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=Welcome to Horror Fiction!=

What is Horror Fiction?

That’s a difficult question. In recent years the very term has become misleading. If you tell people you write [|horror fiction], the image that immediately pops into their minds is one of Freddy Krueger or maybe Michael Myers, while you were hoping for Shelley’s //Frankenstein// or Stevenson’s //Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.// The popularity of the modern horror film, with its endless scenes of blood and gore, has eclipsed the reality of horror fiction. When you add to that a comprehension of how horror evolved as both a marketing category and a publishing niche during the late eighties — horror’s boom time — it’s easy to understand why answering the question of what today’s horror fiction actually is has become so difficult. To continue reading this article from the Horror Writers Association, click here.

This course will analyze what horror fiction truly means. By reading a variety of texts such as .... we will be able to uncover many of the themes and reasons why horror fiction has become such a popular literary and film genre.

Course Requirements:

1. You will write an **essay** on each text. Essays will be worth **40%** of your final grade. I will try my best to return your essays within one week of the due date. I encourage everyone to conference with me to discuss your rough draft.

2. There will be announced and unannounced **quizzes** throughout the term. There will not be a set amount of quizzes; however, the quizzes will be worth **20%** of your final grade. Make sure you are completing the nightly reading assignments in order to prepare of the quizzes.

3. I expect everyone to contribute to class discussions. You **participation** will be worth **20%** of your grade. I normally give a participation grade each week. I also pay attention to group activities throughout the term.

4. On top of the reading assignments, you will be asked to complete **homework assignments**. Journal entries, reading responses, reading questions, etc. will count as homework grades. Homework is **20%** of your final grade.