Godzilla, Dracula, the Alien, Kevin Spacey? What is the scariest monster you can imagine? Ever wondered why some monsters are scarier, or more horrifying than others? This innovative course- team taught by 4 undergraduates in the Honors program- focuses on discussing monsters and developing a broader conversation. Eventually this conversation will include the University and Gainesville community, and one of the semester’s projects include the creation of an exhibit on Monsters at the Harn Museum of Art. Because 2018 is the 200 anniversary of a book describing one of the better known monsters- Frankenstein- the course will read and discuss the book “Monstrous Progeny: a history of the Frankenstein Narratives.” Through the book, and exploring questions about how society fears, defines, understands, and, sometimes, embraces, monsters, students will select materials from the Harn Museum collection and will write the labels for an exhibit that will open in January of 2019. During this time, enrolled students will explore the history and context of the term “monster” and come to understand what makes a monster a monster, how what we consider monstrous changes over time and, ultimately, consider what is ultimately the most monstrous- is it what something looks like, or how it behaves?
| Date | In-Class | Readings Due | Assignments Due |
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Week 1: August 22 Unit 1: Introduction |
Syllabus/Intro to Class Art Work Assignment Picks Instructions |
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Week 2: August 29 Unit 1: Introduction |
Discussion: What is a Monster? |
Monstrous Progeny: Introduction Article: What is a Monster? : http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/discussion/what-is-a-monster Article: The New Yorker, “The Strange and Twisted Life of Frankestein” https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/02/12/the-strange-and-twisted-life-of-frankenstein |
Art Work Picks Assignment (Due 8/29 in class) Discussion 1 Post (Due 8/31 at midnight |
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Week 3: September 5 Unit 2: Museum Exhibit Orientation |
Lesson on How to Write Label Text Label Text First Draft Assigned |
Discussion 1 Replies (Due 9/4 at midnight) | |
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Week 4: September 12 Unit 2: Museum Exhibit Orientation |
Harn Visit (Attendance Mandatory!) | ||
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Week 5: September 19 Unit 3: Monsters in Medicine |
Lecture/ Discussion: Monsters in Medicine |
Monstrous Progeny: Chapters 1 and 2 Web Link: The Background of the Mutter Museum Web Link: Interview on the Mutter Museum http://muttermuseum.org/videos/m%C3%BCtter-minute-on-monsters-and-marvels/ Web Link: Mutter Museum Exhibits Web Link: Mary Dyer’s Monster http://marybarrettdyer.blogspot.com/2011/09/mary-dyers-monster.html Web Link: Monstrous Births http://www.rebelpuritan.com/Monster.html |
Discussion 2 Post (Due 9/21 at midnight) |
| Week 6: September 26 | Potential Speaker | Discussion 2 Replies (Due 9/25 at midnight) | |
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Week 7: October 3 Unit 4: Psychological/ Sociological Aspects of Monsters |
Lecture/ Discussion: Psychological/ Sociological Aspects of Monsters |
Monstrous Progeny: Chapter 3 Article: The New Yorker, Dehumanization and the Roots of Morality https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/11/27/the-root-of-all-cruelty Article: The Paris Review, What to Do with the Art of Monstrous Men? https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2017/11/20/art-monstrous-men/ |
Discussion 3 Post (Due 10/5 at midnight) |
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Week 8: October 10 Unit 4: Psychological/ Sociological Aspects of Monsters |
Meeting with Harn Curators Introduction/ Assignment of Final Projects |
Label Text, First Draft (Due 10/10 in class and online) Discussion 3 Replies (Due 10/9 at midnight) |
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Week 9: October 17 Unit 5: Cross-Cultural Monster Narratives |
Lecture/ Discussion of Cross-Cultural Monster Narratives |
Monstrous Progeny: Chapter 4 Web Link: Chupacabras Web Link: Banshees https://www.celtic-weddingrings.com/celtic-mythology/legend-of-the-banshee Web Link: Poltergeists http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/102913/historical-origins-of-the-poltergeist/ Web Link: Theseus and the Minotaur https://www.greekmyths-greekmythology.com/myth-of-theseus-and-minotaur/ |
Discussion 4 Post (Due 10/19 at midnight) |
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Week 10: October 24 Unit 5: Cross-Cultural Monster Narratives |
Mini Presentations |
Final Project Proposals due (In class, 10/24) Discussion 4 Replies (Due 10/23 at midnight) |
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| Week 11: October 31 | Speaker: Dr. Friedman | ||
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Week 12: November 7 Unit 5: Cross-Cultural Monster Narratives |
Mini Presentations | Second Draft of Label Text (due in class and online, 11/7) | |
| Week 13: November 14 | Speaker | Mini Presentation Response Sheets (due in class, 11/14) | |
| Week 14: NO CLASS- Happy Thanksgiving! | Final Draft of Label Text (due online, 11/18) | ||
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Week 15: November 28 Unit 6: Monsters in Pop Culture |
Lecture/ Discussion of Monsters in Pop Culture |
Monstrous Progeny: Chapter 5 Web Link: The Shape of Water Trailer Web Link: Guillermo del Toro interview http://www.cbc.ca/radio/q/wednesday-sept-27-2017-guillermo-del-toro-toya-delazy-and-more-1.4305671/from-the-crib-to-the-ago-guillermo-del-toro-s-lifelong-kinship-with-monsters-1.4305985 |
Discussion 5 Post (Due 11/30 at midnight) |
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Week 16: December 5 Unit 6: Monsters in Pop Culture |
Different Views of Monsters and How They’ve Changed Over Time |
Monstrous Progeny: Chapter 6 |
Discussion 5 Replies (Due 12/4 at midnight) |
| Exam Week | No Class; all aspects of Harn Project must be completed by the end of the week |
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