The image of the hero and the function of biblical allusions in the genre of southern gothic: a case study of Mark Richard’s story ‘Gentleman’s agreement’

The article deals with the Southern gothic genre, which is characterized by American authors’ close attention to the history of the South, tragic worldview, and interest in the barely noticeable movements of the human soul as well as by a focus on religious themes, bitter humor, detailed description of various types of violence, the use of ‘shock therapy’ techniques, and bringing into the plot a minute analysis of the actions of an endless string of marginal characters. The article gives a brief excursus into the history of the genre and its roots: from its emergence in the first half of the 20th century to its present authoritative position in the American literary process. The paper highlights the reasons for the Southern gothic’s serious influence on world literature and for the scholars’ special interest in it. In addition, the religious aspect of this genre is discussed, in particular its Biblical reminiscences within the framework of postmodern poetics and the use of those as tools for creating the image of a versatile hero and building an allegorical plot. The study aims to highlight some of the abovementioned features in Mark Richard’s short story Gentleman’s Agreement. Using the cultural-historical method with some elements of structuralist analysis, the article reveals the distinctive stylistic features of the writer’s text, while considering Mark Richard a successor to the traditions of such masters of the genre as Flannery O’Connor, Eudora Welty, Erskine Caldwell, Harper Lee, and others.