THE ROLE OF THE UNCANNY IN SARAH WATERS’ THE LITTLE STRANGER: A QUEER GOTHIC STUDY

Abstract

This paper examines  the exemplification of the uncanny in The Little Stranger, which plays a significant role in the development of the atmosphere of the novel and its thematic development. The Little Stranger written by Sarah Waters (2009) is the literary work with the intriguing combination of Gothic fiction rules and conventions and queer tones of modern literature. Dwelling upon the manner in which Waters employs the idea of the uncanny both literally and figuratively, the given study takes into account the interrelations between the psychological and supernatural terror, especially concerning queerness. In the analysis, the uncanny has been located as a considerable narrative instrument applied to discuss the de-centering of identity, the suppressed history of the past, and dis-ease in the society about its discomfort with non-normative desires. This paper analyses the role of the uncanny in the interrogation of social and sexual transgression which is presented in the depiction of characters and setting of Hundreds Hall. The results may indicate that the uncanny, beyond the narrative strategy, is a critical element in creating the queer subtext and thus pointing to the forces of oppression in the novel. The paper is one of several recent queer accounts of Gothic criticism, and it provides new information about the overlapping area of Gothic horror and queer theory.