Question

Although the old woman lived in this desolate spot with only her daughter and she had never seen Mr. Shiftlet before, she could tell, even from a distance, that he was a tramp and no one to be afraid of. His left coat sleeve was folded up to show there was only half an arm in it and his gaunt figure listed slightly.

Which phrase connects these characters to the Southern gothic genre?
half an arm
she had never seen
his left coat sleeve
folded up

Answer 1

"half an arm"

This phrase signals the grotesque/physical deformity typical of Southern Gothic characters, emphasizing decay, abnormality, and the eerie atmosphere of the genre.