Garcia and Stohl draw on elements of the Southern Gothic literary tradition, which is influenced by the culture and history of the American South. Southern Gothic mixes elements of the Gothic literary tradition, such as hauntings, dark family secrets, and supernatural events, to explore themes such as isolation, depression, and guilt. The Southern Gothic tradition takes these Gothic elements and combines it with Southern culture and history to examine issues about the American South. The genre emerged after the Civil War as Southern authors examined the bitterness and fear that developed in the South after the Confederacy’s defeat. Southern society rebuilt and tried to form a sense of identity after the war.

Southern Gothic literature often focuses on racism and the racial divide in the South after the Civil War. Garcia and Stohl emphasize this divide by focusing on Ravenwood Manor. The Gothic castle is a common element of Gothic fiction and emphasizes important discoveries for the protagonist. In the Southern Gothic tradition, the crumbling plantation, exemplified by Ravenwood Manor, mirrors the Gothic castle. It serves as a reminder of slavery and oppression, even if the South wants to forget.