EN 271 - American Gothic Literature

American Gothic literature presents confrontations between ordinary people and the supernatural-ghosts, monsters, witches, and devils, real and metaphoric. Typically set in wild or imprisoning places and in moments when the archaic erupts suddenly into modernity, its plots often focus on abuses of power, gothic motifs that have often been used to focus on repressed or unwanted truths about unjust social norms, especially in relation to race and gender. Covers works by writers including Poe, Hawthorne, Edith Wharton, Henry James, Charles Chesnutt, Alice Walker, William Faulkner and Shirley Jackson.

Note: Meets Aesthetic and Creative Engagement Learning Outcome (AEST)

Four credits