Fall 2013
LSC-Tomball--English, Education, and Mathematics Division
Van Piercy
LSC-Tomball
Syllabus for ENGL 2342 Forms of Literature:
Horror, Ghost and Gothic Fiction
Instructor:
Class Days and Times:
Classroom:
Sections:
Office:
Office Hours:
Van Piercy, Ph.D., Professor of English
TTh 12:30-1:45
E-mail:
Instant Messaging
Mailbox:
Office Phone:
Website:
Credit Hours:
Prerequisites:
1) van.a.piercy@lonestar.edu
S-154
3001
S-153J
TTh 2:00PM-3:00PM; MW 11AM-12:30PM. You are also encouraged to make an appointment with
me for other times.
Skype: vpiercy1
S150
(281) 401-1814 (my office); (281) 351-3300 (switchboard); (281) 351-3384 (fax)
http://vpiercy.wordpress.com; http://www.lonestar.edu/blogs/vpiercy
3
(one of the following) adequate score on SAT, ACT, TASP, COMPASS, or ASSET; passage
of required remedial class(es)
Combined Catalog Description for ENGL 2341 and 2342:
The college catalog describes this course as “[t]he study of one or more literary genres including, but not limited to,
poetry, fiction, drama, and film. Other forms might include mythic and religious writing, autobiographies and memoirs, and
polemics. Readings vary. Instructors are free to choose their own emphasis.” “This course examines a genre, or a
combination of genres, in [great] depth…. The literary genre or genres taught in this course emphasize the multicultural
competencies.”
Objectives, Rationale, and Format
English 2342 studies the origins, development, and themes of horror, ghost, and gothic fiction, fiction that utilizes
paranormal phenomena to tell its story and explore its content. Class meetings will consist of both lecture and discussion.
Two exams and one seven to ten page research paper will form the core of this course. Unannounced quizzes, and short
writing and research assignments, will make up the remainder. You are expected to read each assignment in advance
and come to class both prepared and willing to discuss it.
CAUTION: English 2342's stories, novellas, and novel(s) hint at the human darkness that leaves audiences both disturbed
and fascinated. The material may be too graphic, sexually explicit, or “confined” (in the sense of claustrophobic and
paranoiac) for some readers—I urge those who may be over-troubled, offended, or even inspired by these fictional
treatments to consider another course. The “gothic” has among its meanings the overly done, the barbaric, and the
extreme; so by design “gothic,” and all the more so horror, literature may simply be too intense for some individuals or
tastes. Please take this course only with the acknowledgement of the inherent extremity of some of its content.
Required Materials
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Baldick, Chris, ed. The Oxford Book of Gothic Tales. New York: Oxford, 1992, 2001, 2009.
Ryan, Alan. The Penguin Book of Vampire Stories. New York: Penguin, 1987.
David Hartwell, ed. Dark Descent. New York: TOR, 1987.
Recommended

Cuddon, J. A., ed. The Penguin Book of Horror Stories. New York: Penguin, 1984.
Evaluation and Letter Grade Assignment
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Draft of research paper = 5%
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LSC-Tomball--English, Education, and Mathematics Division
Van Piercy
Research paper = 25%
Midterm Exam = 25%
Final exam = 25%
Quizzes and in-class work = 10%
Participation = 10%
Late Work
Essays are due at the beginning of class. If the essay is not complete and printed out, you will have to turn in the essay at
the beginning of the next class period; the essay will be considered late. Only under special circumstances and only then
if you make prior arrangements with me, will I consider accepting essays e-mailed to me or turned in to my mailbox.
Regardless of the reason, five (5) points per class period will be deducted from late out-of-class papers unless, no later
than the day before the paper is due, you make arrangements for an extension. Unless I indicate otherwise, an essay
granted an extension must be turned in the following class period, after which the essay will be counted late. Finally,
UNLESS YOU MAKE SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS WITH ME AHEAD OF TIME, EXAMS AND QUIZZES CANNOT BE
MADE UP OR TURNED IN LATE I.E. YOU WILL RECEIVE A ZERO FOR THAT ASSIGNMENT.
Participation
I keep track of participation in class in my gradebook every class period. Points are awarded for being polite and
considerate, and of course for speaking up in class in a way that advances class discussion. Points are deducted for
bevavior that distracts from our work in the class or that interrupts others.
Research paper
A student who does not hand in a complete and acceptable research paper may receive a zero for the
assignment. The requirements for the research paper are provided in more detail on the course website linked from
http://faculty.lonestar.edu/vpiercy, but part of what constitutes a complete and acceptable paper is that it is a minimum
of 1500 words (excluding title page and Works Cited page) long and that it utilizes at least 7 acceptable secondary
sources.
Essay Formatting
1. All essays written outside of class must be typed. They should be double-spaced with one-inch margins and 1012 point font. Computers are available in E268, the Learning Assistance Center, and the library; printing costs ten
cents per page.
2. It is your responsibility to have a copy of your essay in case one of us loses it.
3. Staple (once) pages together in the upper left-hand corner, and please do it before class begins.
4. The following information should appear in the upper right-hand corner of in-class work and on the title page of
out-of-class essays:
o Your name
o Class and time
o Piercy
o Date
Classroom expectations
1. Don’t be rude to others. Don’t disrupt class. If you distract me and the work in our class, I’ll warn you. The next
time you do it, I’ll ask you to leave.
2. Avoid coming to class late or leaving early.
3. Please come prepared. Read the assignments before class.
4. You can bring a beverage, but not food. Please treat our classroom and those in it in a professional, courteous,
and respectful manner. Be polite.
Attendance Policy
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One of the keys to success in this course is consistent attendance. Listed below are the number of absences you are
allowed. If you are absent more than that number, you will lose two points to your final grade for each extra day that you
miss.1 In addition, I may choose to drop you from the class because of excessive absences. Any variations from this
policy are strictly at my discretion. If you are late four times, that will count as an absence.
Class Schedule
Number of Absences Allowed
MWF
5
TTh or MW
3
Summer
2
Once a week
2
If you should miss a class, it is your responsibility to obtain lecture notes and assignments from a classmate.
Withdrawal Policy
Withdrawal from the course after the official day of record (see current catalog) will result in a final grade of “W” on the
student transcript and no credit will be awarded. If you decide you want to withdraw from the class before "W" day, it is
your responsibility to go to the admissions office and ask for a drop slip. Do not just stop coming to class and expect me
to drop you.
Academic Integrity:
Below is the LSC statement on academic integrity from the LSC catalog:
LSC is committed to a high standard of academic integrity in the academic community. In becoming a
part of the academic community, students are responsible for honesty and independent effort. Failure to
uphold these standards includes, but is not limited to, the following: plagiarizing written work or projects,
cheating on exams or assignments, collusion on an exam or project, and misrepresentation of credentials
or prerequisites when registering for a course. Cheating includes looking at or copying from another
student's exam, orally communicating or receiving answers during an exam, having another person take
an exam or complete a project or assignment, using unauthorized notes, texts, or other materials for an
exam, and obtaining or distributing an unauthorized copy of an exam or any part of an exam. Plagiarism
means passing off as his/her own the ideas or writings of another (that is, without giving proper credit by
documenting sources). Plagiarism includes submitting a paper, report or project that someone else has
prepared, in whole or in part. Collusion is inappropriately collaborating on assignments designed to be
completed independently. These definitions are not exhaustive. When there is clear evidence of
cheating, plagiarism, collusion or misrepresentation, a faculty member will take disciplinary action
including but not limited to requiring the student to retake or resubmit an exam or assignment, assigning a
grade of zero or "F" for an exam or assignment; or assigning a grade of "F" for the course. Additional
sanctions including being withdrawn from the course or program or expelled from school may be imposed
on a student who violates the standards of academic integrity. (Emphasis added)
In most cases in my class, intentional cheating, plagiarism, or collusion will result in an "F" in the course.
Requirements Met
This course fulfills the LSC Core graduation requirement for 3 credit hours of Language, Philosophy,
and Culture.
ENGL 2342 Horror, Ghost & Gothic Fiction Syllabus
Tues/Thurs Tentative Schedule (Fall 2013)
NOTE: All reading and writing assignments are to be completed on or before the date on which they appear on
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For example, if you miss a total of ten days for a MWF class, you will have exceeded the number of allowed absences by five days
and effectively decreased the best grade you can get in the class to a “B.”
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the schedule. It is a good idea to mark the due dates of major assignments from all your classes so that you can
see what weeks will be especially busy. Please bring printed hardcopies of online readings to class. Also, expect
a quiz over each story (that means there may not always be a quiz but that you should be prepared for one). (G =
The Oxford Book of Gothic Tales, V = Penguin Book of Vampire Stories DD = Dark Descent, H = Penguin Book of Horror Stories—a
recommended reader, but the required readings are online)
WEEK 1
Aug. 26
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Introduction to the course; discuss expectations, questions, and papers, and some opening genre distinctions.
Aug. 28
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"Introduction" to The Oxford Book of Gothic Tales (G), pp. xi-xxiii
H.P. Lovecraft, “Supernatural in Horror Literature,” Section I only (seven paragraphs) Linked on Course Website
G pp. 3-6 Anna Laetitia Aikin, “Sir Bertrand”
WEEK 2
Sept. 2
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G pp. 70-81 Petrus Borel, "Andreas Vesalius the Anatomist"
G pp. 82-84 J. Wadham, “Lady Eltringham….”
G pp. 23-26 “Juvenis,” "Raymond: A Fragment"
Sept. 4
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H.P. Lovecraft, “Supernatural in Horror Literature,” Section III only (eight paragraphs) Linked on Course Website
G pp. 51-59 Isaac Crookenden, “The Vindictive Monk….”
G pp. 12-22 Anon. “The Friar’s Tale”
WEEK 3
Sept. 9
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H.P. Lovecraft, “Supernatural in Horror Literature,” Section IV only (six paragraphs) Linked on Course Website
G pp. 218-244 Thomas Hardy, “Barbara of the House of Grebe”
Sept. 11
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G pp. 435-465 Ray Russell, "Sardonicus"
Visitor comes to talk to us.
WEEK 4
Sept. 16
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H.P. Lovecraft, “Supernatural in Horror Literature,” Section V only (nine paragraphs) Linked on Course Website
G pp. 435-465 Ray Russell, "Sardonicus" (con’t)
G pp. 158-164 Bret Harte, "Selena Sedilia"
(H pp. 78-88) Prosper Mérimée, “Mateo Falcone” Link on Course Website
Sept. 18
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V pp. 1-6 Lord Byron, “Fragment of a Novel,” Penguin Book of Vampire Stories (V)
V pp. 7-24 John Polidori, “The Vampyre”
WEEK 5
Sept. 23
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V pp. 203-213 Algernon Blackwood, “The Transfer”
V pp. 25-35 “Varney the Vampyre, Or, The Feast of Blood”
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Sept. 25
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V pp. 334-348 Fritz Leiber, “The Girl With The Hungry Eyes”
G pp. 85-101 Edgar Allan Poe, “The Fall of the House of Usher”
(H pp. 59-61) Anon. “The Monk of Horror….” Link on Course Website
WEEK 6
Sept. 30
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V pp. 451-504 Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, “Cabin 33”
V pp. 441-450 Charles Grant, “Love Starved”
Oct. 2
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H pp. 131-141 Guy de Maupassant, “Who Knows?” (photocopy or web)
V pp. 362-370 Richard Matheson, “Drink My Blood"
WEEK 7
Oct. 7
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V pp. 72-137 J. Sheridan Le Fanu, “Carmilla”
Oct. 9
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Edgar Allan Poe, “Masque of the Red Death” Linked on course site
G pp. 316-321 H. P. Lovecraft, “The Outsider”
WEEK 8
Oct. 14
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H pp. 391-401 Lord Dunsany, “The Two Bottles of Relish" (photocopy or web)
Midterm Review
Oct. 16
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Midterm Exam
WEEK 9
Oct. 21
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H.P. Lovecraft, “Supernatural in Horror Literature,” Section I only (seven paragraphs) Linked on Course Website
Dark Descent
Oct. 23
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Dark Descent
WEEK 10
Oct. 28
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Dark Descent
Oct. 30
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“Dress to Kill”
Dark Descent
WEEK 11 (November 10, last day to drop and recieve a “W.” Please see LSC Academic Calendar)
Nov. 4
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G pp. 483-497 Angela Carter, “The Lady of the House of Love”
G pp. 498-501 Joyce Carol Oates, “Secret Observations on the Goat-Girl”
Nov. 6
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Van Piercy
G pp. 407-423 Frederick Cowles, "The Vampire of Kaldenstein"
G pp. 502-518 Patrick McGrath, “Blood Disease”
WEEK 12
Nov. 11
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G pp. 386-406 F. M. Mayor, “Miss de Mannering of Asham”
G pp. 466-477 Alejandra Pizarnik, "The Bloody Countess"
Nov. 13
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In-class research paper drafting & workshop—bring research notes, materials, questions
WEEK 13
Nov. 18
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Draft of Research paper due (bring 2 copies, typed. Worth 5% of course grade. Peer critique.)
Nov. 20
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Southern Gothic and Latin American Gothic
G pp. 424-434 Eudora Welty, "Clytie”
G pp. 302-315 Ellen Glasgow, “Jordan’s End”
G pp. 478-482 Jorge Borges, "The Gospel According to Mark"
G pp. 519-526 Isabel Allende, "If You Touched My Heart"
WEEK 14
Nov. 25
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Cambridge Companion to Gothic Literature, “Introduction” Linked on course website
Nov. 27 No class.
WEEK 15
Dec. 2
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Final Draft of Research paper due
Dec. 4
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Review for Final Exam
WEEK 16
Final exam
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http://www.lonestar.edu/examschedule.htm
December 11 12:30 - 2:20 pm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------Alternative suggested readings from the Exotic Gothic volumes:
 EG1 Danel Olson, “The Gothic Takes a Holiday” Preface from Exotic Gothic vii-xi,
 EG1 Nancy Collins, “The Pumpkin Child”
 EG1 Neil Gaiman, “Forbidden Brides”
 EG1 Neil Gaiman, “Forbidden Brides”
 EG3 pp. 66-78 Steve Duffy, “The Suicide Wood”
Castle of Otranto full text: http://www2.hn.psu.edu/faculty/jmanis/walpole/otranto.pdf
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