This case study explores the understandings that seventh graders constructed with Gothic texts in a reading unit designed by the researcher. Gothic is a fictional genre defined by horror and mystery. The stories' protagonists are often marginalized individuals. The genre was selected due to its popularity with adolescents. Qualitative data were collected and reviewed using thematic analysis. The results of the study reveal that as a result of grappling with the societal other, participants gleaned meaningful knowledge that enriched them personally and socially.