Mr. Paul’s Very Gothic Summer

Overview The idea is for Mr. Paul to teach topics and works he does not get to deal with in his classes, but finds extremely fascinating and compelling. Ms. Reedy pointed out that many of the topics have a gothic theme, so that’s how I got the title!

Each week will have a live meeting for Hebron community members to come in and talk about what they have been reading, watching, or listening to as a group. Where to find the content and suggested supplementary materials are listed below!

Weekly Schedule Sunday - A video will go up with information about the work, creators, and influences as a ​ preview of the material. Thursday - A Zoom meeting is held for anyone interested to discuss the material covered that ​ week. You can join the session using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89127473859?pwd=bEw4bU1lZDZPbnFvUEdGNERIM1piQT09 Friday - I will post and email out the Zoom recording or, if necessary, a video recap of key ​ ideas/themes.

Outline of Topics Week 1: June 7th to 13th - Edgar Allan Poe’s poetry: “The Raven,” “Annabell Lee,” “The Bells,” ​ “Lenore (1843)” ● We start with Poe, who is one of the greatest and also one of the most underrated, American writers. We’ll look at a selection of his poetry and his short stories. ● All Poe’s work can be found online for free. ​ ● Suggested Supplementary Materials: www.poemuseum.org ​

Week 2: June 14th to 20th - Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories: “The Masque of the Red Death,” ​ “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” “The Fall of the House of Usher,” and “The Cask of Amontillado” ● All Poe’s work can be found online for free. ​ ● Suggested Supplementary Materials: www.poemuseum.org ​

Week 3: June 21st to 27th - Alex Proyas’s film - CONTENT WARNING: The film is ​ ​ ​ rated R for violence, adult language, drug use, and some sexuality. ● The film is based on the story of a young rock musician who, along with his fiance, is killed by a gang. One year later, he is resurrected and given a chance at revenge. The movie stars (Bruce Lee’s son), Michael Wincott, Ernie Hudson, and had a soundtrack produced by The Cure. ● Available for free on Hulu or for rent from most streaming services for $3.99. ● James O’Barr’s graphic novel: The Crow - CONTENT WARNING: The graphic novel ​ ​ ​ was originally written by O’Barr to confront his emotions after his fiance was killed by a drunk driver. Compared to the film, it is much darker and far more bleak.

Week 4: June 28th to July 4th - Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun ​ ​ ● This is an especially relevant work given the Black Lives Matter movement, and has some, unfortunately timeless, themes on being black in America. ● You can read the play or watch the amazing 1961 version with Sidney Poitier. It is available for rent on most streaming platforms for $2.99 or $3.99 ● There is a PDF of the play here. ​

Week 5: July 5th to 11th - H.P. Lovecraft’s short stories: “The Shadow Over Innsmouth,” “The ​ Dunwich Horror,” “The Rats in the Walls,” “The Music of Erich Zann” ● A very problematic person, Lovecraft is nonetheless an essential crafter of horror and science fiction whose work must be examined. This is especially true given trends in modern horror films and stories. ● All of Lovecraft’s work is available online for free. ● On Lovecraft’s Racism: World Fantasy Awards 2014 and Dealing with Lovecraft’s ​ ​ ​ Racism Video

Week 6: July 12th to 18th - Lord Huron’s Strange Trails album ​ ​ ​ ● An excellent album with a great deal of subtext, much of it connected to the topics from the earlier weeks. ● The complete album can be heard on YouTube. ● The Fiction Behind Lord Huron’s Albums: Lonesome Dreams and Strange Trails ​ ​ ​

Week 7: July 19th to 25th - OFF ​

Week 8: July 26th to August 1st - The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin ​ ​ ​ ● This is Mr. Paul’s favorite book, but he will not judge you if you do not like it! Be sure to read the introduction, it might be one of the best essays on writing that has ever been put to page. ● Read the Intro through Chapter 5 ● Link to a free digital version of the text.

Week 9: August 2nd to 8th - The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin ​ ​ ​ ● Read Chapter 6 through Chapter 11

Week 10: August 9th to 15th - The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin ​ ​ ​ ● Read Chapter 12 to the end of the novel. ● An Excellent Documentary on the author: Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin ​

Week 11: August 16th to 22nd - Jorge Luis Borges short stories: “The Library of Babel,” “The ​ Book of Sand,” and “The Garden of Forking Paths” ● Borges is one of the greatest writers of “hard” science fiction and these three works, particularly the Garden, are considered some of the most important in the genre. ● Explore the Library: Library of Babel ​

Week 12: August 23rd to 29th - Christopher Nolan’s film The Prestige ​ ​ ● Though he went on to greater fame and recognition for his Batman films and others, like Interstellar, Nolan’s earlier work has some really amazing detail to it. This particular film ​ is a perfect example of Chekhov’s Gun Principle: that every element of a story should be essential. Just remember with this movie: are you watching closely? ● You can watch the film for free on Hulu or rent it for $2.99-3.99 on most streaming platforms. ● Some Theories on the Film: Widely Accepted Ending Explanation and One Fan Theory ​ ​ ​