Supernatural In American Fiction And Soceity

of fear is fear of the unknown.”1 Therefore, it makes sense that if mortals cannot bear the

darkness, they [should not] not go there. If man dislikes “black night and yawning chasms,”2

then should he not even consider them? Shouldn’t man seek out the sunshine, instead? The

remedy is very simple: Avoid the darkness and seek the light. But, no. Mankind would never

submit to this. He will immediately turn to the darkness. Drawn by his own cords of fear and

longing, man will imagine that he is tired of the light and his small, familiar world.3 “No

amount of rationalization... or Freudian analysis” can overcome “the thrill of the chimney-corner

whisper or the lonely wood.”4 Why? Children will always be afraid of the dark and men will

always shudder at what they do not understand, yet everyone will continue to seek it.5 Perhaps it

is because society, particularly American society because of its history, believes the final horrors

are ghosts and demons, when truly it is the hidden aspects of its own soul.6 As reflected by its

literature, American society has always held a deep fascination with the supernatura

best, Poe’s works are vehicles for “exploring the hidden hinterland of the human mind.”80

niche in the back of mortals’ minds. Stephen Crane writes The Red Badge of Courage as a

projects over the years, but has yielded nothing so far.16 Despite the lack of evidence, many

her mother. She is also another unnatural link to this story. It is of common belief that Mistress

From the Puritan era onward, American society has always held a deep fascination with

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