Literature

The abject female has arguably been a principal Gothic subject. Explore the ways that the female and the female sexuality is demonised and othered in The Monk (by Matthew Lewis). Consider the different female characters that appear in The Monk and compare how they are each treated/viewed throughout the novel. How are they viewed through the male gaze compared to the female gaze?

An increasingly important conversation in the book industry is that of diverse representation, both in the characters and stories we promote, and in the authors whose work we publish. Central to this discussion is the question: who has the right to write? Can a neurotypical author write from an autistic perspective? Can a white American write about the experience of growing up Chinese-Indian?

A key part of this discussion also comes down to authenticity: the effort and care put into representations of particular cultural groups and their experiences. Take, for example, Mark Haddon's 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time' (2003) and John Boyne's 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas' (2006).

Both of these texts received great acclaim in relation to their representation of Asperger's/autism and the holocaust respectively, to the point that both have been included in school curriculums and other education programs since their publications. However, both authors have publicly stated that they did minimal research into the experiences they wrote about, choosing to focus more on the narrative at hand than the accuracy of their work. Does this diminish the texts' cultural influence/importance? What responsibility do authors have to ensure authenticity (and accuracy) in their works, especially when they're not part of the community they're writing about?

Romance novels are a billion dollar industry, dominated by women. But the romance genre is often decried by critics as subpar. These attitudes are another case of society shaming women for their sexuality, but many women are fighting back, broadcasting their love for love and erotica for all to see. It would be interesting to look back at attitudes from the past, dating as far back as the creation of the early invention of the modern novel. In the past, fiction was regarded as a "feminine pursuit" looked down on by a patriarchal society while men read philosophy and academia. It would be interesting to explore how those attitudes actually helped female pioneers of the novel thrive and how those attitudes encroach into the romance genre of today.

For decades, audiences have witnessed pieces of text translated into film adaptations, such as Dracula, Murder on the Orient Express, etc. Writer participation within the film making is usually nonexistent or very minimal, which is found to be strange considering they are the ones who have created the story, characters, etc. Literature translating to film will most likely continue but should the writer be more involved within film making?

Analyze the gender roles of major characters in the series. Does Robert Jordan take a modern perspective on gender roles and place them into a high fantasy epic, or does he create protagonists that fill the gender roles of their culture within the novels? If the latter, then is the author offering a critique on modern gender roles? If the former, then is the author contriving to elevate the importance of certain roles in order to create a richer narrative that is more palatable for modern audiences? A starting point could be the first three novels of the series following: Rand, Perrin, Mat, Lan, Egwene, Nynaeve,
Moiraine, and Elayne. How is the act of channeling used to affect gender roles? How do the prejudices against both men and women that can channel affect Andor for better or worse?

Short stories form the backbone of almost any literature and creative writing class, either because students read or write them. Either way, they are analyzed–sometimes to the point of death, but we hope today's literature students and teachers are moving past such tendencies.

Of the myriad of short stories that exist, classic and contemporary, what are some that should belong in any canon? In particular, discuss contemporary stories or collections not getting attention right now, that should be. To go along with this, what are some universal themes, character traits, or tropes that make a short story "work" better than it would if it were written in longer form? Do some topics or themes lend themselves better to short form, and why?

It is interesting to note how certain genres or styles are inexplicably linked to specific eras in history. For example, fantasy video games, movies, shows or franchises such as the Witcher, Game of Thrones, and others are often stylized to reflect Medieval era.
In the same way, the Steampunk aesthetic is rooted in Victorian England pieces.
It would be an interesting analysis to explore how Medieval literature such as the Canterbury Tales, Troilus and Criseida, Sir Gawin and the Green Knight and others held fantasy elements in their foundation which laid the groundwork for it becoming a framework for modern fantasy works.
In the same way, the steampunk elements pulled from the Victorian Era can be analyzed in context of the boom of the industrial revolution.
What was the path to these connections of era and aesthetic? Where were its modern origins? And what is it about these historical movements in society and literature that made them withstand modernization while preserving these core elements?

Fantasy worlds, especially in a post-Tolkien setting, have tended to be peopled by many of the same types of beings: elves and dwarves, humans and orcs, giants and halflings. Many of these races, however, are reflective of real-world stereotyping at best and racism at worst. While of course most contemporary authors presumably do not mean to emphasize these negative associations and are merely utilizing shorthand inherent of the fantasy genre, the historical context of some of these races (especially evil or primitive races) still lingers. Steps have been taken by some, such as the publisher Wizards of the Coast, to challenge established norms of fantasy races and their characterizations. Nevertheless, the majority of fantasy still adheres to these popular tropes.

But is an author in 2022 who includes an unfavorable caricature-turned fantasy race in their story responsible for its negative history? Are contemporary vampires, who are largely praised for the wide variety of lifestyles and peoples they can represent in fiction, meant to be equated with Rowling's goblins, who are often criticized as being an anti-Semitic stereotype? Are we far enough removed from Tolkien and his fantasy archetypes so entrenched in the fantasy genre that they have left their racially-charged roots behind? Is it useful to keep reverting to using monolithic races such as elves, dwarves, and orcs as literary shorthand for character traits? Or do new races which are not monolithic needed to keep fantasy from stagnating? Is that even possible?

In short, what are the advantages and disadvantages to continuing to use established fantasy races in the genre?