Sunday, January 31, 2010
Jelly-Fish and Chocolate
After going over this weeks readings I was wondering if anyone else was reminded of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" when reading " The Jelly-Fish"? All I could think about when the scientist went into the slide was Mike Teavee, who got shrunk and stuck in TV land in the movie. Although Mike enjoyed being inside TV and the scientist tragically died by jelly fish digestion, I thought the two were at least a bit similar.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Story volunteers for Feb. 3
According to my notes, here are the folks leading our Feb. 3 discussions, as we finish up the first volume of the Straub anthology. Correct me if I err, please. And keep in mind that you needn't wait till Feb. 3; the discussion can begin sooner, here on the blog.
Elizabeth Howell: Stevens, "Unseen -- Unfeared"
Deirdra Drinkard: Fitzgerald, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Charlie Newman: Keller, "The Jelly-Fish"
Paul Ayers: Howard, "The Black Stone"
Leigh Hunnicutt: Lovecraft, "The Thing on the Doorstep"
Broxton Miles: Smith, "Genius Loci"
Daniel Dye: Bloch, "The Cloak"
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
An "Adventure of the German Student" paper idea
One of y'all should go into the university's humanities databases, either at Gorgas or via the Gorgas online port, to see whether any scholars have identified any precursors to Washington Irving's "Adventures of the German Student." A number of popular writers have guessed that Irving's story is the first occurrence anywhere of the venerable "then her head fell off" folktale we discussed last week -- for example, Donna Bowman at The Onion A.V. Club calls Irving's "Probably the original version of this scary tale" -- but since Irving was much inspired by European folktales in all his work, I suspect the "then her head fell off" motif shows up even earlier, maybe in the Brothers Grimm?
Yuki-Onna
I found this story to be an easy read and also intriguing. It turns out that Yuki-Onna is a japanese mythologial character and appears in alot of other stories. She also has some different personalities that reoccure throughout the stories. If you google Yuki-Onna and click on images, you will see alot of interesting illistrations.
I also am struggling to understand why Straub included this Japanese folktale in his anthology. Any ideas?
I also am struggling to understand why Straub included this Japanese folktale in his anthology. Any ideas?
I think i did the link to my previous post wrong
Sorry guys... not very familiar with blogs... here is the link.
http://www.realhaunts.com/united-states/the-university-of-alabama/#comments
http://www.realhaunts.com/united-states/the-university-of-alabama/#comments
The University is Haunted!!
I thought this article was interesting. Field trip anyone?
Also, I have a friend who lives in the tri-delt house and she says that it is also haunted. She is scared to sleep on the sleeping poarch(a big room with lots of beds in it because there are no beds in individual rooms) because two of her friends have said that they woke up with a girl laying/floating over them. I think that maybe someone died in the house, but I'm not positive. I'll ask her next time I see her and get the whole story.
Also, I have a friend who lives in the tri-delt house and she says that it is also haunted. She is scared to sleep on the sleeping poarch(a big room with lots of beds in it because there are no beds in individual rooms) because two of her friends have said that they woke up with a girl laying/floating over them. I think that maybe someone died in the house, but I'm not positive. I'll ask her next time I see her and get the whole story.
The Bierce Mystery
I have found all the stories to be truly interesting and chill-bump inducing. I have never read any of these stories, so far — I guess I'm a product of English teachers who didn't like to read outside the box.
I'm presenting about "The Moonlit Road," and its mystery really interests me. I have read about it online, but I was wondering what you guys thought about the second section: "Statement of Caspar Grattan." I've read a few ideas of who he is, and I have my own ideas, but I wondered what you thought.
Tales from the Darkside
There is a story in Tales from the Darkside: The Movie that is very similar to "Yuki-Onna." The man in the movie witnesses a gargoyle devour someone in a dark alley. The gargoyle catches the man and tells him he can go free if he promises to never tell anyone what he has seen. Obviously the man makes the promise. Later while walking home, he meets a woman. He ends up marrying this woman and having children with her. One day he decides he should tell her what he saw that fateful night. Sounds familiar right? Well this guy wishes he were Minokichi. All Minokichi has to do is be nice to his children. In the movie, the wife and children turn into gargoyles and eat the man.
Vampire Pun
Did anyone else like the pun "consumption of the blood" in "Luella Miller?" It was referring to a disease that causes the victim to become weak, but it's an interesting choice of words considering the context of the story. Do you think the author intentionally used this pun? "Consumption" was a common word, but usually it referred to tuberculosis. I looked it up. Originally it was used to describe any wasting disease, so it does fit here.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
"To Room 19"
I figured out the story I asked you guys if you had read that reminded me of "The Yellow Wall Paper". It is called "To Room 19" by Doris Lessing. The two stories are similar because they are both written by female authors and both deal with women suffering from depression. As a result of her disease Susan Rawlings has delusions and goes into long periods of deep thought much like the main character of "The Yellow Wall Paper."
If you liked " The Yellow Wall Paper" I think you will like this too !
For more info http://www.enotes.com/room-nineteen
Experimentally gothic
After reading The Striding Place, I was kind of shocked with the ending. While we will discuss it in class tomorrow, I thought it interesting to point out that this short story was purely an experiment of author, Gertrude Atherton.
I found this little tidbit off this Web site.
I found this little tidbit off this Web site.
The Repairer of Reputations- A little background
"The Repairer of Reputations" seems to need a little background. I will be talking about this in class tomorrow, but for a very brief background, here are two things you will want to know.
According to Wikipedia:
It was actually much more common among the educated in America before WWII than you probably think, and is somewhat having an upswing in modern times with sterilization.
The other information that I want to give is about the background of the story. It was written in 1895 and was a look 25 years into the future, when the first government lethal chamber had opened. Essentially a public gas chamber, it was argued back and forth as to whether lethal chambers were necessary to eugenics. Obviously this never happened, but it is an interesting take.
See you all tomorrow!
According to Wikipedia:
Eugenics is the study and practice of selective breeding applied to humans, with the aim of improving the species. In a historical and broader sense, eugenics can also be a study of "improving human genetic qualities." Advocates of eugenics sought to counter what they regarded as dysgenic dynamics within the human gene pool, specifically in regard to congenital disorders and factors relating to the heritability of IQ. Widely popular in the early decades of the 20th century, it has largely fallen into disrepute after having become associated with Nazi Germany.
It was actually much more common among the educated in America before WWII than you probably think, and is somewhat having an upswing in modern times with sterilization.
The other information that I want to give is about the background of the story. It was written in 1895 and was a look 25 years into the future, when the first government lethal chamber had opened. Essentially a public gas chamber, it was argued back and forth as to whether lethal chambers were necessary to eugenics. Obviously this never happened, but it is an interesting take.
See you all tomorrow!
Monday, January 25, 2010
My Weekend in New Orleans
Hi all,
This weekend I went to New Orleans with my boyfriend for his formal and traces of our discussions of the stranger side of life followed me ! As we were taking a carriage ride through the streets surrounding the French Quarter our driver pointed out what he said was New Orleans' most haunted site, the LaLaurie Mansion.
Dr. Louis LaLaurie and Delphine LaLaurie, who is now infamous in New Orleans for the sinister torture of her slaves, purchased the house on Royal St. in 1831. Madame LaLaurie allegedly chained her cook to the stove in the kitchen. Desperate to be discovered, the cook is said to have started a fire to attract attention. When officials arrived to contain the fire they also discovered a secret room which housed twelve slaves, who were bound and mutilated. In the room were operating tables where strange medical experiments were preformed on the unwilling slaves. Madame LaLaurie was also claimed to have been seen chasing her personal servant with a whip when the young girl flung herself from the roof of the mansion.
Mobs of suspicious neighbors rioted outside the mansion forcing the once prominent socialites to flee New Orleans and never be heard from again. The house has since then been on the market numerous times, never being owned by the same person for long. The beautiful mansion where New Orleans' most esteemed residents enjoyed fabulous parties has now been everything from a haunted saloon or dance conservatory to the home of the actor Nicholas Cage. Owners have claimed to see a black man wrapped in chains haunting the building and to have herd strange voices.
Whether or not the tales of the LaLaurie Mansion or true or not, our carriage driver sure did seem scared to drive past the erie three-story building. The tale of Madame LaLaurie definitely made our trip more interesting, and I like to believe that the myth is true !
Friday, January 22, 2010
An easier way to follow the blog
Hey guys,
I realize I will be preaching to the choir for some people in our class, but I just wanted to give a brief tutorial on an easier way to follow not only the blog, but the comments. It's called RSS (real simple syndication), and it is an easy way to read lots of different things in one place. There are a few steps and many ways to do it, but with the right setup, you can have all the blog posts and comments come to one place (instead of visiting the blog, looking through posts to see what you have not read, and looking through individual posts for new comments.
First, you will need an RSS reader. These are very common and a Google search for "RSS reader" will give you 32 million hits. I personally use google.com/reader
Figure out which RSS reader you want and then find out how to add a feed. In Google Reader, the link says Add a Subscription and it is in the top left corner.
When adding a feed, you need a URL to the feed. Blogs will usually have a button somewhere that says RSS, Feed, Subscription, or looks like this:
On our blog, you can find the feeds in the bottom of the right corner. It says subscribe to and then has a button for posts and then for all comments. If you are using Google or Bloglines as your RSS reader, you can simply click and then click your reader and follow the prompts to add the feed. If not, you can copy these links into your Add Subscription box on your reader:
One is for the actual posts, and one is for the comments. This way all new posts come to one place, reducing your time hunting for posts and increasing your time reading them!
Hope that helps!
I realize I will be preaching to the choir for some people in our class, but I just wanted to give a brief tutorial on an easier way to follow not only the blog, but the comments. It's called RSS (real simple syndication), and it is an easy way to read lots of different things in one place. There are a few steps and many ways to do it, but with the right setup, you can have all the blog posts and comments come to one place (instead of visiting the blog, looking through posts to see what you have not read, and looking through individual posts for new comments.
First, you will need an RSS reader. These are very common and a Google search for "RSS reader" will give you 32 million hits. I personally use google.com/reader
Figure out which RSS reader you want and then find out how to add a feed. In Google Reader, the link says Add a Subscription and it is in the top left corner.
When adding a feed, you need a URL to the feed. Blogs will usually have a button somewhere that says RSS, Feed, Subscription, or looks like this:
On our blog, you can find the feeds in the bottom of the right corner. It says subscribe to and then has a button for posts and then for all comments. If you are using Google or Bloglines as your RSS reader, you can simply click and then click your reader and follow the prompts to add the feed. If not, you can copy these links into your Add Subscription box on your reader:Hope that helps!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Story volunteers for Jan. 27
According to my notes, here are the folks leading our Jan. 27 discussions, story by story. Correct me if I err, please. And keep in mind that you needn't wait till Jan. 27; the discussion can begin sooner, here on the blog.
Daniel Dye: Chambers, "The Repairer of Reputations"
Deirdra Drinkard: Atherton, "The Striding Place"
Mary Hagerman: Freeman, "Luella Miller"
Charlotte Brady: Hearn, "Yuki-Onna"
Claire Norrell: Crawford, "For the Blood Is the Life"
Lauren Heartsill: Bierce, "The Moonlit Road"
Broxton Miles: White, "Lukundoo"
Kent Burton: Brown, "Golden Baby"
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Links, not texts
Let's not copy and post copyrighted material here, folks -- not complete stories, not complete MP3 files, nothing that could constitute theft of someone else's intellectual property. Quotes and excerpts are fine; public-domain stuff is fine; links to other sites are fine. Just keep in mind that this is a blog for commentary on texts, not for reproducing the texts themselves. OK? OK.
Things talked about in class: January 20
Liberty Leading the People
(Click to enlarge)
The Nightmare
The Girl with the Green Ribbon Around Her Neck
A long time ago there was a little girl who had a green ribbon around her neck. One day she went to school and met a boy named Jim. Jim sat behind her in class and noticed the ribbon under her pig tails.
"Why do you wear that ribbon around your neck?" he asked. Someday I'll tell you, she promised.
When they were teenagers, Jim asked the girl on a date. While they were drinking frappes, Jim asked again, "why do you wear that green ribbon around your neck?” She laughed nervously and said, "Well maybe if we ever get married I'll tell you."
Jim fell in love with the girl and they got married. In bed their first night, the only thing his new wife wouldn't take off was the ribbon and he asked, “Okay, we're married now...why do you wear that ribbon on your neck!" She said, "I'll tell you if we ever have kids."
After they had a boy and a girl, Jim asked again,"Please, please, please, WHY DO YOU WEAR THAT RIBBON AROUND YOUR NECK?!?!" She said, if you love me, you'll drop it for now, some day I'll tell you."
So he dropped it. Just accepted the fact that his wife wore a mysterious ribbon around her neck all the time. They got old together, then the woman got very sick, went to the hospital, and the doctor said she was going to die. Her distraught husband sat by her side for days, and finally said, please, tell me now, why do you have that ribbon around your neck? In a croaky voice she said, okay, I'll tell you, take it off now."
He pulled the bow loose and her head fell off.
(Click to enlarge)
The Nightmare
The Girl with the Green Ribbon Around Her Neck
A long time ago there was a little girl who had a green ribbon around her neck. One day she went to school and met a boy named Jim. Jim sat behind her in class and noticed the ribbon under her pig tails.
"Why do you wear that ribbon around your neck?" he asked. Someday I'll tell you, she promised.
When they were teenagers, Jim asked the girl on a date. While they were drinking frappes, Jim asked again, "why do you wear that green ribbon around your neck?” She laughed nervously and said, "Well maybe if we ever get married I'll tell you."
Jim fell in love with the girl and they got married. In bed their first night, the only thing his new wife wouldn't take off was the ribbon and he asked, “Okay, we're married now...why do you wear that ribbon on your neck!" She said, "I'll tell you if we ever have kids."
After they had a boy and a girl, Jim asked again,"Please, please, please, WHY DO YOU WEAR THAT RIBBON AROUND YOUR NECK?!?!" She said, if you love me, you'll drop it for now, some day I'll tell you."
So he dropped it. Just accepted the fact that his wife wore a mysterious ribbon around her neck all the time. They got old together, then the woman got very sick, went to the hospital, and the doctor said she was going to die. Her distraught husband sat by her side for days, and finally said, please, tell me now, why do you have that ribbon around your neck? In a croaky voice she said, okay, I'll tell you, take it off now."
He pulled the bow loose and her head fell off.
Horrified of Horror
I sort of forgot to do this. Sorry it is so late. My name is Charlotte Brady and I am a senior marketing major from Mobile. I am not a fan of horror at all, so this class makes me a little nervous. I am scared to watch scary movies or even scary TV shows. For example, some of the fringe episodes scare me. I guess maybe this class will force me to get over my fears. Im going to make this short because it is time to go to class. Clute's model really reminds me of the Harry Potter series. in each book there is some event that happens at the beginning (opening of the chamber of secrets, attack on the quiddich match, etc.) The thickening would be when other events occur and they try to find out who is involved. The revel is very evident. There is usually some good person that is actually bad. The aftermath would of course be that Voldemort is still out there, well except for the last book.
What Gives With "The Giver" Movie?
I know there's no zombies or microscopic madmen in Lois Lowry's "The Giver", but this is the closest thing to dark fantasy I read growing up. I believe this is easily the most messed up book that people let their kids read in middle school. Reading that in the fourth rain mentally scarred me in a good way. So it bothers me that we can have "Twilight" and two "Alvin and the Chipmunks" movies but The Giver hasn't been made yet.
Apparently Jeff Bridges ( Probably better known as "The Dude") wants to get the movie made so he can play The Giver, who is an old wise man with a big bushy beard...Think Santa Claus and Buddha rolled into one. I think there's probably better guys out there for the part but if he can get it made then I'm all for it.
I guess I'm just kind of sending this out there since it is my only gripe with the fantasy world and I was wondering if anyone else remembers this amazing book or if theres any other fantasy books you'd like to see made into a movie. And if you remember the book as I do, what actor do you think would make a solid "Giver"? I'd personally like to throw a bearded Kevin Kline's name into the ring.
Apparently Jeff Bridges ( Probably better known as "The Dude") wants to get the movie made so he can play The Giver, who is an old wise man with a big bushy beard...Think Santa Claus and Buddha rolled into one. I think there's probably better guys out there for the part but if he can get it made then I'm all for it.
I guess I'm just kind of sending this out there since it is my only gripe with the fantasy world and I was wondering if anyone else remembers this amazing book or if theres any other fantasy books you'd like to see made into a movie. And if you remember the book as I do, what actor do you think would make a solid "Giver"? I'd personally like to throw a bearded Kevin Kline's name into the ring.
Fantastical Post
Paul here. So since wer'e all spilling our secret identities I'm the film major. And I'm also Aquaman. I've never really been drawn to the scifi/fantasy side of things but this class sounded a little too cool to pass up. I'm also a creative writing minor but the closest I've ever came to writing a Dark Fantastic tale was a story I wrote about a camel in the 4th grade.
Being a film major I definetly come at things from more of a visual aspect and wondering how this stuff would really look in real life which is stupid to begin with because it's fiction. I can't wait to really get in depth with all of these stories because what I've read so far is all sorts of trippy and weird and fantastic. I'm really looking forward to the rest of this semester because a class where the teacher is stuck in a television screen sounds like a dark fantasy to begin with.
To add to the Clute discussion I know I called out a few movie examples in class last week but I've just thought of a neat one in the "Thriller" video by Michael Jackson. Of course with sighting you see all the zombies creeping out doing the electric boogaloo. The the thickening occurs with Michael and his date being chased through the city by the line dancing undead and eventually even undead Michael joins in on the fun. The revel comes near the end where Michael's date wakes up and realizes it was all a dream. But there's an aftermath because at the end of the video Michael's eyes turn yellow and you realize he really is a moonwalking zmobie.
Being a film major I definetly come at things from more of a visual aspect and wondering how this stuff would really look in real life which is stupid to begin with because it's fiction. I can't wait to really get in depth with all of these stories because what I've read so far is all sorts of trippy and weird and fantastic. I'm really looking forward to the rest of this semester because a class where the teacher is stuck in a television screen sounds like a dark fantasy to begin with.
To add to the Clute discussion I know I called out a few movie examples in class last week but I've just thought of a neat one in the "Thriller" video by Michael Jackson. Of course with sighting you see all the zombies creeping out doing the electric boogaloo. The the thickening occurs with Michael and his date being chased through the city by the line dancing undead and eventually even undead Michael joins in on the fun. The revel comes near the end where Michael's date wakes up and realizes it was all a dream. But there's an aftermath because at the end of the video Michael's eyes turn yellow and you realize he really is a moonwalking zmobie.
I'm open-minded about this (like a Yes Man!)
Hi everyone, I'm Mary Hagerman, the Advertising and Graphic Design major of our group! I haven't been acquainted with everyone yet, since I was stranded at the Toyota place getting my car serviced as this class was starting last week. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone in class today. I wouldn't say that Horror is my favorite branch of the Fantastic, but I have definitely been a fan of fantasy for most of my life. I think it started with my mom and brother being avid Star Wars fans and then in middle and high school I branched off to Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings among others. Most recently I have read all the Twilight books and am obsessed with the Vampire Diaries show. I'm usually the one you have to drag to horror movies, but there have been a few that I've actually enjoyed. Growing up, I did enjoy reading scary books like Goosebumps and I owned a few books of horror short stories. I also admit that my favorite stories that I have read in English literature include Frankenstein and Beowulf, so the interest is definitely there! The readings for this class are not what I would normally choose for pleasure reading these days, but I'm excited about reading something different and discussing them with you all!
I agree that Clute's four-part model applies to genres other than Horror. My current favorite movie, Yes Man! is the opposite of horror, yet I think it can also fit this model.
Wow, I'm late to the party
Greetings, this is Broxton Miles, and since everyone seems to be admitting what major they are, I am the physics/astronomy major. I will say that fantasy/science fiction literature has always been a great interest of mine, but up until recently I'd never really been into the dark/horror fantasy genre. Recently, I've actually started to read a bit of Lovecraft's works and found that the genre doesn't have to be the stereotypical gore filled stuff you hear about, but can actually use your own imagination to put you in uncomfortable positions. While of course that's nothing new, I find it interesting how authors can describe just enough of something to give you a glimpse of what the characters are seeing and then gives the rest over to your mind. I've loved the X-Files since I was a little kid so that's always fun to talk about, and since Prof. Duncan said that Lost could fall under the category of things to write about in this blog, I will probably be writing a good bit about that because I may be slightly obsessed with it. Also, I promise my future posts will be much better.
I would have to agree with some of the other student's opinions that the 4 part model can apply to more than just horror. For my example I would say that it fits pretty nicely to the film No Country for Old Men in the following way:
The Sighting: In the beginning of the film, the villain, Anton Chigurh, is shown committing the first two murders of the film. You start to get a sense that this guy is pure evil
The Thickening: The I guess what you could call the protagonist, Llewelyn Moss, finds money at the sight of a drug deal gone horribly wrong, and is hunted by Anton who has been hired by people who want the money back.
The Revel: In a twist from the normal formula of film: the protagonist is killed off camera, the villain lives and escapes without consequence other than a broken arm.
The Aftermath: There is no relief, and there is no explanation as to why events went the way they did. All that is known is that evil has won this fight and is still out in the world.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
The Hills Have Eyes really ruined it all for me
Well, I'm Cassandra Coleman and I will readily admit that Horror/the Fantastic has never really been in my interest. For a while I was pretty game on seeing the latest Horror/Scary movie to come out, but The Hills Have Eyes really ruined that for me. It was by far the most nauseating 100 minutes of my life. Ever since then I've been unable to sit through almost any horror movie or show without that movie playing in my mind. I did watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer and X-Files for a time, but even those became somewhat polluted by said movie. I haven't read much of this type of literature though, except for maybe Carrie, so I'm interested to see how this semester goes. I did enjoy both the Mist and Pan's Labyrinth, after much heckling by my friends to see them, so I think there is still hope for me yet.
As for the four part model, I do not think it is limited to Fantastic Horror, but can be applied to other genres. It is very similar to other literary breakdowns that I remember learning in early literature/language classes.
For my part I'll be dissecting The Notebook.
Sighting: Noah sees Allie at the Carnival and feels that he must have her/be with her. He even tells her these sentiments.
Thickening: Their summer together falling in love and the years that pass in which they do not see one another, but are still in love.
Revel: The moments after reading Noah's last letter, Allie gets out of her car, suitcases in hand, ready to spend the rest of her life with Noah.
Aftermath: Right before the two fall asleep together, Allie has a clear moment through her Alzheimer's and tells Noah how much their life together has meant to her, then they die together in their sleep, arm in arm.
As for the four part model, I do not think it is limited to Fantastic Horror, but can be applied to other genres. It is very similar to other literary breakdowns that I remember learning in early literature/language classes.
For my part I'll be dissecting The Notebook.
Sighting: Noah sees Allie at the Carnival and feels that he must have her/be with her. He even tells her these sentiments.
Thickening: Their summer together falling in love and the years that pass in which they do not see one another, but are still in love.
Revel: The moments after reading Noah's last letter, Allie gets out of her car, suitcases in hand, ready to spend the rest of her life with Noah.
Aftermath: Right before the two fall asleep together, Allie has a clear moment through her Alzheimer's and tells Noah how much their life together has meant to her, then they die together in their sleep, arm in arm.
Fantasy fledgling
Fantasy is not my forte. I did not grow up on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the Twilight Zone or others that have been previously mentioned. In fact, this will be my first experience actually examining fantasy. That being said, I have come across different elements of fantasy. Like previously mentioned by someone else in my class, Stephen King has left an impression on me. IT haunted me as a child and I decided that I would not put myself through things like that. While I may not watch many fantasy movies, I do like to read a lot and have come across several books I thought I would never like, but now love. I have read the Hobbit and the LOTR books, everything J.K. Rowling has put out, all the Twilight books and most recently a book recommended by Randy Grider, The Amityville Horror. My latest interest has been in literary journalism. (Yes, that makes me the journalism major.) I thought of this book when discussing the elements of fantasy, so maybe I have a little knowledge of this subject. While I have a lot to learn, I am definitely looking forward to this class and all it reveals. Who knows, maybe I'll end up front row waiting for some fantasy movie to start. I'm sure my boyfriend would appreciate that. (HA)
A few words from a self-described King fanatic
Hey all. I'm Leigh, the Spanish major of the class. (On a nerdy sidenote, I think it's awesome that we're going to discuss Pan's Labyrinth. Epically more so that we're going to discuss The Orphanage, because Spanish cult horror films make me giggle.)
I've been fascinated by the dark fantastic ever since I was nine years old and read Stephen King's The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. Not one of his better known works, I guess, but it seemed pretty awesome to me, so I went on to read pretty much all his other works. I got older, I moved into other kinds of fantasy - The Hobbit was my favorite book for about a year, and David Eddings kept me entertained for a while, but I've always come back to horror. Something about the way well-written horror reflects something darker in ourselves, I guess. Anyway, that's my experience in the dark fantastic and fantasy in general.
For my example of Clute's model, I chose another story from the dark fantastic realm, The Haunting of Hill House.
1) The Sighting: At the beginning of the book, all the members of the research team experience the weirdness of the house they're investigating - the doors never stay open, no matter what you put in front of them, the house seems to twist and turn so that you get lost no matter how often you map it out, and there are weird cold spots and uncomfortable angles. Nothing extreme, but very off-putting for all involved.
2) The Thickening: The weird things begin to get more dangerous. Eleanor and Theodora, the two main female characters, experience these terrifying fits where something horrible is trying to claw its way into their room. It becomes clear that the house is Haunted - not just a little bit weird, but full out Haunted with a capital "H". Like Clute argues in his model, I'd say most of the book is taken up by the thickening, when it gets more and more obvious that something is seriously not right about Hill House.
3) The Revel: The researchers in the house realize that whatever is haunting the house has slowly been taking over Eleanor, one of the female characters. It's this very intense, very subtle realization that the haunting wasn't just taking place outside them, but also inside them - they were being conquered from within, sort of. It's this point where Eleanor is killed - either a suicide or a result of the haunting, whatever you choose to believe.
4) The Aftermath: There is no resolution to the story - Eleanor dies, and, to me, becomes part of Hill House and its general terror. The other researchers go on about their lives, with no happy-go-lucky realization that the house wasn't really haunted, that everything can be explained by freak weather patterns and creaky floorboards. They're left to remember - or forget - everything that happened.
I've been fascinated by the dark fantastic ever since I was nine years old and read Stephen King's The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. Not one of his better known works, I guess, but it seemed pretty awesome to me, so I went on to read pretty much all his other works. I got older, I moved into other kinds of fantasy - The Hobbit was my favorite book for about a year, and David Eddings kept me entertained for a while, but I've always come back to horror. Something about the way well-written horror reflects something darker in ourselves, I guess. Anyway, that's my experience in the dark fantastic and fantasy in general.
For my example of Clute's model, I chose another story from the dark fantastic realm, The Haunting of Hill House.
1) The Sighting: At the beginning of the book, all the members of the research team experience the weirdness of the house they're investigating - the doors never stay open, no matter what you put in front of them, the house seems to twist and turn so that you get lost no matter how often you map it out, and there are weird cold spots and uncomfortable angles. Nothing extreme, but very off-putting for all involved.
2) The Thickening: The weird things begin to get more dangerous. Eleanor and Theodora, the two main female characters, experience these terrifying fits where something horrible is trying to claw its way into their room. It becomes clear that the house is Haunted - not just a little bit weird, but full out Haunted with a capital "H". Like Clute argues in his model, I'd say most of the book is taken up by the thickening, when it gets more and more obvious that something is seriously not right about Hill House.
3) The Revel: The researchers in the house realize that whatever is haunting the house has slowly been taking over Eleanor, one of the female characters. It's this very intense, very subtle realization that the haunting wasn't just taking place outside them, but also inside them - they were being conquered from within, sort of. It's this point where Eleanor is killed - either a suicide or a result of the haunting, whatever you choose to believe.
4) The Aftermath: There is no resolution to the story - Eleanor dies, and, to me, becomes part of Hill House and its general terror. The other researchers go on about their lives, with no happy-go-lucky realization that the house wasn't really haunted, that everything can be explained by freak weather patterns and creaky floorboards. They're left to remember - or forget - everything that happened.
Be Warned: Discussion of Cloverfield Below. My Apologies.
This posting comes straight from the jaunty fingertips of David Haugen. I am the Public Relations major in the group and also a member of the UA Forensics Council. I was in need of a course to replace a three hour Motion Film History and Criticism class which sounded decent enough in the beginning until I began to dwell on the idea that it was indeed of a three hour class. So instead I opted for a two and half hour one -- that extra thirty minutes is apparently my salvation. I was originally attracted to The Dark Fantastic upon noticing Pan's Labrynth and Guillermo del Toro making the list. I am a fan of subtitles, unusual fantasy, and visual artistry and that man is quite talented at wrapping that trifecta into quite an amazing little package. My other excursions into the world of fantasy are a bit more on the dragons, mages, and valiant adventures spectrum of things. I love to imerss myself in anything Weis and Hickman. The Dragonlance Chronicles enthrall me. I also proudly subscribe your mainstream LOTR and Harry Potter. I have never read into Stephen King works and the like, but have many times been tempted. I am glad to know I will now be coerced into that genre with this course and excited to be exposed to what may lie beyond.
In response to Clute's model, I am hesitant to have to bring up this piece of garbage, but Cloverfield comes to mind. I detest this film; however, for the sake of Clute's argument, I will expand.
1. Sighting - The "sighting" in this instance can either take on the opening "confidential-military-file-esque" disclaimer of the film's contents or the small earthquake and power outage the party occuring that evening.
2. Thickening - The guests empty into the streets to find pandemonium in the streets and the head of the Statue of Liberty carelessly and mysteriously ripped away and flung across New York City into their street.
3. Revel - The beast and its spawn are ravaging NYC. Our list of main characters dwindles rapidly.
4. Aftermath - The protagonists take cover under a bridge, filming their final testimonies on the camcorder used throughout the film. An explosion collapses the bridge and we are left with the camcorder going blank and hearing the lovers' final words.
Monday, January 18, 2010
"If a vampire comes into my room.... I WILL LET IT BITE ME"
I have always been interested in the darker side of fiction. My first dog was named Buffy after the movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and vampire lore is a focus of the dark fantastic that I particularly enjoy. As a pre-teen I would re-watch The Lost Boys and Interview with a Vampire, all the while fantasizing that these creatures really did exist. I had made up my mind that if Le Stat crept into my room, eternal damnation would defiantly be worth having Tom Cruise's lips on my neck. Along with googling over both Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in the movie Interview with a Vampire I loved reading the novel along with many other Anne Rice books. I would say Anne Rice is the fantasy fiction author with whom I am most familiar with.
After thinking about our discussion in class, I have concluded that the plot of Gone With the Wind follows Clute's four-part model.
1. Sighting: When Scarlet sees Rhett for the first time at Twelve Oaks it is only from afar. He is pointed out as a piece of gossip and Scarlet thinks she will never be involved with him.
2. Thickening: Scarlet and Rhett have a back and forth relationship that becomes very complex. Scarlet never appreciates Rhett's love for her and continues to love Ashley who marries Melanie is not interested in her.
3. Revelry: While Melanie is on her death bed and everyone is coming to say their last words she requests to see Scarlet, the one she loves most who has only tried to betray her by attempting to stealing her husband. The moment Melanie dies, leaving Ashley a free man, Scarlet finally realizes that she has loved Rhett all along.
3. Consequence: When Scarlet rushes home to confess her love to Rhett it is too late. He tells her "Frankly my dear I don't give a damn."
Experience, Reaction, and Recommendation
I watched IT when I was pretty young, and it scared the crap out of me. Every time I went into the bathroom I was afraid a balloon full of blood was going to come up through the sink. Needless to say I took a break from the horror genre for awhile. When I was older I felt like I had to catch up, so I started watching a lot of horror movies. I became a big fan of the genre. In addition to movies, I really enjoyed X Files and Twilight Zone. In my opinion, The Exorcist is the greatest horror movie ever made.
When we looked at Clute's four-part model in class, I thought it sounded similar to another model that I was taught in middle school. The Revel sounded a lot like the climax, but I couldn't remember the other parts. I looked it up, and Freytag's dramatic structure contains the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement/catastrophe/resolution. I mostly agree with these models. However, there is one thing that stands out in Clute's description of the Aftermath. It seems like there are a lot of movies that leave questions unanswered at the end. Obviously the main storyline has to be completed, but I have to disagree with the statement that "there is nothing to be done."
I saw Book of Eli yesterday, and I highly recommend it. It was directed by the Hughes brothers, who also directed the film adaptation of From Hell. When Book of Eli was nearing the end, I thought the action had been awesome but the end was going to be anticlimactic compared to the suspense established by the main character. I was definitely wrong. The twist is amazing.
Friday, January 15, 2010
An intro (because I have an uncreative mind)
So my name is Daniel Dye. Sorry for the title, but I am very uncreative when I need to be!
To jump write (I must warn you, I take puns to a new level) in, I am a Civil Engineering major and am generally more of a Sci-Fi guy than a dark fantasy person. My particular interest is Star Wars (this is my nerdom, I have even been three rows from George Lucas!). I have never really delved into anything to horrific, I guess the closest to horror/fantasy that I have come would be Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. Not that they are horror, but they are definitely fantasy. I am interested in trying to broaden my for pleasure horizons because at the moment, the only things I really read (that are still coming out with books at least) would be Star Wars and the Dresden Files (on a somewhat related note, I have just started reading a Star Wars book called Death Troopers which claims to be the first Star Wars horror book since the death of the Galaxy of Fear tween series).
ETA: As everyone else is doing it, I might as well add my reaction to Clute's argument here. The only thing I could think of (since I have been too involved in horror in the past) was The Strangers. It seems to have all the elements of Clute's theory. The sighting is when the woman comes knocking for someone that is not in the house. It seems creepy but no big deal at first. The thickening is most of the movie when the couple is terrorized by the strangers. The revel would be when they accidentally shoot their friend instead of an assailant, and the aftermath would be as the movie closes, when one of the strangers talks to the proselytizing children and they find the bodies. Although it cannot be applied to all horror works, the theory does seem to fit with a good many of them.
To jump write (I must warn you, I take puns to a new level) in, I am a Civil Engineering major and am generally more of a Sci-Fi guy than a dark fantasy person. My particular interest is Star Wars (this is my nerdom, I have even been three rows from George Lucas!). I have never really delved into anything to horrific, I guess the closest to horror/fantasy that I have come would be Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. Not that they are horror, but they are definitely fantasy. I am interested in trying to broaden my for pleasure horizons because at the moment, the only things I really read (that are still coming out with books at least) would be Star Wars and the Dresden Files (on a somewhat related note, I have just started reading a Star Wars book called Death Troopers which claims to be the first Star Wars horror book since the death of the Galaxy of Fear tween series).
ETA: As everyone else is doing it, I might as well add my reaction to Clute's argument here. The only thing I could think of (since I have been too involved in horror in the past) was The Strangers. It seems to have all the elements of Clute's theory. The sighting is when the woman comes knocking for someone that is not in the house. It seems creepy but no big deal at first. The thickening is most of the movie when the couple is terrorized by the strangers. The revel would be when they accidentally shoot their friend instead of an assailant, and the aftermath would be as the movie closes, when one of the strangers talks to the proselytizing children and they find the bodies. Although it cannot be applied to all horror works, the theory does seem to fit with a good many of them.
Some movies still give me "Goosebumps"
Scary movies have always been more of a fantasy than a reality to me. I was not allowed to watch them growing up, so I got my screams and nightmares when I was with friends or when I was home alone. I would sneak to my room and watch "Goosebumps"—or at least attempt to watch it, since I had a blanket over my eyes for the most part.
The first scary movie I remember seeing was "Thirteen Ghosts," which still gives me nightmares to this day. To me, scary or "dark fantasy" means the film/book focuses on the chase and the plot instead of how much blood and guts they can add in. My favorite movies fit this mold: "The Mummy," Resident Evil" and "Phantom of the Opera"—although I didn't think of this being a scary movie until class the other day.
I think "The Happening" would fit Clute's model, especially the ending. It has a seemingly happy ending, until you realize this "tree massacre" could happen again. I think the best scary movies would have to fit this mold because if they didn't, they would be changing the mood of the story completely. How can the story go from everyone dying to "everyone lived happily ever after." Some things aren't supposed to end well.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Infected by Poe
"The Battle Inside: Infection and the Modern Horror Film," a recent Cineaste article by Richard Harland Smith, is a useful annotated list of movies influenced by George Romero's 1968 drive-in classic Night of the Living Dead and its potent vision of "infection over evolution as a vector for change" via "a viral apocalypse downsizing the number of available protagonists as it supersizes the apportionment of antagonists." Smith writes:
However they vary the recipe, these infection films lean heavily on established Romero-isms: windows are boarded up, barricades are assaulted, human relationships erode, and disease prevails.Thanks to Claire's earlier post, I now read that as a pretty good description of Romero's most significant precursor, Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death":
And one by one dropped the revellers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall. And the life of the ebony clock went out with that of the last of the gay. And the flames of the tripods expired. And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
The Fantasy of Amphibians
I must admit that I know very little about horror and the darker spectrum of fantasy. I am a very skittish person & I have already accepted that this class will probably give me nightmares. However, I have always been a fan of fantasy and science fiction. I enjoy Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Star Wars. My absolute favorite is the lightest of the spectrum: fairy tales. Though I know they are not true fantasy, they do possess fantastic elements and folklore (plus, the original fairy tales are rather horrific). I love all things Disney and my current obsession is Disney's The Princess and the Frog. It uses Cajun folklore and culture and the magic of Jazz Age New Orleans to weave a delightful, beautiful, musical tale.
Another medium of the dark fantastic that I did not even think of in class is theme park attractions and rides such as Walt Disney World's The Haunted Mansion. So, I decided to try to find a theme park attraction to fit Clute's outline for horror stories. I think Mr. Toad's Wild Ride in Disneyland fits. The sighting is the initial reckless nature of Toad's driving through peaceful England. Though it may seem harmless, the alarm in his friends faces and his determination to keep going foreshadow something worse to come. In the thickening, Toad continues driving past police men who wave for him to stop and even onto barricaded areas, such as a ship yard. The feeling of the ride becomes even more turbulant. The revel comes when Toad's jolly ride through London to "nowhere in particular" transforms to an eternal criminal sentence. A judge sends Toad to prison, but in the process, he is hit by a train. Now, the guests and Toad find themselves in Hell (which is surprisingly extreme for a Disney ride). Thus, his quest for "nowhere in particular" leads him to the worst possible place he could be. The guests return to the boarding area for the ride in Toad Hall, but it is ambiguous as to what happens to Toad. Do we assume that since the guests escaped, Toad also did? Disney fails to give this ride its usual happy ending and simply ends, thus mimicking Clute's aftermath.
Another medium of the dark fantastic that I did not even think of in class is theme park attractions and rides such as Walt Disney World's The Haunted Mansion. So, I decided to try to find a theme park attraction to fit Clute's outline for horror stories. I think Mr. Toad's Wild Ride in Disneyland fits. The sighting is the initial reckless nature of Toad's driving through peaceful England. Though it may seem harmless, the alarm in his friends faces and his determination to keep going foreshadow something worse to come. In the thickening, Toad continues driving past police men who wave for him to stop and even onto barricaded areas, such as a ship yard. The feeling of the ride becomes even more turbulant. The revel comes when Toad's jolly ride through London to "nowhere in particular" transforms to an eternal criminal sentence. A judge sends Toad to prison, but in the process, he is hit by a train. Now, the guests and Toad find themselves in Hell (which is surprisingly extreme for a Disney ride). Thus, his quest for "nowhere in particular" leads him to the worst possible place he could be. The guests return to the boarding area for the ride in Toad Hall, but it is ambiguous as to what happens to Toad. Do we assume that since the guests escaped, Toad also did? Disney fails to give this ride its usual happy ending and simply ends, thus mimicking Clute's aftermath.
a B&E
For the most part, my experience with this material has been with horror movies. I enjoy watching just about all kinds, but my favorites are Halloween (the original), The Exorcist, and anything with zombies. I like watching really bad horror movies just as much. There are several low-budget 80's horror movies that are hilarious. Of course I love Army of Darkness, too. I'm also interested in urban legends. I spent a good part of my freshman and sophomore years of college at abandoned buildings around town like Old Bryce, the Silo, and the old waterworks facility. I just like old, creepy buildings. It's considered trespassing to go to these places, that's why I titled this "a B&E." I've always enjoyed scaring people, and many times some of my friends and I would dress up in jump suits and masks and go to Old Bryce and scare people. That was always a lot of fun.
What came to mind when I read the Clute paper was the 2009 film District 9, despite the fact that it isn't necessarily a horror film. I think the sighting would be when you first see the brutality of the aliens and their weaponry. You realize after this that you are going to be seeing more of it. The thickening comes when Wikus spills the fluid on his injured arm. He starts feeling sick, losing fingernails, etc. Things are kind of out of his control at this point. The revel comes when Wikus begins turning into an alien. Alien weaponry becomes available to him, his father-in-law betrays him, and he turns on the corporation he previously worked for. Everything is reversed. What really sold it for me was the aftermath. Despite his efforts to reverse his transformation, at the end of the movie Wikus is still an alien and he still doesn't have his wife. There is no immediate cure for him, and the story is essentially over.
What came to mind when I read the Clute paper was the 2009 film District 9, despite the fact that it isn't necessarily a horror film. I think the sighting would be when you first see the brutality of the aliens and their weaponry. You realize after this that you are going to be seeing more of it. The thickening comes when Wikus spills the fluid on his injured arm. He starts feeling sick, losing fingernails, etc. Things are kind of out of his control at this point. The revel comes when Wikus begins turning into an alien. Alien weaponry becomes available to him, his father-in-law betrays him, and he turns on the corporation he previously worked for. Everything is reversed. What really sold it for me was the aftermath. Despite his efforts to reverse his transformation, at the end of the movie Wikus is still an alien and he still doesn't have his wife. There is no immediate cure for him, and the story is essentially over.
Hello (for I am equally uncreative)
Hello All,
I'm Claire and I'll warn you at the beginning that I have a tendency to babble, but I'll try to keep this succinct.
I have to confess, I've been a fantasy fan most of my life. My mom read me The Hobbit when I was very little and it's been downhill from there. My taste in fantasy does lean more towards the epic side of things, but I have no problems with the darker sides of the genre. My high school years were spent reading Tolkien (All of Tolkien. Yes, The Silmarillion and the Histories, too.) as well as what seems like every book Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman ever wrote, the Discworld books and all of Neil Gaiman's works (go ahead, ask me how excited I am that he's coming to UA). Right now my favorite series is Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen, mostly because Erikson was a professional archaeologist before turning to writing and it shows.
Because of my interest in fantasy, I jumped at the chance to take this class and I'm really looking forward to an opportunity to discuss and analyze the genre as a whole as well as the specific works on the syllabus.
-C
EDIT: (decided it was silly not to combine posts)
My only reaction to the Clute handout is amazement that no one (including me) thought to bring up Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death" as a perfect example of the four-part model. The Sighting would be the beginning when the prince (or was he a nobleman? It's been quite a while since I've read it) sees the devastation the plague is causing and decides to shut himself and his court away. The Thickening could be the description of the various rooms prepared for the Masque with the Revel being the Masque itself and the revelation that the plague has crept into the castle and walks among the party-goers. The Aftermath is, of course, the subsequent deaths of the Prince and all the nobility.
I'm Claire and I'll warn you at the beginning that I have a tendency to babble, but I'll try to keep this succinct.
I have to confess, I've been a fantasy fan most of my life. My mom read me The Hobbit when I was very little and it's been downhill from there. My taste in fantasy does lean more towards the epic side of things, but I have no problems with the darker sides of the genre. My high school years were spent reading Tolkien (All of Tolkien. Yes, The Silmarillion and the Histories, too.) as well as what seems like every book Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman ever wrote, the Discworld books and all of Neil Gaiman's works (go ahead, ask me how excited I am that he's coming to UA). Right now my favorite series is Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen, mostly because Erikson was a professional archaeologist before turning to writing and it shows.
Because of my interest in fantasy, I jumped at the chance to take this class and I'm really looking forward to an opportunity to discuss and analyze the genre as a whole as well as the specific works on the syllabus.
-C
EDIT: (decided it was silly not to combine posts)
My only reaction to the Clute handout is amazement that no one (including me) thought to bring up Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death" as a perfect example of the four-part model. The Sighting would be the beginning when the prince (or was he a nobleman? It's been quite a while since I've read it) sees the devastation the plague is causing and decides to shut himself and his court away. The Thickening could be the description of the various rooms prepared for the Masque with the Revel being the Masque itself and the revelation that the plague has crept into the castle and walks among the party-goers. The Aftermath is, of course, the subsequent deaths of the Prince and all the nobility.
Story volunteers for Jan. 20
According to my notes, here are the folks leading our Jan. 20 discussions, story by story. Correct me if I err, please. And keep in mind that you needn't wait till Jan. 20; the discussion can begin sooner, here on the blog.
Tara Bullock: Irving, "The Adventure of the German Student"
Charlie Newman: Poe, "Berenice"
Daniel Dye: Hawthorne, "Young Goodman Brown"
Deirdra Drinkard: O'Brien, "What Was It?"
Elizabeth Howell: Morrow, "His Unconquerable Enemy"
David Haugen: Jewitt, "In Dark New England Days"
Cassandra Coleman: Gilman, "The Yellow Wall Paper"
Leigh Hunnicutt: Crane, "The Black Dog"
Paul Ayers: Bangs, "Thurlow's Christmas Story"
An American Fantastic Tales mash-up
Los Angeles Times columnist Ed Park assembled selected sentences from Peter Straub's two-volume American Fantastic Tales anthology into a "found" story of his own. It's a fine introduction to the preoccupations (indeed, obsessions) of the anthology, and an amusing literary quiz to boot. Park lists the sources, sentence by sentence, at the end.
FEARnet's top books of 2009
FEARnet's list of the top books of 2009 includes two books on our syllabus (Peter Straub's two-volume American Fantastic Tales anthology) and the latest novel by an author on our syllabus (Stephen King's Under the Dome), as well as two authors with Alabama ties: Brom's new illustrated novel, The Child Thief; and a classic reprint by Birmingham's own Robert W. McCammon, his 1987 novel Swan Song.
Syllabus, course policies and class schedule
UH 300-009
21st-Century Fantasy: The Dark Fantastic
Spring 2010
3-5:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Nott Hall basement computer-lab classroom (up the ramp)
Teacher: Andy Duncan
E-mail: andy.duncan@ua.edu (and via Facebook)
Home phone: (301) 689-5059
Office phone (301) 687-4241
All students in this class must be enrolled in the University Honors Program.
Texts:
Juan Antonio Bayona, The Orphanage (2007; New Line Home Video, 2008)
Frank Darabont, The Mist (2007; Dimension Home Entertainment, 2008)
Guillermo Del Toro, Pan’s Labyrinth (2006; New Line Home Video, 2007)
Jeffrey Ford, The Shadow Year (Morrow, 2008; Harper Perennial, 2009)
Neil Gaiman, The Graveyard Book (HarperCollins, 2008)
Joe Hill, Heart-Shaped Box (Morrow, 2007; Harper, 2008)
Stephen King, The Mist (Dark Forces, 1980; Skeleton Crew, 1985; Signet, 2007)
Kelly Link, Pretty Monsters (Viking, 2008)
Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, From Hell (1999; Top Shelf, 2000)
Peter Straub, ed., American Fantastic Tales: Terror and the Uncanny from Poe to Now (2 vols.; Library of America, 2009)
Handouts, online materials or reserve-room materials as announced.
Course Description: Deal-making devils, microscopic madmen, vengeful Elder Gods, monsters in the mist, mannequins that come to life, and any number of ghosts, vampires and other revenants all haunt this interdisciplinary seminar on the literature of the weird, the supernatural, the horrific, the uncanny. Our texts range from illustrious ancestors such as Irving, Hawthorne, and Poe to some of the most acclaimed and influential purveyors of contemporary nightmares.
Course Objectives: The class is designed to deepen students’ understanding of the Dark Fantastic in all its modes, including short stories, novels, movies and comics. By semester’s end, students will be more sophisticated consumers of the Dark Fantastic, better able to speak and write about it with depth and insight and to understand how this genre engages with the world and vice versa. No previous obsession with the topic is assumed or required.
Neil Gaiman’s Visit: Students are urged to attend the performance by visiting author Neil Gaiman at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, at the Bama Theatre in downtown Tuscaloosa. That’s the day after our class discussion of his novel The Graveyard Book. Admission is free, but you must register for a ticket beginning Feb. 1 at www.crimsonartstickets.com. This will be a standing-room-only event, so don’t delay. For more information on Gaiman in Tuscaloosa, visit http://www.uacreativecampus.org/projects/neil-gaiman.
A Technology Note: Your teacher lives in the mountains of western Maryland and interacts with the class in real time via webcam with the exception of one in-person visit per semester, generally for the final class meeting. Student conferences during the rest of the semester are encouraged; they will take place via phone, e-mail, or Facebook, as the student prefers.
Attendance Policy: Attendance and class participation (in class and online) are required. After two absences, your final grade will be lowered one letter for each subsequent absence. After five absences, you will receive an F for this course. Arriving late or leaving early counts as half an absence. In case of illness, injury or crisis, let your teacher know as soon as possible. Don’t just vanish.
Papers: You will write two non-fiction papers, each at least 2,000 words long, on topics of your choosing that are approved in advance by your teacher. Papers should specifically illuminate one or more of the texts being discussed in this class, but they may extend their focus beyond those texts as well. You will lead a five-to-10-minute class discussion of each topic as you are working on it. Papers handed in late will be docked one letter grade for each day they’re late. Papers more than a week late will not be accepted and will receive a zero. Format Requirements: Both your papers will be handed in electronically. Send them as PC-compatible Word attachments to andy.duncan@ua.edu. Papers must be in 12-point Times New Roman, double-spaced, with ragged right margins and page numbers in the upper-right corners. Papers that don’t fit this format will be returned unread for correction.
Blog: Each of you will receive (and accept) an invitation to join Blogger and the class blog at http://darkfantastic2010.blogspot.com/. Here our class discussions will continue beyond Wednesday class meetings. Participating on the blog – through original posts and replies to others’ posts – is an important part of your semester grade, so get in the habit of visiting daily and contributing frequently. The minimum class requirement is three posts per week per student, at least one of which must start a new topic or thread, and at least one of which must be a response to a classmate’s post. More frequent posts are highly encouraged. Also chiming in from time to time may be invited guests from the world of fantasy publishing.
Other Assignments and Expectations: You will keep up with all the reading and will participate in all class discussions, orally and online. You will lead at least one class discussion of a text that has been assigned you.
Grade Formula:
Two 2,000-word papers @ 20% each: 40%
Two 5-to-10-minute informal presentations on paper topics @ 10% each: 20%
Blog participation: 20%
In-class participation: 20%
We will follow the UA guidelines for plus-minus grading.
Disabilities: In accordance with the federal Americans With Disabilities Act, your teacher, the University Honors Program and the university are committed to providing appropriate support for students with disabilities, including learning disabilities. Any student who wants to request disability accommodations need only contact UA’s office of disability services at 348-4285 and get the paperwork to me.
Academic Misconduct: Academic misconduct includes all acts of academic dishonesty and any knowing attempt to help another student commit academic dishonesty. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to: (1) Cheating – using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information or study aids. (2) Plagiarism – representing words, data, works or ideas as one’s own when they are not. (3) Fabrication – presenting as genuine any invented or falsified evidence. (4) Misrepresentation – falsifying, altering or misstating the contents of academic documents such as schedules, prerequisites and transcripts. Cases of academic misconduct will be turned over to the University Honors Program for disciplinary action that could be as severe as suspension from the university.
Schedule of class meetings, reading assignments and due dates. All texts will be discussed on the days listed. This is a living document, subject to change. Any changes will be announced in class and via the class blog.
Jan. 13. Getting acquainted.
Jan. 20. Straub, Volume One: Irving, “The Adventure of the German Student”; Poe, “Berenice”; Hawthorne, “Young Goodman Brown”; O’Brien, “What Was It?”; Morrow, “His Unconquerable Enemy”; Jewett, “In Dark New England Days”; Gilman, “The Yellow Wall Paper”; Crane, “The Black Dog”; Bangs, “Thurlow’s Christmas Story.”
Jan. 27. Straub, Volume One, continued: Chambers, “The Repairer of Reputations”; Atherton, “The Striding Place”; Freeman, “Luella Miller”; Hearn, “Yuki-Onna”; Crawford, “For the Blood Is the Life”; Bierce, “The Moonlit Road”; White, “Lukundoo”; Brown, “Golden Baby.”
Feb. 3. Straub, Volume One, concluded: Francis Stevens, “Unseen—Unfeared”; Fitzgerald, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”; Keller, “The Jelly-Fish”; Howard, “The Black Stone”; Lovecraft, “The Thing on the Doorstep”; Smith, “Genius Loci”; Bloch, “The Cloak.”
Feb. 10. Straub, Volume Two: Collier, “Evening Primrose”; Leiber, “Smoke Ghost”; Williams, “The Mysteries of the Joy Rio”; Jackson, “The Daemon Lover”; Finney, “I’m Scared”; Bradbury, “The April Witch”; Ellison, “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream”; Matheson, “Prey”; Carroll, “Mr. Fiddlehead”; Oates, “Family.”
Feb. 17. Gaiman, The Graveyard Book.
(Thursday, Feb. 18. Gaiman’s reading in Tuscaloosa.)
Feb. 24. Discussion of paper ideas.
March 3. First paper due. Pan’s Labyrinth and The Orphanage.
March 10. Straub, Volume Two, concluded: George Saunders, “Sea Oak”; Kiernan, “The Long Hall on the Top Floor”; Hill, “Pop Art”; Brite, “Pansu”; Rickert, “The Chambered Fruit”; Link, “Stone Animals.”
March 17. Spring break. No class.
March 24. Ford, The Shadow Year.
March 31. Link, Pretty Monsters.
April 7. Hill, Heart-Shaped Box.
April 14. Moore and Campbell, From Hell.
April 21. Discussion of paper ideas.
April 28. The Mist (King’s novella and Darabont’s movie). Course wrap-up.
Second paper due Thursday, May 6 -- the day we would have had our final, had this been one of those classes. No final exam.
About your teacher: My collection Beluthahatchie and Other Stories (2000) won a World Fantasy Award, as did my story “The Pottawatomie Giant” (2000). My novella “The Chief Designer” (2001) won the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award for best science fiction story of the year. I contributed essays to the Hugo Award-winning Cambridge Companion to Science Fiction (2003) and the Stoker Award-winning Horror: Another 100 Best Books (2005). With F. Brett Cox, I co-edited the anthology Crossroads: Tales of the Southern Literary Fantastic (2004). I have taught at the Clarion and Clarion West writers’ workshops (2004 and 2005, respectively). Works published in 2009 included the second edition of my non-fiction book, Alabama Curiosities; a new supernatural novelette, The Night Cache, from PS Publishing; and a new Appalachian fantasy, “The Dragaman’s Bride,” in the Ace anthology The Dragon Book. My own blog is http://beluthahatchie.blogspot.com/.
21st-Century Fantasy: The Dark Fantastic
Spring 2010
3-5:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Nott Hall basement computer-lab classroom (up the ramp)
Teacher: Andy Duncan
E-mail: andy.duncan@ua.edu (and via Facebook)
Home phone: (301) 689-5059
Office phone (301) 687-4241
All students in this class must be enrolled in the University Honors Program.
Texts:
Course Description: Deal-making devils, microscopic madmen, vengeful Elder Gods, monsters in the mist, mannequins that come to life, and any number of ghosts, vampires and other revenants all haunt this interdisciplinary seminar on the literature of the weird, the supernatural, the horrific, the uncanny. Our texts range from illustrious ancestors such as Irving, Hawthorne, and Poe to some of the most acclaimed and influential purveyors of contemporary nightmares.
Course Objectives: The class is designed to deepen students’ understanding of the Dark Fantastic in all its modes, including short stories, novels, movies and comics. By semester’s end, students will be more sophisticated consumers of the Dark Fantastic, better able to speak and write about it with depth and insight and to understand how this genre engages with the world and vice versa. No previous obsession with the topic is assumed or required.
Neil Gaiman’s Visit: Students are urged to attend the performance by visiting author Neil Gaiman at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, at the Bama Theatre in downtown Tuscaloosa. That’s the day after our class discussion of his novel The Graveyard Book. Admission is free, but you must register for a ticket beginning Feb. 1 at www.crimsonartstickets.com. This will be a standing-room-only event, so don’t delay. For more information on Gaiman in Tuscaloosa, visit http://www.uacreativecampus.org/projects/neil-gaiman.
A Technology Note: Your teacher lives in the mountains of western Maryland and interacts with the class in real time via webcam with the exception of one in-person visit per semester, generally for the final class meeting. Student conferences during the rest of the semester are encouraged; they will take place via phone, e-mail, or Facebook, as the student prefers.
Attendance Policy: Attendance and class participation (in class and online) are required. After two absences, your final grade will be lowered one letter for each subsequent absence. After five absences, you will receive an F for this course. Arriving late or leaving early counts as half an absence. In case of illness, injury or crisis, let your teacher know as soon as possible. Don’t just vanish.
Papers: You will write two non-fiction papers, each at least 2,000 words long, on topics of your choosing that are approved in advance by your teacher. Papers should specifically illuminate one or more of the texts being discussed in this class, but they may extend their focus beyond those texts as well. You will lead a five-to-10-minute class discussion of each topic as you are working on it. Papers handed in late will be docked one letter grade for each day they’re late. Papers more than a week late will not be accepted and will receive a zero. Format Requirements: Both your papers will be handed in electronically. Send them as PC-compatible Word attachments to andy.duncan@ua.edu. Papers must be in 12-point Times New Roman, double-spaced, with ragged right margins and page numbers in the upper-right corners. Papers that don’t fit this format will be returned unread for correction.
Blog: Each of you will receive (and accept) an invitation to join Blogger and the class blog at http://darkfantastic2010.blogspot.com/. Here our class discussions will continue beyond Wednesday class meetings. Participating on the blog – through original posts and replies to others’ posts – is an important part of your semester grade, so get in the habit of visiting daily and contributing frequently. The minimum class requirement is three posts per week per student, at least one of which must start a new topic or thread, and at least one of which must be a response to a classmate’s post. More frequent posts are highly encouraged. Also chiming in from time to time may be invited guests from the world of fantasy publishing.
Other Assignments and Expectations: You will keep up with all the reading and will participate in all class discussions, orally and online. You will lead at least one class discussion of a text that has been assigned you.
Grade Formula:
Two 2,000-word papers @ 20% each: 40%
Two 5-to-10-minute informal presentations on paper topics @ 10% each: 20%
Blog participation: 20%
In-class participation: 20%
We will follow the UA guidelines for plus-minus grading.
Disabilities: In accordance with the federal Americans With Disabilities Act, your teacher, the University Honors Program and the university are committed to providing appropriate support for students with disabilities, including learning disabilities. Any student who wants to request disability accommodations need only contact UA’s office of disability services at 348-4285 and get the paperwork to me.
Academic Misconduct: Academic misconduct includes all acts of academic dishonesty and any knowing attempt to help another student commit academic dishonesty. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to: (1) Cheating – using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information or study aids. (2) Plagiarism – representing words, data, works or ideas as one’s own when they are not. (3) Fabrication – presenting as genuine any invented or falsified evidence. (4) Misrepresentation – falsifying, altering or misstating the contents of academic documents such as schedules, prerequisites and transcripts. Cases of academic misconduct will be turned over to the University Honors Program for disciplinary action that could be as severe as suspension from the university.
Schedule of class meetings, reading assignments and due dates. All texts will be discussed on the days listed. This is a living document, subject to change. Any changes will be announced in class and via the class blog.
Jan. 13. Getting acquainted.
Jan. 20. Straub, Volume One: Irving, “The Adventure of the German Student”; Poe, “Berenice”; Hawthorne, “Young Goodman Brown”; O’Brien, “What Was It?”; Morrow, “His Unconquerable Enemy”; Jewett, “In Dark New England Days”; Gilman, “The Yellow Wall Paper”; Crane, “The Black Dog”; Bangs, “Thurlow’s Christmas Story.”
Jan. 27. Straub, Volume One, continued: Chambers, “The Repairer of Reputations”; Atherton, “The Striding Place”; Freeman, “Luella Miller”; Hearn, “Yuki-Onna”; Crawford, “For the Blood Is the Life”; Bierce, “The Moonlit Road”; White, “Lukundoo”; Brown, “Golden Baby.”
Feb. 3. Straub, Volume One, concluded: Francis Stevens, “Unseen—Unfeared”; Fitzgerald, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”; Keller, “The Jelly-Fish”; Howard, “The Black Stone”; Lovecraft, “The Thing on the Doorstep”; Smith, “Genius Loci”; Bloch, “The Cloak.”
Feb. 10. Straub, Volume Two: Collier, “Evening Primrose”; Leiber, “Smoke Ghost”; Williams, “The Mysteries of the Joy Rio”; Jackson, “The Daemon Lover”; Finney, “I’m Scared”; Bradbury, “The April Witch”; Ellison, “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream”; Matheson, “Prey”; Carroll, “Mr. Fiddlehead”; Oates, “Family.”
Feb. 17. Gaiman, The Graveyard Book.
(Thursday, Feb. 18. Gaiman’s reading in Tuscaloosa.)
Feb. 24. Discussion of paper ideas.
March 3. First paper due. Pan’s Labyrinth and The Orphanage.
March 10. Straub, Volume Two, concluded: George Saunders, “Sea Oak”; Kiernan, “The Long Hall on the Top Floor”; Hill, “Pop Art”; Brite, “Pansu”; Rickert, “The Chambered Fruit”; Link, “Stone Animals.”
March 17. Spring break. No class.
March 24. Ford, The Shadow Year.
March 31. Link, Pretty Monsters.
April 7. Hill, Heart-Shaped Box.
April 14. Moore and Campbell, From Hell.
April 21. Discussion of paper ideas.
April 28. The Mist (King’s novella and Darabont’s movie). Course wrap-up.
Second paper due Thursday, May 6 -- the day we would have had our final, had this been one of those classes. No final exam.
About your teacher: My collection Beluthahatchie and Other Stories (2000) won a World Fantasy Award, as did my story “The Pottawatomie Giant” (2000). My novella “The Chief Designer” (2001) won the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award for best science fiction story of the year. I contributed essays to the Hugo Award-winning Cambridge Companion to Science Fiction (2003) and the Stoker Award-winning Horror: Another 100 Best Books (2005). With F. Brett Cox, I co-edited the anthology Crossroads: Tales of the Southern Literary Fantastic (2004). I have taught at the Clarion and Clarion West writers’ workshops (2004 and 2005, respectively). Works published in 2009 included the second edition of my non-fiction book, Alabama Curiosities; a new supernatural novelette, The Night Cache, from PS Publishing; and a new Appalachian fantasy, “The Dragaman’s Bride,” in the Ace anthology The Dragon Book. My own blog is http://beluthahatchie.blogspot.com/.
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