Questions of Essentialness

How are the Romantics' beliefs of optimism and individualism reflected in their writing?

Optimism and individualism is reflected in Romantics' writing by showing strong emotion and telling from the authors point of view instead of telling it from the point of view of a made up character.

What is Romanticism, Gothic Romanticism and Southern Gothic Romanticism? How are they similar how are they different?

Romanticism focuses on emphasizing inspiration, subjectivity, and the primacy of the individual. Gothic Romanticism uses grotesque, gloomy settings, and mysterious, violent, supernatural occurrences to build suspense and awe. Southern Gothic Romanticism is very similar and just a sub genre to Gothic Romanticism, just as the name suggest it is more southern orientated. 
The ways they are similar would be they see things in a deeper more personal level and that's how the Romantics write. Where others see only what is on the surface and that is all they speak of Romantics see things different and deeper. They way that the genres are different is because they all have a base subject that is different or a different location or view on the situation. 

How is the Southern Gothic movement a response to literary movements that have preceded it as well as a manipulation of Romantic literary conventions? 

The Southern Gothic movement is a response to literary movements that have preceded it as well as a manipulation of the Romantic literary conventions because it was the start of something bigger. Southern Gothic was different then anything else that had been seen before and whenever it came around it was a genre of its own and it created something bigger than itself it set the stage for the genres following in its footsteps but at the same time set itself apart from the already made genres.

How did the American culture prompt the dark sides of Romanticism? 

The American culture prompted the dark sides of Romanticism by introducing a whole different side of life. Before the Romantics came around everyone was looking at the same side of a coin completely ignoring the fact there is another side to the same coin. The Romantics revealed to the world there is another side. The coin that is being spoke of is the coin of life, before the Romantics everyone would just look at the life side of the coin ignoring the other. But the Romantics brought the other side into the light, they brought death into their stories. Most others wouldn't dare think of putting death into a story for death means the end, well the Romantics saw death as a new beginning. 

How do the writings of these time periods influence the writings of today? 

The writings of these time periods influenced the writings of today by giving inspiration and ideas. The stages have been set for today's authors, they can either choose a stage or pick their own. Today, just like back in the Romantics' time, authors kill characters and speak of spirits and after lives, without the Romantics this would never be done and quite honestly literature would be boring and dry without the author constantly killing off favorite characters. *cough cough* John Green *cough cough*