Horror, ghost stories, and spooky urban legends–Why are we so
fascinated with things that “go bump in the night”? In this class, we
will investigate the evolution of horror literature from Gothic to Glen
Grant’s Chicken Skin Tales. Our class discussions will involve
exploring questions like “Who has more
appeal for a contemporary audience: Bram Stoker’s Dracula or Anne
Rice’s Lestat”? and “What does a Continental urban legend about a
teenager wearing a sweater have in common with a local story about the
volcanic goddess Pele”? If you dislike reading stories that make your
skin crawl or going on ghost story tours and visiting graveyards at
night, then this is probably not the class for you.
