English: Haunted World, Shirley Jackson

Subjects vary by semester. Representative topic: Reading the American Wilderness. May be repeated for credit with different content. Topics vary by offering; periodic offering at intervals that may exceed four years.

Open to Degree and PACE students

“I delight in what I fear”— Shirley Jackson This course will explore the haunted world and works of Shirley Jackson, one of the 20th century’s leading writers of domestic horror and post-war family life. Through close readings of Jackson’s many short stories, novels, and essays we will examine common themes of isolation, gender dynamics, social critique, and the psychological horror of 1950s domestic life. We will analyze Jackson’s unique writing style, narrative techniques, and thematic concerns. Key readings will include Jackson’s seminal works such as The Haunting of Hill House, The Sundial, and The Lottery. We will also look at Jackson’s various selections of Dark Tales, Life Amongst the Savages, and biographical information from Ruth Franklin’s Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life. Throughout the course we will explore Jackson's impact on contemporary horror, feminist literary criticism, and her exploration of mental illness and societal expectations. In addition to literary analysis, the course will include discussions on Jackson’s biography, the socio-political context of her work, and how her personal life influenced her writing. By the end of the course, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of Shirley Jackson’s contributions to literature, as well as the broader cultural implications of her work.