Students will read works that show how the
gothic genre has evolved since its origins in 18th C. England. The gothic
influence on literature of the last two centuries, including recent post-modern and post-colonial work, will be explored. Students will be encouraged to speculate about the appeal of the genre, which draws readers
into fictional experiences that provoke a compelling assortment of emotional
responses–from discomfort to amazement.
We will aim to comprehend why the gothic still engages today’s readers,
providing them with psychological experiences and discoveries that haunt them yet
stimulate their interest to read more.
Texts (Ordered through Revolution Books or posted on
course website at Laulima):
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: or the Modern Prometheus(1818)
Edgar Allen Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher(1839)
Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw (1898)
Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House (1959)
Angela Carter’s “The Lady of the House of
Love” (1979)
Keri Hulme’s The Bone People (1986)
Toni Morrison’s Beloved(1987)
Assignments and Evaluation
Three 4-page essays
Casual in-class writing assignments &
impromptu reading quizzes
Final Exam
Participation and Attendance