Everyone loves ghost stories, but why? Do we believe in their truth? Do we see ghosts as something that people from other cultures or other times believe? How might the presence of ghosts be linked to historical developments, including European colonialism? In this course, we will read stories featuring ghosts from across the world and through modern history. We’ll also explore various kinds of literary criticism to see how they can help us become more aware of what we’re doing when we read ghost stories. Stories and novels will include well-known works such as Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw, Toni Morrison’s Beloved, Leslie Maron Silko’s Ceremony, Amos Tutuola’s The Palm-Wine Drinkard, and South Korean novelist Hwang Sok-Yong’s The Guest. The goal is to become more aware of the assumptions behind how we read and interpret these stories. Fulfills the Diversity of Literatures in English requirement.

Units: 1

Max Enrollment: 25

Crosslisted Courses: CPLT 285

Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature

Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Not Offered; Spring