07-29-2011, 07:53 PM
OK, Brat Farrar may not have the typical trappings of a gothic, but there are elements in it which made me include it. First, there is a mystery, which I believe is requisite. Charybdis may not feel there is much mystery because we know at the outset that our hero, Brat, is not Patrick. But there is a mystery about who Brat really is, which I personally felt was glossed over at the end. I would have preferred that there was something more definite about his identity. Also, because Brat knows he is an impostor, he felt inclined to discover what really happened to Patrick.
Yes, I found it odd that no one questions Brat much about his motives for leaving, etc., but after discovering how reserved the English really are, it's not difficult to accept. Also, I believe that the family were ready and willing to accept Brat (each for different motives) so they did not question.
Another element concerned in gothics is a fortune or title. Something of value that puts the hero/heroine in danger. In this case, it was the farm. As Patrick, Brat laid claim to his inheritance.
Not your typical gothic, no. But I loved the story, and the mystery/suspense in it justifies my decision to include it on the list.
Yes, I found it odd that no one questions Brat much about his motives for leaving, etc., but after discovering how reserved the English really are, it's not difficult to accept. Also, I believe that the family were ready and willing to accept Brat (each for different motives) so they did not question.
Another element concerned in gothics is a fortune or title. Something of value that puts the hero/heroine in danger. In this case, it was the farm. As Patrick, Brat laid claim to his inheritance.
Not your typical gothic, no. But I loved the story, and the mystery/suspense in it justifies my decision to include it on the list.