Title: TOPICS IN LITERATURE

PRQ:

Do ghosts actually roam the earth?  Do things really go "bump in the night'? Americans seem to have a fascination with ghosts. Nickelodeon airs Scooby Doo and Casper re-runs. Hollywood has made movies like: Scooby Doo, The Sixth Sense, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Ghostbusters, Ghost, The Lady in White, The Ghosts of Mississippi, Harvey, The Piano Lesson, and Truly, Madly, Deeply, to name a few. What do these popular television shows and "flicks" have in common? What do directors and produces want audiences to derive from these movies (other than spending $10 for a movie ticket and popcorn?) In general, why do ghosts (fictional and/or literal) visit the living?  These represent some questions we will ask and they will help us as we "bring to life" ghost stories by nineteenth and twentieth century American authors of different regions, genders, and races.  We will arrive at answers to the above questions by asking questions expected of literary scholarship, such as character development, point-of-view, tone, etc.  We will also situate texts in their historical context and ask questions regarding gender, race, class, religion, & psychology.

Class time will vary between lecture, class discussion, and student-led discussion. 

• Substantive participation
• Presentation(s).
• All writing projects.
• Short papers
• A conference  paper (6-8 pages)
• An abstract and an attached annotated bibliography.
• An article (15-20 pages)