Haunted Souths: Literature, History, and the American Past

Southern Gothic literature explores the powerful stories, hidden histories, and cultural tensions that continue to shape the American South and the nation as a whole. Through accessible and thought-provoking works by writers such as William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Toni Morrison, Flannery O’Connor, Kate Chopin, and Alice Walker, students will examine themes of memory, race, family, identity, religion, and social change. Designed for adult learners and discussion-based rather than lecture-heavy, this course invites students to connect literature to history, contemporary culture, and personal experience while exploring why Southern Gothic literature remains deeply relevant today. Students must purchase Beloved by Toni Morrison, available in both print and e-reader forms. The course will focus on this piece of literature and will be read during the course.