Course Introduction: From American Gothic to Contemporary Horror
Are you interested in American gothic literature? Do you like macabre or spooky stories? Are you looking for some motivation to read?
I received my M.A. in English with a concentration in American literature. As part of my program, I developed a syllabus for a course in American gothic literature. The course focuses on gothic literature in America since the 1860s (with a few earlier exceptions). It focuses on the changing conventions of the genre, mixing traditional and contemporary pieces in its reading list.
Basically, I’ve adapted the work I put into my course into a series of posts I’ll be publishing here on Medium.
Why Study Gothic Literature?
It’s easy to spot elements of gothic literature in contemporary stories, including modern horror novels, music, and movies. Gothic literature touches so many different topics, including religion, spirituality, race, gender, and sexuality. Gothic literature can be disturbing, but it can also be enlightening.
One of my favorite things about gothic stories is that they are so often about transgression and anxiety. These stories are often about liberation and crossing boundaries. They’re about power and control. I find these stories fascinating.
Reading List
Do you want to follow long? These are the core texts, including novels and short stories, that I’ll be reading and discussing. I tried to pick a lot of affordable texts, and many can be found online for free.
Here’s the order of the reading:
Rev. Jonathan Edwards, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
Cotton Mather, “The Wonders of the Invisible World”
Washington Irving, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”
Louisa May Alcott, “A Whisper in the Dark”
Charlotte Perkins Gilman, “The Yellow Wallpaper”
Edgar Allan Poe, “The Black Cat”
Edgar Allan Poe, “The Tell-Tale Heart”
Edgar Allan Poe, “The Cask of Amontillado”
Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
William Faulkner, “A Rose for Emily”
Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House. ISBN: 9780143134770
Alvin Schwartz, In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories. ISBN: 9780064440905
V. C. Andrews, Flowers in the Attic. ISBN: 0671729400
Toni Morrison, Beloved. ISBN: 978–1400033416
Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Mexican Gothic. ISBN: 978–0525620785
Carmen Maria Machado, In the Dream House: A Memoir. ISBN: 978–1644450031
Here’s How It Works
I’ll focus on one text per week. First, I’ll offer an introduction to the text, which includes historical context and additional information about why the work is important. This will be available on Monday.
On Tuesday, I’ll post reading notes for the text. This will include insights and discussion of literary devices and important points, sometimes on a chapter-by-chapter basis.
On Thursday, I’ll post some questions you might consider answering.
Finally, on Friday, I’ll post further reading and other media connected to the text.
So, let’s get started!
The first text I’ll be focusing on is part of a unit I’m calling “The Foundation of American Gothic Literature.” We’ll be starting with “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards, but we’ll also be discussing American gothic literature as a whole. You can find the text free online with a quick Google.
Next Lesson: Introduction & Context: “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
