Sometimes it can end up there. is an important contribution, and it will be enjoyed by literary and cultural historians alike. If it bleeds, it reads. | (1 page) Students will compose a summary of the chapter, highlighting the key elements of Poole's text. That's What She Read by Monster is a 1999 young adult novel by Walter Dean Myers. In her closing argument for the State, Petrocelli stresses the importance of the stolen cigarettes in proving who committed the crime. Study Guides, Friday afternoon, July 17th & December, 5 months later. Bram Stoker Award finalist W. Scott Poole is the author of numerous books and articles on monsters and mayhem in popular culture. Highly recommended. America, like all nations, is made up of monstrous human beings. Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Study Guide of "Monster" by Walter Dean Myers. 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. 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. Steves lawyer, Kathy OBrien, urges Steve to take his situation seriously because this crime could put him in jail for twenty years or more. SparkNotes PLUS , Poole has now turned his attention to the monsters that inhabit American cinema and American imaginations. Pallas Athena Roman name: Minerva. The Monster argues that his murderousness is not his fault. 1960-1980 3. Steve calls the movie Monster because that is what the prosecutor has called him. The atheist taught that inflicting suffering while enjoying the process is human nature. (Greg Garrett, Faithful Citizenship blogger and author of, One Fine Potion: The Literary Magic of Harry Potter, (John David Smith, Charles H. Stone Distinguished Professor of American History, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte), W. Scott Poole is Professor of History at the College of Charleston. 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. Conflicting anxieties about race, class, gender, sexuality, religious beliefs, science, and politics manifest as haunting beings among the populace. Mrs. Henry testifies to being in the drugstore and seeing two young Black men arguing with the store owner. for a customized plan. Newer movies like "Terminator," shows what happens when we place our trust in machines. Steve Harmon, a Black sixteen-year-old, sits in his jail cell and writes in his notebook. (Christopher James Blythe, Florida State University, (John W. Morehead, editor, www.TheoFantastique.com). When meeting the natives, he saw their way of life as barbaric and uncivilized. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Classic Gratitude Poems Joy Harjo, Mary Oliver, MORE. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. An unexpected guilty pleasure! Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2021. W. Scott Poole is Professor of History at the College of Charleston. I do wish the author would've delved into certain subjects more as he did the last half of the book which was very compelling. By adding new discussions of the American West, Poole focuses intently on the Native American experience. FREE Shipping on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon. One Bear Place 97363, Waco, TX 76798-7363 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. The Best C.S. For Professors: Exam Copies. 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. Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2014. Stamped on American culture, the phrase brings to mind images of costumes, plastic masks, and parents holding the hands of little monsters as they collect candy calories. 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. Poole never assumes a 1-1 metaphor, but he does show how common themes (the reemergence of the vampire at different points in American history, for example) are useful shorthand for working through these anxieties. Monsters in America Project. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. 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. Hades Roman name: Pluto. "The American past reads like something of a horror movie, maybe even a low-budget slasher. Hardback: Baylor University Press, 2011. It's rarely happy news being reported. Which one would you like to know more about and why? uniquely brings together history and culture studies to expose the dark obsessions that have helped create our national identity. Poole's book is fantastic, a terrific look at what makes monsters in film resonate in American culture. Copyright 2023 That's What She Read. A masterful survey of our grim and often disturbing past. With Monsters in America, W. Scott Poole has given us a guidebook for a journey into nightmare territory. In Monster, Walter Dean Myers tells the story of Steve Harmon's trial. 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. Then it is OBriens turn to present the defense of Steve. He reminds the jury of the witnesses criminal records and contends that their unreliability casts reasonable doubt on Kings guilt. religious texts and newspaper accounts of "satanic panics" into a highly readable analysis of the concept of the devil in American cultural history. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Indeed, the reader may struggle as I did with the leaps Poole makes between monster movies and American social ills. Conflicting anxieties about race, class, gender, sexuality, religious beliefs, science, and politics manifest as haunting beings among the populace. I appreciated that in this second edition he shows how our language of the monstrous has played a role in instances like the police shootings of unarmed black people and how visions of dread play into Donald Trump's rhetoric. You can view our. Insightful and brilliant! Suppose someone wanted to trace American history through the common coffee cup. He wrote in his journal Steve tells his story through handwritten notes as in a journal and a typewritten screenplay. Excellent study of the machinery of monsters and their meaning in American history. Want 100 or more? Unfortunately, however, the writing just reads as super amateurish and unnatural--to the point where your brain feels exhausted after slogging through only a couple pages. Dont have an account? 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. Contact us Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2012. SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. Here's where you'll find analysis of the main themes, motifs, and symbols in Monster. Dorothy Moore, a cousin of Kings, testifies that King was with her at the time of the robbery. In a nutshell, monsters for Poole are metaphors / stand-ins for whoever is loathed or feared in a certain historical context. SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. Eastern Orthodoxy Essential Books [A Reading List]. Willa Cather Short Stories Five Superb Stories to Read for FREE! Reprinted by permission. Monsters in America. Consulting newspaper accounts, archival materials, personal papers, comic books, films, and oral histories, Poole adroitly illustrates how the creation of the monstrous"other"not only reflects society's fears but shapes actual historical behavior and becomes a cultural reminder of inhuman acts.Monsters in America is now online at www.monstersinamerica.com. Salem witches, frontier wilderness beasts, freak show oddities, alien invasions, Freddie Krueger. All content is original and cannot be copied without permission. Written in an accessible, smart and entertaining way, this is a fantastic book. You can find more scary stories from him on Twitter: @monstersamerica. With Monsters in America, W. Scott Poole has given us a guidebook for a journey into nightmare territory. ", In 2014 he published _Vampira: Dark Goddess of Horror_ that looked at the life of 1950s horror host Maila Nurmi (a.k.a. This book is really good, a look at our monsters in a social conceptional way. Buy now: [ Amazon ] [ Kindle ]. session with vampires and zombies, Poole plots America's past through its fears in this intriguing sociocultural history. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading American Monsters: A History of Monster Lore, Legends, and Sightings in America. The book's unusual range is one of its contributions; its freshness of juxtaposition is another. Dont have an account? The jail guards come in, and everyone lines up against the wall while they get rubber-gloved. Not only is America guilty of creating its own horrors, failure to acknowledge monsters also creates them (23). Omer-Sherman, Ranen. Baylor Univ, $29.95 (296p) ISBN 978-1-60258-314-6 From 19th century sea serpents to our current obsession with vampires and zombies, history professor Poole (Satan in America) plots America's. View all This exciting work blends the study of horror films, comic books, religious texts and newspaper accounts of "satanic panics" into a highly readable analysis of the concept of the devil in American cultural history. Project MUSE promotes the creation and dissemination of essential humanities and social science resources through collaboration with libraries, publishers, and scholars worldwide. I. Poole is also a Professor of History at the College of Charleston where he teaches courses on monsters in American history, Satan in folk belief and pop culture and the history of religion and race in American life . Picked up on a whim, I certainly got the expected analysis of horror movies as a way for Americans to understand and react to their culture, but the author also makes the (very strong and well supported) argument that far from being a way to understand the world around us, monsters are also used by those in power to crush those without under their heel while also ignoring and excusing the fact that they're doing so. 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. What becomes disturbingly apparent is that most of Americas hatred of the Other is based in Christian religious belief. 2023 Project MUSE. on me, relax. The medical examiner states the time of Mr. Nesbitts death. 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. Just watch any local news program and you'll see what I mean. I suppose history could be read into just about any object. Steve spends his time making movies about himself, often with Jerrys help. I'm just saying that throughout the country's history, there have been some pretty dark times. Finally, in the new section "American Carnage," Poole challenges readers to assess what their own monster tales might be and how our sordid past horrors express themselves in our present cultural anxieties. Solely focused on the horrors, readers would think that no Christian or church stood against the aberration of Scriptural teaching; but such was the case with missionaries and abolitionists. creating and saving your own notes as you read. All affiliate income is used to support the blog. Sawicki states that he believes in Steves honesty as a filmmaker and as a person. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. Conflicting anxieties about race, class, gender, sexuality, religious beliefs, science, and politics manifest as haunting beings among the populace. They Poole offers an insight on America's fascination with monsters. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. 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. 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. Imprint: Baylor University Press. Fifteen Important Theology Books of 2022!!! Youve successfully purchased a group discount. Poole brings to life American horror stories by framing them within folk belief, religion, and popular culture, broadly unraveling the idea of the monster. Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? 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 earned a permanent place on my bookshelf now that the class is over. by Michelle | Nov 30, 2011 | Books Read in 2011, P Author | 0 comments, Title: Monsters in America: Our Historical Obsession with the Hideous and the Haunting, 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. Best Bob Dylan Books Biographies, Lyrics, and More! Henri Nouwen Books An Introductory Reading Guide. In the end, though, I could easily see assigning parts of this book to undergraduates. Mark Eckel is Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Professor of Old Testament at Crossroads Bible College. He tells his story through handwritten notes and a typewritten screenplay. Monsters are here to stay. 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]. However, this book was not only as easy read, but incredibly enlightening, eye-opening, and thrilling. (one code per order). Monsters and American History W. Scott Poole offers many unique explanations for the creation and story telling of monsters in his essayMonsters in America.Poole examines the cultural history of the monster and how it intersects with American history. From our colonial past to the present, the monster in all its various forms has been a staple of American culture. From early American ghost stories to Jordan Peeles Get Out (2017), Scott Poole expertly tracks the importance of monsters and monstrosity in American culture. I love ghost stories and folklore because they reveal an aspect of history and popular thinking in an entertaining way. Pooles book becomes a tired screed against those whose political-social viewpoints are antithetic to his own. Subject I have a lot of interest in and the author seems to have done a lot of work/research. Poole argues that "Monstrous metaphors in American historical life have a way of becoming realthey are intertwined with attitudes and social structures that make the monster possible. 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. 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. There he teaches courses on monsters, pop culture, and American history. new monsters appear as American society evolves, paralleling fluctuating challenges to the cultural status quo. I feel like the author did a great job at deconstructing America's social issues and how they connect to the monsters/fears/entertainment of the time. For Poole Halloween means more trick than treat; we discover that the monsters are us. W. Scott Poole. 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. In 2009, Poole published _Satan in America: The Devil We Know__ (Rowman and Littlefield), a cultural history of the image of Satan in American religion, history and popular culture. 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. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. 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. See a complete Character List for Monster, as well as in-depth analysis of its most important characters. Pooles bibliography is an additional treat as it includes many excellent books for further reading or study - "1973 Nervous Breakdown: Watergate, Warhol, and the Birth of Post-Sixties America" and "Sacred Terror: Religion and Horror on the Silver Screen" were two titles that jumped out at me thats so full that one could even write their own treatment on the subject. Even fewer scholars do so as adeptly and as entertainingly as W. Scott Poole. Another problem for Steve is that James King, a young Black hood, is Steves co-defendant. Petrocelli, OBrien, and Briggs make opening statements on the first day of Steves trial. One wishes for a consistency in commentary. Subscribe now. Purchasing $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Please use a different way to share. History is horror. If you've got an interest in horror, this is definitely worth a read. If one would like to get into the spirit of monster mania during Halloween, no better place to begin is with the books that generated monster madness: Dracula, Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and The Island of Dr. Moreau. Hafez Poems Five of Our Favorites from the Divan of Hafez, N.T. Christopher Columbus came to the Americas searching for gold, slaves, and monsters. Poole's examples are well-chosen and well-explicated. It is lively and engaging and well researched. Evil brutes exist inside and outside American neighborhoods. Vampira) to explore the history of American sexuality, gender relations and the rebirth of the horror film in post-WW2 America. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. Evenhandedness exists in the books last sentence suggesting that liberal visions of social justice could create something worse (228). It is super nasty, and blood ends up everywhere. All Rights Reserved. Petrocelli, the State prosecutor, calls more witnesses to establish the facts of the crime. Available OBrien tells Steve that her job is to make him a human being in the eyes of the jury. A.Universal white male suffrage B.Public education C.Child labor D.Temperance. Associated with war, cleverness, and wit, it is no surprise that she favors Odysseus. Monster is told as a first-person account by Steve Harmon, a Black teenager on trial for felony murder in New York. He also makes notes about his movie and about details he observes in court. IE- minorities = what we are anxious about / obsessed with = the monstrous = monsters. Copyright Thats What She Read 2009-2013. Best Leonard Cohen Books Biographies and Books by the Songwriter. Monster was adapted into a movie of the same name in 2018. 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. Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! as uncivilized people and even believed them to be monsters. 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. Monsters In America challenges, enlightens, and, quite honestly, frightens in its prescient view of American history, . March 4, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 She explains that some jurors have decided against him just because he is young and Black, so Steve has to make the jury see him as different from the other defendants. Monsters in America has without a doubt earned a spot on my favorite books of 2011. Here we not only meet such monsters but also discover America's cultural monstrosity. , W. Scott Poole has given us a guidebook for a journey into nightmare territory. Monsters in America is an important contribution, and it will be enjoyed by literary and cultural historians alike. Indeed, Poole interprets the meaning of the meaning, reinterpreting historical narratives infusing past story with present perception: history is horror (22). The tendency to view American monsters as primarily psychological archetypes ignores how closely they have reflected actual historical events and actual historical victims.". Sophfronia Scott - The Seeker and the Monk [Review], James Atwood - Collateral Damage - Brief Review, Emily M.D. Before you get all "He's Anti-American!" Subscribe now. Monsters in America instead should acknowledge monsters exist in every culture, every tribe, every era. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. Definitions of the monster, he adds, change over time and with each generation. 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.' These summaries should not . Sex and violence are the recurring themes of the book, but Poole always provides context for why they recur so often. 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. The two defense counsels, OBrien and Briggs, establish that the witnesses are testifying for the State in return for reduced sentences. Poole brings to life American horror stories by framing them within folk belief, religion, and popular culture, broadly unraveling the idea of the monster. I am fiercely passionate about two things: History and Monsters. The scary tales found in the classic texts remind usno matter our nationality, ethnicity, or political persuasionthe monster is us. . 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. Novelist Sheri Holman calls the book "a subversive masterpiece.". Monstrosities exist in us and therefore they are all around us. Other times Poole relies too heavily on social interpreters for his connections. Read the chapter-by-chapter Summary & Analysis, a Full Book Summary, or Full Book Analysis of Monster. Consulting newspaper accounts, archival materials, personal papers, comic books, films, and oral histories, Poole adroitly illustrates how the creation of the monstrous "other" not only reflects society's fears but shapes actual historical behavior and becomes a cultural reminder of inhuman acts. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% From our colonial past to the present, the monster in all its various forms has been a staple of American culture. A monster, in most cases, is something that challenges human morality or customs, or rather, a single group of people's moralities. Frontier wilderness beasts, Freddie Krueger, witches of Salem, alien invasions, and freak show oddities are some of the monstrous creatures. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), When you get the opportunity to see your daughter, @muse and their #willofthepeopleworldtour was by f, @evanescenceofficial has been around for twenty ye, When you havent seen your favorite band live in, When your partner is obsessed with the Alex Murdau, Monsters in America: Our Historical Obsession with the Hideous and the Haunting, https://bookshop.org/shop/thatswhatsheread, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. All opinions expressed are uniquely my own. They are manifestations of our society. 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. Hes never less than canny on the pop culture angle: Dracula and Frankenstein are almost everywhere in the book, his insights into the fear of zombies are sharp, the comparison of Patrick Bateman and Dexter Morgan is inspired, and the analysis of fifties icons like Vampira and the Addams family are very good. BUY . Friedrich Nietzsche believed we are the monsters.
Dallas Roberts Looks Like John Ritter, Lana Tisdel Now, Articles M