Does Horror Belong in the English Classroom (Page 2 of 2)

When I was at school we read just what we wanted to. We could either choose books from the school library (or classroom bookcase) or bring our own. Most of us were reading James Herbert from about 10 years old (none of us really liked Stephen King because it just didn't reflect our culture since it was American and all).

Some of the books which were meant for my age group to read back in the day that I fondly remember were any of the Alfred Hitchcock short story collections, Robert Westall's novels, all those ghost stories by Aidan Chambers and the occasional "Pan Book of Horror".

I also liked Shakespeare's Macbeth 'cos it had witches in it.

As for teaching horror in the classroom, yes, there are some authors that should be avoided. I'd avoid the previously mentioned Stephen King because life isn't long enough for most of his books plus they all suck. Also Clive Barker is a bit too "out there" for most people's tastes and there's nothing worse as a kid than not being interested in what you are being forced to read. I remember only too well the agony of having to read "Brave New World"...

I only mentioned the "Dark Tower" because I thought it would interest the kids. It is one of my favorite books and I believe it does have literary value. I think that the future will look on King like we do with Charles Dickens now.

i recall reading The Lottery in school, Poe at a few points, and prior to those a dark story called Peppermints in the Parlor.

so i dont think school is devoid of horror persay. i think the gunslinger series is a little young of a novel for you to be able to get it in tho.

then again i dropped out at a young age, i couldnt say what kind of english curriculum was available past 9th grade
now im in college, and currently taking eng 102. we have an entire two weeks worth of work devoted just to Poe.
we recently read The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, i highly recommend it!

it is a shame about King tho... im curious as to why he isnt in any of the english books. perhaps its notariety that will come to him after his death... but i definately think he is one of the most modern writers that is deserving of being taught in the classroom, for sure!

try to get some short stories from Nightmares and Dreamscapes into the classroom! Chattery Teeth, for example is something good for younger kids by King

^^^^^^^We read the Monkey's Paw also. I think Edgar Allen Poe should be read.

I think that horror is elemental to Literature classes.  It should be explored, even if in a weird, Twilight Zone way like The Lottery, or in the morality play put forth in The Monkey's Paw.  Poe goes so many places in where the psyche can take one, and there are so many "classics" that put forth brutality and psychological fuckery to no end, I think that all avenues of literature should be examined.

In my opinion, I think the subject of horror could and would be better suited to the college classroom. I'm not sure the subject itself could be appreciated by young adults because I think "Twlight" and works by Stephanie Meyer populate the shelves more than anything else for that particular demographic and and those same young adults are watching PG-13 half baked horror flicks..or even worse, REMAKES of original horror works.

I think those that TRULY enjoy the overal horror genre would be able to get more out of it and appreciate it more if it were an elective course in the English studies curriculum.

I know from first hand experience... I was in an advanced English literature course in my sophmore year of college and one of our assignments was to do a through report on any period of time in English history. I thought about the genre of horror and actually ended up looking through REALLY old works on microfilm from back in the 1400 and 1500's and found some absolutely fantastic stuff. It made the subject fun because I was allowed to CHOOSE what I wanted to do a report on as oposed to being TOLD what to report on, whereby it made me engaged me to do a thorough analysis of the works.

I think it would make for a most interesting course. Imagine if the course was able to have a special Q and A with a horror writer? Or possibly show off your skills leared in class by producing some horror prose for an assignment? The opportunities are endless lol