American Gothic

Dr. Christina Rothenbeck Department of English

Ghostly visitors, creepy houses, mythical monsters—there’s nothing Americans love more than a good fright! But the Gothic tradition in America isn’t just about maximum chills; it’s also an expression of our deepest cultural fears and anxieties, our repressed desire and guilt —the messy, complicated emotions lurking at the heart of the American experience. In this course, as we read and discuss a variety of texts in the American Gothic tradition, we will also consider what they’re telling us about America’s fears and realities.