Media plays a large role in arousing the public's interest in the fantastic.21 The novels of Anne Rice, a gothic-horror writer, appeal to a large audience, and her three book series have quite a cult following. ... With that, almost every woman in town is accused of being a witch, and the cycle continues.43 Another important example of hysterical paranoia from the Puritan era is The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. ... Prynne, her presumed-dead husband, returns to discover all of this.45 Now called Roger Chillingworth to hide his identity, he sinks to a new low as he tort...

• Word Count: 3126
• Approx Pages: 13
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School