In American Gothic fiction the elements that can be found are:
1) eerie castles: old and large traditional castles are commonly found in Gothic fiction because they have secret passages, or rooms, hidden staircases, strange noises, mysterious echoes, creating a terrifying atmosphere.
2) Mysterious events: The atmosphere it is full of mystery, the reader does not know what is going to happen next and most of the times, a disappearance, murder or an inexplicable event happened.
3) Strange landscapes: Exotic settings are used to create horror and suspense, most of the times isolated places in the dark, covered by fog in the cold winter at night. For example, crumbling buildings in the middle of a forest.
4) Threatened heroines: Women facing danger, unable to defend themselves and suffering because they are alone or abandoned. They are often the main character of the story and the attention is on them.
5) Medieval settings: Medieval times were always associated with Gothic literature because of the dark, obscure period that represents.
