SYLLABUS
ARLT 100:35257
Shocking Knowledge: Gothic and Science Fiction and the Literature of Self-Discovery
Devin Griffiths
Spring 2013
Contact Information : devingri@usc.edu
Meetings :
Office Hours 1-4 pm Mondays
Office: Taper Hall 402K
Books (Available for purchase at the USC Bookstore):
Ann Radcliffe, The Mysteries of Udolpho
(Penguin, ISBN-13: 978-0140437591)
Bram Stoker, Dracula
(Penguin, ISBN-13: 9780141439846)
H. G. Wells, The Time Machine
(Penguin, ISBN-13: 9780141439976)
Stephen King, It
(Signet, ISBN-13: 978-0451169518)
Kim Stanley Robinson, 2412
(Orbit, 978-0316098120) – Kindle edition also available.
H. P. Lovecraft, “The Mountains of Madness,” “The Shadow over Innsmouth”
Ridley Scott, Alien (1979).
Peter Jackson, District 9 (2009).
Richard Kelley, Donnie Darko (2001)
Fringe , Season 3, Ep. 9 “Marionette” (2010)
Evaluation:
25% Midterm, 35% Papers, 30% Facebook participation, 10% quizzes and in-class discussion and participation.
Films :
Rebecca , Blade Runner , Donnie Darko , Alien , District 9 , Drag Me to Hell
Online discussions will be hosted through Facebook site. All other course materials, including lecture podcasts: Available on the Blackboard Site

Feb. 21
Feb. 26
IV.
Feb. 28
Mar. 5
Mar. 7
Jan. 24
Jan. 29
Jan. 31
Feb. 5
III.
Feb. 7
Feb. 12
Feb. 14
Feb. 19
Schedule:
I.
Jan. 15
Jan.. 17
II.
Jan. 22
Mar. 12
Knowledge and Discovery
Introduction, course syllabus and class responsibilities. Lecture:
Knowledge in Fiction ( Christabel )
Christabel Continued. Selections from Locke, An Essay Concerning
Human Understanding
The Gothic
Mysteries of Udolpho 1, Lecture on Burke, A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful
Mysteries of Udolpho II, Moers
Mysteries of Udolpho III, Sedgwick
Mysteries of Udolpho IV, Kelter
Film: Rebecca
Weird Science
Dracula I, N. Katherine Hayles.
Dracula II
Dracula III
Dracula IV, Novak
Eliot, “The Lifted Veil”
Short Essay 1 Due
Hawthorne, Rappacini’s Daughter , Fringe episode
Knowledge of the Other
Lovecraft, “The Mountains of Madness,”
Film: Alien
“The Shadow over Innsmouth,” “Supernatural Horror in Literature” (H. P.
Lovecraft)
Midterm

Mar. 14 The Time Machine
************* SPRING BREAK ************
Mar. 26 Finish The Time Machine; Film: Donnie Darko
Mar. 28 Selections from The Unity of Nature , George Douglass Campbell Argyll
Trip to Museum of Jurassic Technology
Mar. 31 Octavia Butler, “Bloodchild”
Apr. 2 Film: District 9 ( Think of Freud and the Uncanny)
V.
Apr. 4
Apr. 9
Apr. 11
It
It
History, Horror and Science Fiction
Short Essay 2 Due
Apr. 16
Apr. 18
Film: Drag Me to Hell
It
It
Apr. 23
Apr. 25
2412
2412
Apr. 30
May 2
2412
2412
Final Paper Due on Final Exam Date
All Papers Due at Noon
A
SSIGNMENTS
Facebook Presentations: Over the course of the semester, each student will produce a 3-minute video response to one of the week’s readings. It will be the responsibility of all other students to comment on that response by Thursday at 10 a.m. Extra credit for responses that address other responses & introduce outside sources.
Essays: Essays 1 and 2 will be short, 4-5 page (800-1000 word) close readings of specific passages from the work. The Final Essay will be a longer, 7-8 page (1400 to 1600 words) research paper that approaches the close

reading using 6-8 secondary sources. It may be based on one of the earlier two papers.
C
OURSE
P
OLICIES
Plagiarism: As students at USC you are bound by the University honor code and required to respect intellectual property rights. Please review the
University of Southern California policies respecting plagiarism, which prohib its reprodu cing the work o f ot hers without a ttri bution as well as "self-plagiar ism" (reproducing your own previous work without a acknowledgement). The policies can be read online at http://scampus.usc.edu/1100-behavior-violating-universitystandards-and-appropriate-sanctions/. Anothe r helpful guid e can be found at http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/studentconduct/ug_plag.htm . P lease ask me if there are any aspects of the
University 's policies which are unclear, or if you have any questions about what constitute s plagiarism in our course. Plagiarism includes
“self-plagiarism” (using work for another class without acknowledging), and copying citations/sources from another work.
Attendance: Attendance is mandatory for the class. If you know that you are going to be absent on a specific day for a valid reason ( school trips, etc.), please discuss it with me in advance. For each absence beyond two your grade will be reduced by 1/2 letter.
Students with Disabilities: If you have a disability that requires special arrangements (test-taking, note taking, etc.), you need to register with
USC's Office of Disabilities Services and Programs. Please also contact me within the first two weeks. We will do everything possible to accommodate you.
Electronics Policy: Please turn off all electronic devices before class. You may take notes on a laptop or tablet PC, but please be respectful of other students by refraining from browsing, shopping, Facebooking, etc. during class. If I find you using your device for any activity not directly related to class, you will be marked absent for that day.
In event of a natural disaster, we will follow USC guidelines. If we have to conduct class remotely, we will probably use the course Blackboard site.