This course will explore the reasons that we are drawn to the things we fear. The umbrella of horror as a genre covers many different subgenres, including monster stories, psychological thrillers, gothic literature, dystopian literature and more. We will discuss the way that horror readers read to explore their fears and anxieties, and the ways in which authors write in order to exorcize their own demons. We will also explore the ways in which horror literature trends reflect society and current events. We will read stories from authors both early and contemporary, including but not limited to Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Tananarive Due, Stephen Graham Jones, Nnedi Okorafor, Shirley Jackson, and more.

Offered Fall 2026