Author: Professor Sean Scanlan (Page 2 of 2)

Enjoy:

Hi Class,

Refresh your memory by reviewing “Young Goodman Brown,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and “An Occurrance at Owl Creek Bridge.” Also print out and read the first 10 pages of “Afterward” by Edith Wharton–it is #4 in the new section in the Readings menu tab.

We will discuss the idea of Redemption on Thursday.

Continue to think about possible character combinations for the Midterms Essay.

Cheers,

Prof. Scanlan

Hi Class,

Great discussion on Thursday! Sorry that we didn’t get to really, really finish Jekyll/Hyde. But, as we are finding out, these gothic stories are hard to finish, hard to “kill.” They keep coming back to life!

For Tuesday, please read these three short stories found on OpenLab (look for the new section in red: “New Additions“:

1. Hawthorne
2. Poe
3. Bierce

Then write Journal 4: 300 words in which you highlight (1.) gothic actions and (2.) contextual themes you see at work in these three stories. One short paragraph for each should suffice.

Best,

Prof. Scanlan

Hi Class,

Let’s delay Journal 4 until next week. I hope that is okay.

Below is a paragraph from Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species that will help kickstart discussions on Thursday. Darwin’s ideas were very much in the air when Stevenson published Jekyll/Hyde.

——

ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES

Charles Darwin, published by John Murray in 1859 (first edition)

[from pages 4 and 5]

 

It is, therefore, of the highest importance to gain a clear insight into the means of modification and coadaptation. At the commencement of my observations it seemed to me probable that a careful study of domesticated animals and of cultivated plants would offer the best chance of making out this obscure problem. Nor have I been disappointed; in this and in all other perplexing cases I have invariably found that our knowledge, imperfect though it be, of variation under domestication, afforded the best and safest clue. I may venture to express my conviction of the high value of such studies, although they have been very commonly neglected by naturalists.

From these considerations, I shall devote the first chapter of this Abstract to Variation under Domestication. We shall thus see that a large amount of hereditary modification is at least possible, and, what is equally or more important, we shall see how great is the power of man in accumulating by his Selection successive slight variations. I will then pass on to the variability of species in a state of nature; but I shall, unfortunately, be compelled to treat this subject far too briefly, as it can be treated properly only by giving long catalogues of facts. We shall, however, be enabled to discuss what circumstances are most favourable to variation. In the next chapter the Struggle for Existence amongst all organic beings throughout the world, which inevitably follows from their high geometrical powers of increase, will be treated of. This is the doctrine of Malthus, applied to the whole animal and vegetable kingdoms. As many more individuals of each species are born than can possibly survive; and as, consequently, there is a frequently recurring struggle for existence, it follows that any being, if it vary however slightly in any manner profitable to itself, under the complex and sometimes varying conditions of life, will have a better chance of surviving, and thus be naturally selected. From the strong principle of inheritance, any selected variety will tend to propagate its new and modified form.

Great website devoted to Darwin:

 http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?itemID=F373&viewtype=text&pageseq=20

Hi Class,

Please remember: No class on 20th and 22nd. Also, no office hours on the 21st. Email any questions.

For Tuesday, Feb 27 please:

1. Finish Jekyll/Hyde
2. Watch the 3 film clips (See Readings menu tab)
3. Complete At-Home Quiz 1 and print it out (See Assignments menu tab)
4. We will not turn in Journal 3 on the 27th–I will update the weekly schedule and move it to Mar 1.

Best,

Prof. Scanlan

Hi Class,

Great class today!

Remember, when you are confused or lost when reading gothic texts, it may be that the author and narrator WANT you to be lost. We might think of this as just one more reason to note how important liminality is to the gothic (between states of understanding).

For Thursday:

1. Read the Wikipedia entry for R.L. Stevenson
2. Read the first chapter of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
3. Define Romanticism and Victorianism
4. Ponder the following two questions related to David Stevens’ The Gothic Tradition and write your reflections in your notebook:
   1. If the Enlightenment was a reaction against blind adherence to tradition, was the gothic a reaction against Enlightenment reason and rationalism? Further, was the gothic a desire to return to tradition?
   2. What are the similarities and differences between religious indoctrination and Enlightenment education?

As a side note, I want to point out that Stevens and other critics have raised the idea that the gothic became popular to a combination of forces: free time to read + public education +  book publishing industry and distribution + circulating libraries.

Best wishes,

Prof. Scanlan

Ps: Relevant to the Victorian age and Dr. Jekyll: http://www.explainthatstuff.com/timeline.html

Hi Class,

Welcome to Gothic Literature and Culture, section D612.

This course site will be very important to us during the semester, so please familiarize yourself with its features. It will become a meeting “place” of sorts where we can communicate with each other and where we can upload ideas, images, film, and texts that we will need this semester. I will also put important documents, such as assignments details and helpful writing/research aids, on this site.

Homework for Thursday: reading and questions:

The reading for Thursday can be found by going to the “READINGS” menu tab, scroll to the bottom. First, print out the short story by Shirley Jackson titled “The Lottery,” read it carefully. Second, answer these two questions in your notebook:  What makes this story gothic, and did you like it? We will discuss the story and your answers in class.

**this just in…my office hours are 2:30 -3:30 Tues/Wed

Best wishes,

Prof. Scanlan