While Poole is an academic his book is anything but dry. Eastern Orthodoxy Essential Books [A Reading List]. When, meeting the natives, he saw their way of life as barbaric and uncivilized. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Not only is it written in a fun, easy to relate to voice, but it is also chock full of info. The Best C.S. Monsters, he says, are "cultural constructions of the terrible that define what it is we subconsciously fear and what it is we're told to hate or love.". Mark Eckel is Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Professor of Old Testament at Crossroads Bible College. But then, I dislike any historical book that loses its sense of historical relativity as well as any book about phenomena that automatically assumes a phenomenon is false and therefore ripe for being disproved and easily rationalized away. The Monster feels completely alienated: "none among the myriads of men" will take pity on him. Anything outside the norm brought about the birth of a monster, which can differ depending on the social, economic, cultural, or political influences of the time. Insightful and brilliant! Frontier wilderness beasts, Freddie Krueger, witches of Salem, alien invasions, and freak show oddities are some of the monstrous creatures. All Rights Reserved. SparkNotes PLUS After readingMonsters in America, a reader will view monsters in a completely different light. Subscribe now. It is a frightening world we live in, yet the horrific things in our literature and culture play a vital part in helping us reach some understanding, and even some peace about them. Monster is a 1999 young adult novel by Walter Dean Myers. Martin Luther King, Jr. His Prophetic Faith in 15 Quotes, Important Discipleship and Formation Books A Reading Guide Fall 2020, Frederick Buechner Books An Introductory Reading Guide. Dont have an account? Reading this for research for a paper I am writing for a creative nonfiction class for college, but what an interesting book regardless! All content is original and cannot be copied without permission. ! His transitions from movie metaphors to American social ills are often strained if not unconvincing. Steve testifies that he did not take part in the drugstore robbery or discuss it with anyone before it happened. Before you get all "He's Anti-American!" Societal values impact individuals only as much as we understand an individuals values. Poole invites us into an important and enlightening, if disturbing, conversation about the very real monsters that inhabit the dark spaces of America's past. A.The James River B.The, Which was NOT an attempted reform movement in antebellum Virginia? Good references in the book that I looked up to further read about horror movies and their importance to our sociological perspective. Highly recommended for horror or monster fans with an interest in American history; slightly less so for American history buffs with a hobby in monster entertainments. Five months later, Steve is again writing in his notebook. The book won the John Cawelti prize from the Popular Culture Association for the best book published in pop culture history for 2011. I feel like three stars is generous for a book that did not bring me any new insights, but it was neither especially good nor especially bad. Human beings made him declare "war" by treating him like an enemy. Not only do they continue to live in our midst, but, as historian Scott Poole shows, these monsters are an important part of our pasta hideous obsession America cannot seem to escape.Pooles central argument in Monsters in America is that monster tales intertwine with Americas troubled history of racism, politics, class struggle, and gender inequality. The author radically departs from the notion that monsters are a metaphor for our fears through the ages. I used this as a textbook for a themed English course: Monsters, Myths, and Magic. From our colonial past to the present, the monster in all its various forms has been a staple of American culture. However, at times the overt political messages can be more aggressive than effective, the book frequently covers more breadth than depth, and I was left without a clear sense of how monsters in America (US, presumably, rather than hemispheric) differed from those in international nightmares--or how the globalization of monster culture influenced American culture. session with vampires and zombies, Poole plots America's past through its fears in this intriguing sociocultural history. (one code per order). But honestly, most folks go to horror films for what they would say is the hell of it. Some people enjoy being scared, period. 20% Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? As W. Scott Poole's text will serve as the conceptual framework for the course, this assignment seeks to promote regular critical engagement with the text. Friday afternoon, July 17th & December, 5 months later. Antiracism Books for Christians A Reading Guide, Thomas Merton Books An Intro Reading Guide. The atheist taught that inflicting suffering while enjoying the process is human nature. Monster presents through the obvious things, for example, krakens or werewolves. When social conservatives oppose something, like - say -. This book is a wonderful introduction to American history through the lens of monsters. Monsters arrived in 2011and now they are back. An excellent study for any student of history or media but also fun and accessible for any fan of monsters and the movies. Academic, yet very accessible, I was fascinated by this book, and it holds a very special distinction as the only book I was required to buy for a college class that has Poole's book is fantastic, a terrific look at what makes monsters in film resonate in American culture. Penn State folklorist Bill Ellis called the book "required reading for . His new book, forthcoming this fall and available for pre-order, is _Wasteland: The Great War and the Roots of Modern Horror_. What could we extrapolate on the ways we lived and what we believed during each era? The guards take the bleeding dude away. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! Poole's examples are well-chosen and well-explicated. Read the chapter-by-chapter Summary & Analysis, a Full Book Summary, or Full Book Analysis of Monster. Produced by Johns Hopkins University Press in collaboration with The Sheridan Libraries. Poole's examples are well-chosen and well-explicated. See a complete Character List for Monster, as well as in-depth analysis of its most important characters. The author explores American History and how people's fears and reactions to changes in society both affected and were affected by monsters in print and film. The little monsters who come to our doors for candy at Halloween are small reminders of our large problem. Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2012. From our colonial past to the present, the monster in all its various forms has been a staple of American culture. I had to read this for a class (one I wasn't too stoked about, if I'm being honest) and went into it with a pretty closed mind. This book is really good, a look at our monsters in a social conceptional way. There he teaches courses on monsters, pop culture, and American history. Poole has set the bar ridiculously high for any future research exploring the locus of historical and cultural studies, particularly as it pertains to the horrific. Monsters In America challenges, enlightens, and, quite honestly, frightens in its prescient view of American history, as well as the seeming ubiquity of the monsters of our past and probable future. Renews March 11, 2023 From Victorian-era mad scientists to modern-day serial killers, new monsters appear as American society evolves, paralleling fluctuating challenges to the cultural status quo. A masterful survey of our grim and often disturbing past, Monsters in America uniquely brings together history and culture studies to expose the dark obsessions that have helped create our national identity. Unless specifically stated in the review, I have purchased all books reviewed. Title and sub-title encouraged my interest in securing a copy of Monsters in America for review. For Professors: Exam Copies. Poole has set the bar ridiculously high for any future research exploring the locus of historical and cultural studies, particularly as it pertains to the horrific. Monsters In America challenges, enlightens, and, quite honestly, frightens in its prescient view of American history, as well as the seeming ubiquity of the monsters of our past and probable future. Simplistic and not incredibly thoughtful, but useful for my purposes, Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2012. The State rests its case. In 2016, he wrote the Bram Stoker Finalist _In the Mountains of Madness: The Life and Extraordinary Afterlife of H.P. It is a frightening world we live in, yet the horrific things in our literature and culture play a vital part in helping us reach some understanding, and even some peace about them. Mr. Pooles evidence is as intriguing as it is informative. This is an important book that Id recommend very highly. All content on this blog is protected under US copyright by Michelle Shannon. Its a story that begins with the history of the dark lady of late night horror and branches out into a discussion of the Beats, Bebop Jazz, the birth of rock and roll and the social protest movements of the 1960s. Not only is America guilty of creating its own horrors, failure to acknowledge monsters also creates them (23). These summaries should not . I thought this was gonna be about different monsters from American folklore. After Steve hears the verdict, he turns to OBrien for a hug. From 19th century sea serpents to our current Publishers Weekly session with vampires and zombies, Poole plots America's past through its fears in this intriguing sociocultural history. Discount, Discount Code 1945-1960 2.) For the next 7 days, you'll have access to awesome PLUS stuff like AP English test prep, No Fear Shakespeare translations and audio, a note-taking tool, personalized dashboard, & much more! Imprint: Baylor University Press. From 19th century sea serpents to our current Publishers Weekly session with vampires and zombies, Poole plots America's past through its fears in this intriguing sociocultural history. Newer movies like "Terminator," shows what happens when we place our trust in machines. By the end of the book, Poole cautions that Americas monsters arent going away anytime soon. Based on new findings and bursting with new interpretations, it offers newcomers and old fans of the America's great horror writer new insight into his life, work, and continuing influence. for a customized plan. The history of the United States offers a chamber of horrors, with clergy transforming the Native American other into demonic beings, mad scientists turning state-funded laboratories into torture chambers, and the photographic revolution of the Victorian era turning toward a morbid fascination with the bodies of the dead and the creation of the category of 'gore.' Poole summarizes, Perhaps our own beliefs about monsters and their intractable nature help to produce the monsters we fear the most (164). Instead of representing the "us vs them" mentality, monsters are much closer so home: they are us. Emily Dickinson Poems Seven of our Favorites! White Doe" disguised the true relationship between the European settlers and Native Americans. 20% Wendell Berry Poems Seven of Our Favorites! One wishes for a consistency in commentary. that Poole have used to describe the events of . Salem witches, frontier wilderness beasts, freak show oddities, alien invasions, Freddie Krueger. religious texts and newspaper accounts of "satanic panics" into a highly readable analysis of the concept of the devil in American cultural history. The fear of anything not considered normal or not well-understood e.g. It's rarely happy news being reported. It's also a great way of introducing the idea that you can use different lenses/ways of writing to introduce and discuss topics. . 1 (1998): 90-102. Monsters in America is an important contribution, and it will be enjoyed by literary and cultural historians alike. Monsters in America does a phenomenal job examining American history through the lens of monsters and the monstrous. Friedrich Nietzsche believed we are the monsters. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. Probably more 3.5 stars. From Victorian-era mad scientists to modern-day serial killers , new monsters appear as American society evolves, paralleling fluctuating challenges to the cultural status quo. Poole seeks to undermine myths of American exceptionalism by locating monsters that he believes exist outside our psyche, in history. Purchasing The scary tales found in the classic texts remind usno matter our nationality, ethnicity, or political persuasionthe monster is us. Scholars will argue over interpretation because that is what scholars do. On Being with Krista Tippett Top 10 Best Episodes! I often use this in my Freshman Writing courses to show that writing doesn't have to be boring. A masterful survey of our grim and often disturbing past, Monsters in. We are sorry. Steve worries about why OBrien turned away from him after winning the case. You can view our. It is not a book on actual monsters but how Americans find monsters in different eras on social constructs. Some of his writings can be accessed at www.warpandwoof.org. for a customized plan. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. . He is the author of several books, including a biography of H.P Lovecraft, which became a Bram Stoker award finalist, and Wasteland: The Great War and the Origins of Modern Horror. Monster is told as a first-person account by Steve Harmon, a Black teenager on trial for felony murder in New York. I was pretty fascinated through this whole book. TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. Thoughts on books, family, and life in one impressive package. These summaries should not exceed one page in length. Name: Kim Hoan Tran Dr. Che 07/08/2019 Summary Paper Summary of Monstrous Beginning In Monster in America written by W. Scott Poole, especially the chapter called "Monstrous Beginnings". Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. Acknowledgements: Thank you to Kelly Hughes from Dechant-Hughes for my review copy! With Monsters in America, W. Scott Poole has given us a guidebook for a journey into nightmare territory. Conflicting anxieties about race, class, gender, sexuality, religious beliefs, science, and politics manifest as haunting beings among the populace. That's What She Read by is available now and can be read on any device with the free Kindle app. Bloodshed and hatred are universals in human nature and Pooles book is a very unsettling history of its American manifestation. Project MUSE promotes the creation and dissemination of essential humanities and social science resources through collaboration with libraries, publishers, and scholars worldwide. It is an alternative view of history through something that is not necessarily studied in such depth and over such a long period of time. creating and saving your own notes as you read. No longer just something that goes bump in the night, Mr. Poole showcases that monsters have more meaning and shed more insight into society than one might have previously suspected. Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon, Baylor University Press (January 15, 2014). The different types of monsters, whether cultural, supernatural, or moral, all contribute to the meaning of American culture. For Poole Halloween means more trick than treat; we discover that the monsters are us. Monsters are here to stay. Interesting as a surface-level exploration of "Monster Theory". Twelve Important Theology Books of 2021!!! From 19th century sea serpents to our current. The tendency to view American monsters as primarily psychological archetypes ignores how closely they have reflected actual historical events and actual historical victims.". Foregrounding the racism and injustice of the legal system, the novel is a crime story, a courtroom drama, and an account of a young teens search for identity. Poole offers an insight on America's fascination with monsters. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. Now and Always,The Trusted Content Your Research Requires, Now and Always, The Trusted Content Your Research Requires, Built on the Johns Hopkins University Campus. More importantly, what is the definition of a monster? It felt more like I was reading a college midterm (not even open book), and less like strong literary criticism. Monsters in America Project. Sales Date: 2018-07-13. Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Study Guide of "Monster" by Walter Dean Myers. If it bleeds, it reads. Monsters in America (2nd ed.) Without cookies your experience may not be seamless. But real monsters collect different trophies; they are no laughing matter. All opinions expressed are uniquely my own. | Monsters in America is W. Scott Pooles interpretive history. Connect with him online at: C-Christopher-Smith.com, "This book will inspire, motivate and challenge anyone who cares a whit about the written word, the world of ideas, the shape of our communities. Twelve Important Theology Books of 2020!!! on 50-99 accounts. OBrien gathers her papers and moves away, leaving Steve standing with outstretched arms. Component 2: Summary. Students will maintain a list of unfamiliar words they come across in the chapter. Monster is told as a first-person account by Steve Harmon, a Black teenager on trial for felony murder in New York. He decides to make a movie about his experience. An interesting and accessible overview of the link between American history and the monsters that fascinate them. Salem witches, frontier wilderness beasts, freak show oddities, alien invasions, Freddie Krueger. Paperback; 9781481308823; Published: July 2018; $34.99. Excerpt. From our colonial past to the present, the monster in all its various forms has been a staple of American culture. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% A Midsummer Night's Dream (No Fear Shakespeare) by SparkNotes QUICK ADD Macbeth (No Fear Shakespeare) by SparkNotes QUICK ADD Hamlet (No Fear Shakespeare) by SparkNotes QUICK ADD Julius Caesar (No Fear Shakespeare) by SparkNotes QUICK ADD Othello (No Fear Shakespeare) by SparkNotes QUICK ADD Twelfth Night (No Fear Shakespeare) by SparkNotes Please wait while we process your payment. I took copious notes in the margins, and will be using this book frequently as I continue to work on my own YA horror fiction (e.g. (And as someone who lives with a history PhD and who briefly pursued graduate studies in history myself, I like to believe that I know from whence I speak.) 335 Pages, 6.00 x 9.00 in. Dorothy Moore, a cousin of Kings, testifies that King was with her at the time of the robbery. The Monthly Kindle Ebook Sale March 2023, 5 Essential Ebook Deals for Church Leaders 23 February 2023, 5 Essential Ebook Deals for Church Leaders 16 February 2023, Rumi Poems Eight of Our Favorites by the Sufi Mystic, Walt Whitman Poems 8 of our Favorites from Leaves of Grass, Alexander Pushkin Five Poems by the Russian Poet, Against Christian Nationalism: Essential Books [A Reading Guide]. Monsters highlight both the positives and negatives in any society, and as such, require the reader to open ones mind and accept that the history taught in history books may not be the truth. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. Monsters are not just fears of the individual psyche, historian Scott Poole explains, but are concoctions of the public imagination, reactions to cultural influences, social change, and historical events. Historian W. Scott Poole distinguishes himself by focusing on the American context, providing a history told through the personified expressions of our anxieties and fears. Steve tells his story through handwritten notes as in a journal and a typewritten screenplay. An excellent history of the American obsession with monsters, Poole analyzes our religious and nationalist beliefs to see how we have dealt with the Other in our long, horrifying existence as a nation. Classic Gratitude Poems Joy Harjo, Mary Oliver, MORE. Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes. The book reflects on the. Jacques Ellul Books An Introductory Reading Guide. Here we not only meet such monsters but also discover America's cultural monstrosity. New York: Theatre Communications Group, 2013. Historian W. Scott Poole distinguishes himself by focusing on the American context, providing a history told through the personified expressions of our anxieties and fears. If you've got an interest in horror, this is definitely worth a read. Wed love to have you back! But too often he ascribes American injustices with little more than a metaphorical connection to monster movies. Just watch any local news program and you'll see what I mean. In Monster, Walter Dean Myers tells the story of Steve Harmon's trial. 2023 Project MUSE. Michelle Shannon is licensed under a Vampira) to explore the history of American sexuality, gender relations and the rebirth of the horror film in post-WW2 America. Excellent examination of horror movies evolution through the years and also how societal happenings influence the movies at the time they are made. If you view everything that has happened in the last ten thousand years as an atrocity committed by (American) White Anglo-Saxon Protestant men against the wide-eyed, helpless, innocent (and rather stupid) non-male/non-white world in a concerted race (or gender where convenient) war and stolidly ignore all contrary evidence, the world is full of monsters. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. Asa Briggs, Kings attorney, establishes that the police have no fingerprint evidence. What I discovered is that Poole should have written two books: his perspective on American history, another on monsters. He is the author of several books, including a biography of H.P Lovecraft, which became a Bram Stoker award finalist, and Wasteland: The Great War and the Origins of Modern Horror. Here's where you'll find important quotesfrom Monsterand explanations of them. FABULOUS! During the robbery, Aguinaldo Nesbitt, the fifty-five-year-old owner of the store, was killed. This item: Monsters in America: Our Historical Obsession with the Hideous and the Haunting by W. Scott Poole Paperback $34.99 The Monster Theory Reader by Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock Paperback $45.11 On Monsters: An Unnatural History of Our Worst Fears by Stephen T. Asma Paperback $28.95 What other items do customers buy after viewing this item? Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! March 4, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 You can find more scary stories from him on Twitter: @monstersamerica. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. does a bang-up job of demonstrating how our culture helps us achieve some sort of understanding about our world and our lives. From our colonial past to the present, the monster in all its various forms has been a staple of American culture. The history of America -- one fear, one monster, at a time. Highly recommended." Jenn's Bookshelves "In Monsters in America, Scott Poole expertly weaves together folklore, media studies, and some of the more disturbing moments in American history to remind us of the vital roles monsters play in our culture. Monsters refuse to be cordoned off in only one nationality, ethnicity, religion, or political mindset. Marshall1 Jenna Marshall Prof. Goff Writing 1010 12 September 2021 Summary Final In Scott Poole's essay Monsters in America Poole's main claim is that stories of monsters are associated with the troubled history of American history of racism, politics, class prejudice, gender disparity, and how society's fears can be equally showing of our divides. An unexpected guilty pleasure! Browning's research, including extensive field work in New Orleans, has uncovered a subculture of . These monsters are created by multiple aspects of society and give meaning to the culture as well. Please wait while we process your payment. He wrote in his journal. Regardless of the gruesome event, whether it's the Salem Witch Trials back in the 1600s or 9/11 just 10 years ago, one thing remains constant: Americans are obsessed with them. While real monsters do exist, the reality of our own monstrosities mirrors not a national heritage as much as our human heritage. Here's where you'll find analysis of the main themes, motifs, and symbols in Monster. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. Howard Thurman Books An Introductory Reading Guide. Novelist Sheri Holman calls the book "a subversive masterpiece.". I had trouble finding a consistent narrative in a book that talked about sea monsters, Bigfoot, Universal Movie Monsters, Freak-shows, and several other topics, and never spending enough time on any of them to feel like I was more informed after reading. Available 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, Select a location to see product availability. Jos Delgado, an employee of the drugstore, tells how he found Mr. Nesbitts body and noticed that cash and cigarettes were missing. Sometimes it can end up there. Poole brings to life American horror stories by framing them within folk belief, religion, and popular culture, broadly unraveling the idea of the monster. Its not a salacious book, either. Friedrich Nietzsche believed we are the monsters. All affiliate income is used to support the blog. This is such an interesting and compelling about our connection to the monstrous and the monstrous' role in expressing national anxieties in our popular media. A well informed, thoughtful, and indeed frightening angle of vision to a persistent and compelling American desire to be entertained by the grotesque and the horrific. Marilynne Robinson 10 Freely Available Essays! In the follow-up to his first book, Satan in America, Poole has now turned his attention to the monsters that inhabit American cinema and American imaginations. I heard the author on Coast to Coast, and even though he had that dry, flat Midwestern accent (sort of like Margaret Hamilton in "The Wizard of Oz") I knew I had to get the book. For my own part, I have been studying and writing about Gothic horror for some years. He reminds the jury of the witnesses criminal records and contends that their unreliability casts reasonable doubt on Kings guilt. And I don't have to mention the meaning of all the zombie movies. Monster in America is a literature book by W. Scott Poole. Reprinted by permission. Christopher Columbus came to the Americas searching for gold, slaves, and monsters. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over.
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