Abstract

This thesis explores the crossroads of gender, space, and the supernatural in Mexican Gothic (2020) by Silvia Moreno–Garcia, examining how the novel challenges patriarchal structures through its protagonist, Noemí Taboada. Utilizing feminist theory, spatial analysis, and studies on the supernatural, this research demonstrates how Moreno–Garcia constructs a narrative in which female expression and connection are central to reinstating the feminine self as a subject. The novel presents High Place, the ancestral mansion of the Doyle family, as a space that embodies patriarchal control. Drawing on Gastón Bachelard’s The Poetics of Space and Marc Olivier’s Household Horror, this study examines how the mansion operates as both a physical and psychological prison for women. Its decaying walls and omnipresent mold symbolize the entrapment and subjugation of female characters, particularly Noemí and her cousin Catalina. Additionally, this analysis engages with Luce Irigaray’s and Joanne Hershfield’s feminist theories to highlight how women’s bodies are commodified within the Doyle family's patriarchal system as well as modern society. The novel’s use of the supernatural reinforces this theme, as the eerie presence of the “gloom”–a mycological network that controls the household–serves both as a tool of male dominance and a means of female resistance. Noemí’s growing awareness of this supernatural force enables her to engage in a feminine dialogue which ultimately leads to their liberation. This study contributes to the expanding academic discourse on Moreno–Garcia’s work and underscores the significance of contemporary feminist literature in reimagining traditional narratives of power and control.

Degree

MA

College and Department

Humanities; Spanish and Portuguese

Rights

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2025-12-17

Document Type

Thesis

Keywords

female agency, patriarchy, resistance, space, supernatural

Language

spanish

Download

Share

COinS