Sense of Gothic

One idea expressed in Picnic at Hanging Rock is the sense of gothic. An example of this is the narrator’s descriptions of the Rock in the early chapters of the novel.

    “Directly ahead, the grey volcanic mass rose up slabbed and pinnacled like a fortress from the empty yellow plain.”

In a simile, the narrator figuratively compares the Rock to a fortress, giving the impression that it is impenetrable. This also refers to the mystery of the college, describing that as also impenetrable as it remains unsolved. The description of the Rock as ‘volcanic’ reminds the reader that it has been there for thousands of years, which in itself is quite creepy, adding to the sense of gothic. The narrator goes further to describe the gothic element of the Rock using Mr Hussey as an example.

    “Mr Hussey was reduced to looking knowingly at the shadow of the Hanging Rock which ever since luncheon had been creeping down towards thePicnic Grounds on the flat.”

The narrator’s personification of the Rock adds to the sinister tone of this scene. The narrator also creates this ominous tone by suggesting that the rock is deserted.

    “It is a long, long time since any living creature other than an occasional rabbit or wallaby trespassed upon its arid breast.”

A sense of danger is established, as no one knows what is waiting for the girls at the top of the rock. The idea of fatalism also enhances to the sense of gothic. The fatalism reminds the reader that the girls disappearance is inevitable. Mike Fitzhuberts interior monologue whilst watching the girls’ cross the river gives us an example of fatalism.

    “He looked up at the vertical face of the Rock and wondered how far they would go before turning back. The Hanging Rock, according to Albert, was a tough proposition even for experienced climbers.”

This foreshadows that the girls will have trouble climbing the rock and that not all will go as planned. Mike’s interior monologue also foreshadows that something will go terribly wrong as he reminds himself that “he was in Australia now: Australia, where anything might happen.” This was often the attitude of English settlers at the time as they were unfamiliar with the vagaries of the Australian bush. The narrator also foreshadows the death of Sara Waybourne through Irma’s language.

    ‘“Sara reminds me of the little deer Papa brought home once. The same big frightened eyes. I looked after it for weeks but Mama said it would never survive in captivity.” “And did it?” they asked. “It died. Mama always said it was doomed.”’

The comparison of Sara to the deer insinuates that Sara may also be doomed.  The sense of gothic is also intensified by the simple fact that no one ever found out what happened to the girls on the Rock.

    “Thus the College Mystery, like that of the celebrated case of the Marie Celeste, seems likely to remain forever unsolved.”


Topic: Teacher Feedback

No comments found.