The Evil within Us: Literary Monsters

Scholars such as Jeffrey Jerome Cohen argue that imagined monsters of literature and film reveal contemporaneous cultural anxieties. This course will feature 120 years of iconic literary and filmic monsters, including Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Jack Finney's 1955 The Invasion of the Body Snatchers, George Romero's 1968 Night of the Living Dead, and Max Brooks' 2006 World War Z. Through robust discussion and analysis, we will ponder key questions: What have particular cultures have labeled as "monstrous" and why? What makes a successful monster in a given culture at a given time? How do critical approaches (e.g. psychoanalytic, feminist, post-colonial) reveal assumptions about the monstrous, the "other," that inform and sustain our fears. Assignments will include frequent informal writing, group presentation on one key text, and a formal essay that combines primary textual analysis with relevant secondary criticism. Students participating in July Experience take one morning class and one afternoon class each day, Monday through Friday. Classes meet for 90 minutes, with the possibility of additional laboratory sessions in selected courses. July Experience courses although taught with college-level rigor, do not carry any secondary school or college credit. This allows students to take risks and explore curriculum without the pressure of impacting his or her permanent record. Courses are graded on an Honors/Pass/Fail basis and a detailed written letter to parents/guardians is provided by each professor after the conclusion of the program. Students will have the opportunity to select their class preferences after they have been admitted to the program. To ensure small class sizes, students may be assigned second or third choices. The total cost of July Experience 2019 is $4,000. Tuition covers the following areas: Room and board (all meals and self-service laundry), Textbook(s) for use during the duration of the program, and Scheduled activity costs/fees. Tuition does not include travel expenses and personal spending money. Application process includes: online application, transcript, school profile, counselor recommendation form, teacher recommendation form, essay. Students must complete the Online Application in its entirety and submit it in one online session. Financial aid is available with the completion of an additional scholarship application.