Scary Stories in American Literature

This course examines short and serialized stories in American literature from the nineteenth century to the present with a focus on the scary story, or those that explore the ghostly, monstrous, and uncanny.

What are the methods and theories that critics have used to study horror and the gothic in literature? What are the key features that constitute such tales and how do they elicit a sense of fear and disgust? How and to what effect have these stories engaged with contemporary and historical concerns?