Gothic Story Instructions:

Length: 3-4 pages, double-spaced, typed, 12 point font.

--No oversized fonts

--Single-space if handwritten
--You will lose points if it is less than 3 pages

Points: 50

▪ I encourage you to do a rough draft and revise it; however, you will only be handing in a final
draft, and only the final draft will be scored.

▪ This is a GOTHIC story, not a HORROR story.

--Focus on creating a creepy setting and atmosphere.
--Focus on creating creepy/ grotesque characters.
--Violence should NOT be the primary aspect of your story.
--You will lose points if your story is too violent / bloody.
--you will receive a failing grade if you write a chainsaw-massacre type story.
▪ Your story must include DIALOGUE.
--Use quotation marks.
--Indent each time the speaker changes. (It is ok to have one sentence paragraphs during a
dialogue passage.)
▪ TITLE your stories.
YOUR STORY SHOULD EXHIBIT GOTHIC CHARACTERS, SETTINGS, OBJECTS,
THEMES, and PLOT MOTIF(S)

Gothic Build-A-Story Brainstorming Worksheet

Directions: This worksheet will help you plan out your gothic story. Fill it out as instructed
below!

SETTING: (Choose One or more, circle it, then write a sentence or two describing your setting)

Castle:

Graveyard:

Old House: My place in the story is gonna include one old house
Wild Forest:

The Moors (swamps of England):

Secret Passageway:

Other:

TIME PERIOD: (Circle One)

Middle Ages
Victorian Era
1900-1940 = am gonna use this particular time

CHARACTERS: (Write a sentence or two describing each main character. At minimum, you
must have a victim and a villain.)

Villain: The cursed man that was living in the old house from the past expressing his horror
stories

Victim: The father of the new family moving to their new house

Hero/Heroine:

Comic Relief Character:

OBJECTS: (Choose One or more, circle it, then write a sentence or two describing each object.)

Strange Manuscript:

Ancient Relic:

Mummy or Cadaver:

Weaponry:

Watch or Clock:

Ring:
Painting:

Other(s): A whispering walls

COMMON PLOT MOTIFS (optional; choose one or more if you wish):

• Premature Burial Supernatural ESP
Doppleganger

• Storms Frame stories Sickness A Curse

=1

• An Unreliable Narrator Revenge Confinement

Obsession

• Disappearance/Reappearance Letters/Journal Entries

THEMES: (Circle One or more)

Decay Brevity of Life Fear Longing Pain Guilt

Self-Loathing Repentance Evil Other: The walls through the old

house which there past residents were cursed through there horror stories

Remember: Developing a creepy, eerie, spooky atmosphere is paramount!

GOTHIC STORY RUBRIC

SETTING: The story (or at least a significant part of the story) is located in a traditional gothic location, it is
detailed and thoroughly creepy, and it establishes a macabre atmosphere. It is set in a traditional gothic time period
(Middle Ages—1930s.), and part of it takes place during a storm or at night (usually around midnight). Some
traditional Gothic settings: Castle, dungeon, old house/mansion, cave, dark forest, graveyard, church. (If your story
is not located in one of these settings, ask me for approval.)

5 4 3 2 1 0

OBJECTS: At least one traditional gothic object is present in the story and described in a detailed manner. Some
traditional objects: Strange/old manuscripts, ancient relics, mummies, corpses, ancient weapons,
watches/clocks, rings, crests, canes, paintings, poisons, suits of armor, candelabrums, tapestries

5 4 3 2 1 0

CHARACTERS: The story contains a victim and a villain. The characters are well-developed, interesting, and
gothic in appearance and mannerisms. One character is grotesque in some way, and/or one character goes mad or
struggles to maintain his/her sanity.

5 4 3 2 1 0

THEMES AND PLOT MOTIFS Story conveys at least one of these themes OR utilizes at least one of these plot
devices:

THEMES: Decay: Physical or Mental Insanity Brevity and Fragility of Life

Terror (Primarily caused by psychological trauma and distress) Revenge
Longing Heartbreak Regret Guilt Repentance Self-Loathing

PLOT MOTIFS: Premature Burial Supernatural ESP Doppelganger Storms Midnight

Frame stories (A story within a story) Ascending/Descending a staircase Secret Door/Hidden Room
Letter/Journal Unreliable Narrator Confinement Obsession A Curse Sickness

5 4 3 2 1 0

ATMOSPHERE: Overall, the story creates a macabre atmosphere; the story is gloomy, unsettling, eerie, and creepy!
5 4 3 2 1 0

/25 x 2 = /50