ENGL 213H: Horror Literature - Honors

Citrus College Course Outline of Record

Citrus College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Fall 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; also, student must be eligible for the Citrus College Honors Program or obtain a recommendation from an Honors instructor.
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

This honors course is designed to give the student a knowledge and an appreciation of Horror literature, both fiction and non-fiction. Critical analysis of such works from various perspectives is exemplified through research and written analysis. Special emphasis is given to the quality of the impact on literature of selected classics. 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

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
9-14 pages 5-9 secondary sources works cited annotated works peer review
2. 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. For an 8 minute live presentation in class, prepare a single critical perspective analysis of a work of your choice, including a brief synopsis of the story, the application of a critical perspective, and support from secondary sources.
2. Each student will 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 student 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