ENGL 213: Horror Literature

Citrus College Course Outline of Record

Citrus College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Winter 2021
Credits: 3
Total Contact Hours: 54
Lecture Hours : 54
Lab Hours: 0
Hours Arranged: 0
Outside of Class Hours: 108
Prerequisite: ENGL 101 or ENGL 101E or ENGL 101H.
Strongly Recommended: ENGL 103 or ENGL 103H.
District General Education: C2. Humanities
Transferable to CSU: Yes
Transferable to UC: Yes - Approved
Grading Method: Standard Letter

Catalog Course Description

An introduction to horror literature, this course is designed to give students an understanding of the application of literary analysis to horror literature. 54 lecture hours.

Course Objectives

  • Critically examine and discuss horror literature in its various forms in the context of historical and cultural relevance.
  • Identify, interpret, evaluate and analyze horror literature’s literary techniques involving lyric; myth, legend and folklore; humor; and slang and regional vernacular; message and impact through analysis using critical perspectives.
  • Discuss and analyze examples of differences in cultural perspectives, to develop cultural relativity skills
  • Demonstrate proper use of internet research skills
  • Write well-organized critical essays in response to questions posed in horror fiction and poetry, and state and develop the thesis through logical argumentation, employing both deductive and inductive forms of reasoning in the defense and development of thesis/judgments

Major Course Content

  1. Critical Thinking
    1. Objectivity in analysis
    2. Inferential reasoning
    3. Deductive vs. inductive reasoning/argumentation
  2. Roots: The Basics of Horror fiction
    1. Poetry
    2. Short Stories
    3. Novels
    4. Film
  3. Thematic Elements in Horror fiction
    1. Theme
    2. Symbols
    3. Irony
    4. Conflict
    5. Setting
    6. Plot
    7. Characterization
  4. Literary Criticism
    1. Historical
    2. Biographical
    3. New historicism
    4. Gender
    5. Psychoanalytical
    6. Cultural Criticism
      1. Feminist
      2. Latino Studies
      3. African American Studies
      4. Queer Theory
    7. Mythological/archetypal
    8. Marxist
  5. The Research Essay
    1. Reading fiction for content
    2. Secondary sources
    3. Library sources
    4. Internet sources

Suggested Reading Other Than Required Textbook

Dobie, Ann. Theory into Practice: An Introduction to Literary Criticism. Cengage. 3rd ed. 2011

Examples of Required Writing Assignments

In no less than 5 paragraphs, discuss the story you have chosen in the context of ANY THREE CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES EXCEPT FORMALISM. Use at least one secondary source, quoted, per body paragraph in addition to quoting the primary source. Use a pen. You have 80 minutes.
story/ textbook secondary sources blue book pen

Examples of Outside Assignments

1. CHOOSE A TOPIC FROM THE HORROR LIT TERM PAPER LIST PAGE: http://englit.org/eiland_shared/resource/horrorlit.htm you must apply a minimum of four critical perspectives
7-10 pages 5-7 secondary sources works cited page peer review
2. Students will, in groups of three, analyze one of the literary works from the course calendar, preparing a biography, a historical context, and at least one critical perspective to be applied to the text. This group will present this information to lead the discussion on the day that that particular literary work is to be discussed in class.

Instruction Type(s)

Lecture, Online Education Lecture

IGETC Area 3: Arts and Humanities

3B. Humanities