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AJ15081: Introduction to American Paranoid Fiction
(Spring 2020)
Main lecturer: Tereza Walsbergerová
Special guest lecturers: Dr. Jeff Smith; Dr. Jan Beneš
Email: twalsbergerova@mail.muni.cz
Office hours: via email appointment
Description and Goals
This course serves as an introduction to paranoia and conspiracy in American fiction covering a
variety of authors and all kinds of material from the 1830s to the 2010s. Its aim is to not only
familiarize ourselves with the concept of conspiracy and paranoia and its place within American
fiction, but also to understand the significance of this “mode” or “genre” in its particular sociocultural
circumstances. In other words, we will survey how and why paranoia has become a recurring mode in
American fiction and how it has taken different forms in different periods and sociocultural contexts.
The course will consist of 12 seminar sessions during the course of which we will explore various
novels, a number of short stories, couple of movies, podcast episodes, occasional readings of
secondary literature, and fruitful discussions of these materials.
Our goals this semester include
• developing a better understanding of paranoid fiction and its place within American history and
culture;
• building a vocabulary and theoretical knowledge relevant to and useful for our discussions this
semester and for other classes you are taking or might take;
• analyzing and evaluating prose from a diverse selection of American authors;
• sharpening of close reading skills.
Requirements
All requirements must be fulfilled in order to receive a passing grade in the course!
Grades will be based on the following percentages:
• attendance and class performance (15%)
• weekly forum post submitted in Elf (250 words minimum) (35%)
• final essay (6-8 pages ex. bibliography of 3 items min.) (50%)
Evaluation scale: A 100-85 %; B 84-80 %; C 79-75 %; D 74-70 %; E 69-60 %; F (fail) 59-0 %.
1. Weekly attendance and participation. Attendance is mandatory in this course. Missing more
than two classes without a verified written excuse means that you won’t be allowed to finish the
course (i.e. you will get an X in the IS). Also: you are required to make a forum post even if you miss
the actual class.
Students are expected to participate in discussions.
2. Weekly forum posts. Short comprehensive texts containing reflections, questions, and other
general reactions to the assigned readings. This exercise is meant to spark creativity; informal
language and single-space formatting are permitted. Submitted in Elf no later than the night before
class (i.e. 8pm on the day before the class). 250 words minimum (there is no maximum). Late
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submissions will result in point penalties.
3. Final essay. Double-spaced, in MLA 8 format. Length of 6-8 pages excluding bibliography,
footnotes and appendices. Minimum of three secondary sources. Upload into the ELF by the agreedupon
deadline. Details TBA by the end of the semester.
Schedule
Session 1 (20/2) Introduction
• introductions & expectations
• assessment & syllabus
• introduction to paranoia, conspiracy, and paranoid fiction, general
discussion
Session 2 (27/2) Lesson topic: Early American paranoia
Assigned texts: “Minister’s Black Veil” (1832) by Nathaniel Hawthorne;
“Berenice” (1835) by E. A. Poe; and “The Yellow Wallpaper” (1892) by
Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Session 3 (5/3) special guest lecturer Dr. Jan Beneš
Lesson topic: Paint It Black
Assigned texts: Black No More (1931) by George Schuyler
Session 4 (12/3) Lesson topic: Cyber-paranoia and the Crisis of Humanity
Assigned texts: The Impostor” (1953), “We Can Remember It for You
Wholesale” (1966), and “The Electric Ant” (1969) by P. K. Dick
Session 5 (19/3) special guest lecturer Dr. Jeff Smith
Lesson topic: Cold War-Era Paranoia
Assigned films/episodes: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), Red
Nightmare (1957), “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” (from Twilight
Zone, 1960), Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Session 6 (26/3) Lesson topic: Engendering paranoia I
Assigned texts: The Shadow Knows (1974), 1/2 by Diane Johnson
Session 7 (2/4) Lesson topic: Engendering paranoia II
Assigned texts: The Shadow Knows (1974), 2/2 by Diane Johnson
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Session 8 (9/4) Lesson topic: Aliens! in America
Assigned films: Mars Attacks! (1996 film); Men in Black (1997 film)
16/4 READING WEEK (NO CLASS)
Session 9 (23/4) Lesson topic: Transnational anxiety I
Assigned texts: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (2007), 1/2 by Junot
Díaz
Session 10 (30/4) Lesson topic: Transnational anxiety II
Assigned texts: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (2007), 2/2 by Junot
Díaz
Session 11 (7/5) Lesson topic: Millennial paranoia?
Assigned texts: Welcome to Night Vale podcast – “Pilot” (2012), “A
Beautiful Dream” (2013), and “A Story About Them” (2014) + excerpts from
the WTNV novels by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor (will be provided in the
Elf)
Session 12 (14/5) Conclusion
• final discussions and evaluations of topics and motifs
• discussion of final essays (each student will share their idea(s) for essay
topics)
Assigned texts: TBA
Course Bibliography
Ø “Minister’s Black Veil” (1832) by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Ø “Berenice” (1835) by E. A. Poe
Ø “The Yellow Wallpaper” (1892) by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Ø Black No More (1931) by George Schuyler
Ø “The Impostor” (1953), “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale” (1966), and “The Electric
Ant” (1969) by P. K. Dick
Ø Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), dir. Don Siegel
Ø Red Nightmare (1957), dir. George Waggner
Ø “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” (1960) from The Twilight Zone
Ø Dr. Strangelove (1964), dir. Stanley Kubrick
Ø The Shadow Knows (1974) by Diane Johnson
Ø Mars Attacks! (1996), dir. Tim Burton
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Ø Men in Black (1997), dir. F. Gary Gray
Ø The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (2007) by Junot Díaz
Ø “Pilot” (2012), “A Beautiful Dream” (2013), and “A Story About Them” (2014) from Welcome
to Night Vale (2012-) by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor
Diversity Statement
It is my intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well-served by this
course, that students’ learning needs be addressed, and that the diversity that students bring to this
class be viewed as a resource, strength, and benefit. It is my intent to present materials and activities
that are respectful of diversity: gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, socioeconomic
status, ethnicity, race, culture, perspective, and other background characteristics. I encourage your
suggestions about how to improve the value of diversity in this course.
Last revised: 17/2/2020