American Nightmare: Donald Ray Pollock’s Knockemstiff as Midwestern Gothic

Abstract

Critic David Pichaske has pointed to a crisis of identity in Midwestern literature, claiming that an influx of diverse voices has drowned out the cultural distinctiveness of Midwestern writing. Using the short story cycle Knockemstiff by Donald Ray Pollock, this thesis posits that – while a crisis does exist – it is not inclusivity and diversity that is the culprit, but rather the failure of the American Dream and the toxic nature of the Dream itself. A Gothic lens serves as the methodological framework through which I analyze Knockemstiff, with specific attention being paid to the tropes of isolation and cyclical hauntings. By using a writer that fits Pichaske’s definition of what a Midwestern writer should be, I highlight how the crisis is still present, as viewed through Gothic tropes, and illustrate how regressive nostalgia can only make the issue worse. Finally, I suggest historical alternatives to “the good old days” upon which the Midwest can fall back to build a better future informed by the past.