What makes a setting Gothic?

Well, as we saw today, pretty much anywhere can be turned into a gothic setting by adding a few key features to them. Loneliness is one of these features. When people are alone they are more vulnerable and the whole setting itself becomes disconcerting and abnormal, as we are not used to being completely on our own or reading books about people completely on their own. The vulnerability of the person being on their own may be because they cannot rely on others to help them, e.g. a cry for help. Or, because they may not actually be alone, it may just seem as if they are, making the setting more spoooooky and therefore gothic.

Another feature which can be applied to pretty much any 'normal' setting to make it gothic is the 'presence of the supernatural' this links in to being alone or 'being alone' muahaha. From random openings and closings of doors to 'something' breathing down your neck. A lil bitta 'unknown presence' goes a long way in making a setting more frightening and generally gothical.

And the third idea is the 'corruption of innocence' in some way. Louis' generic 'child with teddy' becoming evil is a standard thing that may creep us out. But why is this? I hear you cry. Well, you wouldn't generally expect an 'innocent' person/thing to be corrupt, so that in itself is disconcerting. This whole 'unexpectedness' makes the setting more gothic as it means we don't know what's going to happen or maybe even what is happening, making the setting more mysterious which is normally a gothic trait.