ENG 210-01 - Studies in Genre

4 credits (Fall)

“American Gothic.” In this course, we will analyze the tenets of Gothic literature and how they evolve/are informed by American cultures. Questions we will consider include: How does Gothic literature help create and cement an American consciousness? How can we parse the sub-genres of American gothic: African American gothic, Southern gothic, etc? Gothic literature reveals our deepest fears and anxieties through cultural subtext. It examines what Toni Morrison names as, “the unspeakable things.” Therefore, this course explores the ghosts haunting American literature and culture through the short stories and novels of Edgar Allan Poe, Charlotte Perkins Gillman, Shirley Jackson, Charles Chesnutt, WEB DuBois and Octavia Butler as well as podcasts (Welcome to Nightvale), and TV shows (Kindred, American Horror Story, The Fall of the House of Usher, Interview with the Vampire).

Prerequisite: ENG 120 or ENG 121; with grade S, C, or better for majors, for non-majors, ENG 120 or ENG 121 with grade S, C, or better, or third-year standing.
Instructor: Lavan