StokerCon 2025

In Gothic fiction, the past returns to haunt the present. From ghosts to witches to the Jewett City vampires, New England is emblematic of the dark themes of the Gothic literary tradition, its history combed by writers from Hawthorne to King. Yet while areas in Canada and eastern Virginia have longer histories of European presence, none carry the same mystique as New England. We will delve into some possible reasons why this is, and through comparisons to other regions like the American South and Appalachia, attempt to pinpoint what separates New England from the rest. Finally, we will explore whether New England has any ore left to mine for the modern Gothic writer.