What gives a scary story its dark and gloomy characteristics? Looking closely, it becomes apparent all scary stories have the same elements in them, and these features are all aspects pertaining to Gothicism. The focus on death, the question of reality, and mysterious or scary settings all make up these bleak, frightening stories. "The Raven," a poem by Edger Allen Poe, and the movie, "Seven," both contain the bleak and ominous moods prevalent in this genre, and although these two works both contain the themes that define Gothicism, they each present these themes in unique ways.

Setting, one of the essentials to a Gothic tale, can change a story from a light and pleasant tone, to a dark and depressing one, by utilizing certain characteristics to produce these diverse effects. The setting in "The Raven" for example, aids in creating the scary and distressing mood found in Gothic...