Gothic fiction is a literary genre that combines fiction, horror, and romance with a particular emphasis on mysterious and supernatural aspects. Gothic fiction originated in England in the second half of the 18th century. This distinctive literary genre quickly became a phenomenon in the 19th century. The success of this dominant genre in England is frequently attributed to Mary Shelley. Despite its success during this period, Gothic fiction ceased to be a dominant genre by the Victorian era. However, in many ways she was now beginning to enter her most resourceful phase. This article will analyze the influence of Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein on the work of Flannery O'Connor, particularly her novel Wise Blood. Flannery O'Connor has emerged as a crucial, contemporary innovator in Southern Gothic literature. Southern Gothic literature is defined as a subgenre of Gothic fiction, originating in the United States in the 20th century. The Southern Gothic genre employs similar literary elements that its "parent" genre had established. These elements include the employment of macabre, psychological and isolationist dimensions; except now in Southern Gothic, these elements were used to examine the values ​​of the American South. Both Mary Shelley and Flannery O'Connor established themselves as two prestigious figures in Gothicism through their combination of psychological and isolationist aspects, to create memorable works in the Gothic tradition. Shelley's influence on O'Connor's work is clearly evident when examining the recurring gothic theme of isolationism, found in both Frankenstein and Wise Blood. Mary Shelley was born Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin in Somers Town, London, on August 30, 1797. Shelley was an E...... middle of paper ......minization of Romanticism,PMLA, Vol. 95, no. 3 (May 1980), pp. 332-347, published by: Modern Language Association Article DOI: 10.2307/461877 Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/461877Power, Julia. Shelley in America in the 20th century. New York: Haskell House, 1964.Print.Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft and J. Paul Hunter. Frankenstein. New York: WW Norton, 2012Print.Westwood, Martha. “Literary Devices Used in Frankenstein.” Enotes.com, December 5, 2010. Web. 09Apr. 2014. http://www.enotes.com/homework-help/name-least-2-provide-examples-literate-devices-225979 Willette, Janet. “What effect does isolation have on Victor and the creature in “Frankenstein?” » Enotes. Ennotes.com, May 22, 2011. Web. April 6, 2014. http://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-effect -l'isolation-a-il-une-créature-victorieuse-259635