How much power do formal institutions have in our society?

Alot of power! The church, gov., and schools are all examples of institutions with a lot of power. The has a lot of power because people want to live by what they believe god is trying to tell them. The government has a lot of power because they control almost everything we do. Schools, they teach us almost everything we know from a young age.

Can one be to determined

Determination is a good thing, it means you want to succeed at whatever your doing. Can one be to determined, yes! When one becomes to determined, it's comes to be known as an obsession. An obsession is when you will stop at  almost nothing to get what you want. An obsession can be dangerous and lead you to do harmful things.

What do you think is the most important quality of gothic stories?

Adjectives to me are the most important. When you have adjectives, you go into detail and describe things. That's what gothic literature does, makes the story weird, dark, suspicious. Adjectives to me fit good in a type of literature like this. For example a silent night could be a cold, foggy, stormy night. To me adjectives make the story more fun to read. They make the story more interesting by helping you get a slight image in your mind. Adjectives are commonly used in literature and this one I think uses a lot of them.

Is there darkness within all us?

Yes, because I believe that darkness is what makes us get angry. Darkness symbolizes something bad, scary, harsh, or even sadness. When something upsets you, you feel one of these ways. I call these dark emotions.

Why can dreamlike settings be powerful in literature and films?

I believes it's because of imagery. When the author describes the setting, it grabs your attention. It paints a picture in your mind. It becomes powerful because it plays with your imagination.