Comic Gothic in Children’s Literature:

Abstract

The present study is aimed at investigating how the Comic Gothic elements are incorporated in children’s literature. The study examines the chosen theme in Daniel Handler’s novel The Bad Beginning which was published in 1999. The book is the first in the series under the title A Series of Unfortunate Events. The present study finds that the Comic Gothic incorporation in the novel contributes in the development of the children’s literature as a genre due to the different literary techniques which have been included. Moreover, Handler’s style helps in the development of the child reader’s cognitive and emotional aspects as the dark Gothic is converted in a comic manner.