AML 3311-0002 Summer 2024 - Wahl

This course centers on an exploration of major figures in American Gothic literature, focusing on the key authors who have shaped and defined the American Gothic tradition. Through close textual analysis and by situating the texts within their socio-political context, students will gain insight into how American Gothic literature reflects and responds to broader cultural anxieties, tensions, and shifts.

The course will survey a range of authors spanning different historical periods, highlighting their unique contributions to the development and evolution of American Gothic literature. From early Puritan narratives to contemporary horror fiction, students will analyze how authors employ Gothic tropes and motifs to interrogate the complexities of the American experience. Featured authors may include Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Shirley Jackson, Flannery O'Connor, and Toni Morrison, among others.