The term Gothic conjures up images of frightened women, graveyards, and haunted castles in the mist, popular settings for horror films. But is this what Gothic means? The Oxford Companion to English Literature defines Gothic as, "Tales of the macabre, fantastic, and supernatural, usually se...

Chapter 13: At the outset of spring, a stranger ­ an exquisitely beautiful young woman of exotic appearance ­ appears at the family's cottage. Felix is ecstatic to see her, kisses her hands, and refers to her as his "sweet Arabian"; later, the creature learns that her true name is Safe. The cre...

In a world consumed by brand names and goods, we tend to see poverty as a lack of money and materialistic items. Poverty in its true definition should be based on other things because money isn't everything and cannot create a solid foundation for a healthy life. Poverty was used throughou...