and eerie read for fans of dark fantasy.
Titus is seven. His confines, Gormenghast. Suckled on shadows; weaned, as it were, on webs of ritual: for his ears, echoes, for his eyes, a labyrinth of stone: and yet within his body something other ... - #4
Save:Gargoyles by Richard Winston, Thomas Bernhard, Clara Winston is a dark and intense novel that delves into the grim circumstances of patients in a decaying estate. The story primarily focuses on an extended monologue by the prince of the estate, exploring themes of madness, dreams, dissolving family, and dark aphorisms reminiscent of Nietzsche or Schopenhauer. The narrative paints a gothic and morbid landscape with stark prose, sculpting the grotesque features of the characters. The book takes readers on a journey through rural horrors and grotesque patients, ultimately presenting a bleak view of human life and the tragedy of the human condition.
- #5
Save:'Tobacco Road' by Erskine Caldwell is a dark comedy set in the southern US during the Great Depression, focusing on the impoverished Lester family in rural Georgia. The book portrays extreme poverty, ignorance, and harsh living conditions faced by the characters, presenting a satirical and exaggerated depiction of their struggles. The writing style is described as powerful and nauseating, with scenes of casual homicide, sexual violence, and graphic details that aim to evoke strong emotions from the readers.
The plot revolves around the Lesters' daily life of survival, their dehumanization due to poverty, and their interactions with the community, which is portrayed as an extended joke on poor country individuals. Despite the grim portrayal of the characters and their circumstances, the book is seen as a reflection of the hopelessness and desperation prevalent during the era, shedding light on the harsh realities faced by the poor white sharecroppers in the South.
LOV BENSEY TRUDGED homeward through the deep white sand of the gully-washed tobacco road with a sack of winter turnips on his back. He had put himself to a lot of trouble to get the turnips; it was a ... - #6
Save:Flannery O'Connor's 'The Complete Stories' is a collection of Southern Gothic tales that delve into the complexities of human nature, exploring themes such as race relations, religious fanaticism, and the rural South. The stories are characterized by vivid and bizarre characters, often with dark and disturbing views on life. O'Connor's writing style is described as mesmerizing, raw, and honest, with a unique tone that captures the essence of the Southern Gothic mentality.
OLD DUDLEY folded into the chair he was gradually molding to his own shape and looked out the window fifteen feet away into another window framed by blackened red brick. He was waiting for the geraniu... - #7
Save:'Titus Groan' by Mervyn Peake is a fantasy novel set in the vast, decaying castle of Gormenghast, where ancient traditions and rituals are meticulously followed. The book introduces readers to a cast of eccentric and grotesque characters, each with their own desires and motivations, against the backdrop of a world where change is seen as a threat to the established order. The narrative unfolds slowly, focusing on the intricate language and poetic descriptions that bring the gloomy castle and its inhabitants to life.
Every morning of the year, between the hours of nine and ten, he may be found, seated in the Stone Hall, it is there, at the long table that he takes his breakfast. The table is raised upon a dais, an... - #8
Save:The Violent Bear It Away by Flannery O'Connor is a dark Southern Gothic novel that delves into the themes of religious fanaticism, mental health, and the struggle between faith and reason. The story follows 14-year-old Francis Tarwater, who is kidnapped as a baby by his fanatically evangelist uncle and raised to fulfill a prophetic destiny. As Tarwater navigates his indoctrination and grapples with his anti-Christian beliefs, he faces inner turmoil and severe mental health complications. The novel explores the deep-rooted conflict between extreme religion and humanism through its grotesque characters and relentless narrative.
O'Connor's writing style in The Violent Bear It Away is characterized by powerful prose, vivid imagery, and complex character motivations. The author skillfully weaves together themes of suffering, tragedy, and perseverance, creating a narrative that challenges both secularism and fundamentalism. The book presents a stark and dark portrayal of humanity, filled with insecurities, contradictions, and a lack of redemption, ultimately leaving readers questioning the nature of good and evil, faith and reason.
FRANCIS MARION TARWATER’S uncle had been dead for only half a day when the boy got too drunk to finish digging his grave and a Negro named Buford Munson, who had come to get a jug filled, had to finis... - #9
Save:The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West is a novel set in Hollywood in the 1930s, exploring the dark side of the entertainment industry through the eyes of various characters. The book delves into themes of decadence, desperation, and disillusionment, portraying a world where individuals are driven to ruin by their pursuit of fame and fortune. The writing style is described as skillful and precise, with vivid descriptions that bring the characters and setting to life, even though the plot may seem disjointed at times.
Around quitting time, Tod Hackett heard a great din on the road outside his office. The groan of leather mingled with the jangle of iron and over all beat the tattoo of a thousand hooves. He hurried t... - #10
Save:'The Bighead' by Edward Lee is a gruesome and shocking tale set in the backwoods with a storyline revolving around The Bighead, a character with hydrocephaly and a penchant for violence. The book follows a cast of characters including two girls with contrasting issues, a renegade priest, and two local monsters, as they navigate through a narrative filled with rape, murder, and extreme violence. The writing style varies from character to character, with some sections written in a Lovecraftian dialect that adds to the unsettling atmosphere of the story.
The Bighead licked his chops and tasted the dandy things: blood and fat, pussystink, the salt-slime of his own semen that he’d just slurped out’a the dead girl’s bellybutton. His bone had split her pu...
