monsters in america sparknotes

Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2014. I seem to be having bad luck with books lately, but the writing style just didnt connect with me. But Africans were still human and had their morals, yet the Europeans saw them as a type of monster during the slave trade era. by W. Scott Poole. Poole stays far away from polemic and sticks to the facts. 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. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. I suppose history could be read into just about any object. Subscribe now. For Professors: Exam Copies. Paperback; 9781481308823; Published: July 2018; $34.99. 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. Marilynne Robinson 10 Freely Available Essays! Please use a different way to share. That's What She Read by Good references in the book that I looked up to further read about horror movies and their importance to our sociological perspective. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! You'll be billed after your free trial ends. Yuckfest. 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. He reveals how monster stories went west to Sand Creek and Wounded Knee, bringing the preoccupation with monsters into the twentieth century through the American Indian Movement. If you will, a shining city on hill built on the bodies of natives, blacks, women, and anyone else we dont like very much. The Monster argues that his murderousness is not his fault. This book is really good, a look at our monsters in a social conceptional way. He wonders what OBrien saw. I loved this book. Continue to start your free trial. Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? Conflicting anxieties about race, class, gender, sexuality, religious beliefs, science, and politics manifest as haunting beings among the populace. Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon, Baylor University Press (January 15, 2014). She continues to assert that Steve served as the lookout for the robbery and is as guilty as the others. Enter your email address to subscribe to That's What She Read and receive notifications of new posts by email. OBrien follows and reminds the jury that the State has not proved any of its charges against Steve. An unexpected guilty pleasure! It was the first-ever Michael L. Printz Award recipient, an ALA Best Book, a Coretta Scott King Honor selection, and a National Book Award finalist. The medical examiner states the time of Mr. Nesbitts death. Briggs establishes that the police had shown photos of King to Mrs. Henry before she picked him out of a lineup. is an important contribution, and it will be enjoyed by literary and cultural historians alike. The strongest witness for the State is Richard Bobo Evans, who admits that he took part in the robbery. Alien invasions prompt the authors apt comment, The otherness of the monster can embody the sum of all fears but also an escape from fear (131). Numerous scholars explore the cultural and political implications of monster and horror films for the times from which they emerge. Few scholars connect such implications across broader expanses of time to reveal how intrinsically monsters and the horrific have been bound up in the history of America. 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. 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. Contact us These summaries should not exceed one page in length. 2715 North Charles StreetBaltimore, Maryland, USA 21218. It is lively and engaging and well researched. Monsters in America does a bang-up job of demonstrating how our culture helps us achieve some sort of understanding about our world and our lives. 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. It's organized well also: a chapter on one specific type of monster and era makes for a really focused and easy to digest historical examination. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. 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. 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. 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. Our Historical Obsession with the Hideous and the Haunting. Monsters in America is W. Scott Pooles interpretive history. 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. Insightful and brilliant! After Steve hears the verdict, he turns to OBrien for a hug. Dorothy Sayers Where to Start with her Mystery Novels? 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. That being said, however, if you are a teacher who needs to get a class full of barely literate college freshmen to understand what it means to read / think about things in historical context, Poole's introduction, "The Bloody chords of Memory," is readable and accessible even for a group of resistant and vaguely engaged (at best) 18 year olds. By adding new discussions of the American West, Poole focuses intently on the Native American experience. Associated with war, cleverness, and wit, it is no surprise that she favors Odysseus. religious texts and newspaper accounts of "satanic panics" into a highly readable analysis of the concept of the devil in American cultural history. Petrocelli presents the charges against the defendants. 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. Frontier wilderness beasts, Freddie Krueger, witches of Salem, alien invasions, and freak show oddities are some of the monstrous creatures. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% Not only is it written in a fun, easy to relate to voice, but it is also chock full of info. Monsters in America argues that historical, political and social conditions produce narratives of horror and create "monsters." Choose one of the following periods 1.) 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. 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. But too often he ascribes American injustices with little more than a metaphorical connection to monster movies. Fyodor Dostoevsky Download all his Novels as Free Ebooks !!! I would love something like this for the UK. Penn State folklorist Bill Ellis called the book "required reading for . W. Scott Poole, Monsters arrived in 2011and now they are back. Spring 2022 Most Anticipated Books for Christian Readers! Well-researched and insightful, the writing of the text is also energetic and engaging. Component 3: Vocabulary. Just watch any local news program and you'll see what I mean. He rightly frets over our technology which ineffectively obscures the divine and so Americans create vampire stories which take Gods place (59): Americans are still attempting to apprehend mystery in the midst of supernatural confusion (11). Monsters in America. With Monsters in America, W. Scott Poole has given us a guidebook for a journey into nightmare territory. Please wait while we process your payment. A must read for fans of horror and monsters! John Wesley Sermons - The 7 Best Sermons from the Founder of Methodism. When meeting the natives, he saw their way of life as barbaric and uncivilized. 20% as uncivilized people and even believed them to be monsters. Judging from the verbiage, Pooles sub-text for the American monster is conservative-Christian-white-heterosexual-Republican. Vampira) to explore the history of American sexuality, gender relations and the rebirth of the horror film in post-WW2 America. Author: W. Scott Poole Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books ): "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. American history from the past to the present. The little monsters who come to our doors for candy at Halloween are small reminders of our large problem. They Poole offers an insight on America's fascination with monsters. Asa Briggs, Kings attorney, establishes that the police have no fingerprint evidence. Sometimes it can end up there. All Rights Reserved. Thanks to Poole's insights we see the ubiquity of the monster lurking in and around us. He is at home with his parents and his brother Jerry. By the end of the book, Poole cautions that Americas monsters arent going away anytime soon. He compares himself with the other prisoners. Michelangelo Biographies Best Books on the Renaissance Artist! You can view our. 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. The old newspaper adage still holds true today. For him, this place is the opposite of realhe has to do everything in front of strangers. Design by Booyah Creative. Novelist Sheri Holman calls the book "a subversive masterpiece.". Poole's connection of the monster to American history is a kind of Creature Features meets American cultural history. 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. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. Not only that, but Sandra Petrocelli, the State prosecutor, is a very good lawyer. Another problem for Steve is that James King, a young Black hood, is Steves co-defendant. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! Lovecraft in print. , W. Scott Poole has given us a guidebook for a journey into nightmare territory. From our colonial past to the present, the monster in all its various forms has been a staple of American culture. What I discovered is that Poole should have written two books: his perspective on American history, another on monsters. Subscribe now. I was pretty fascinated through this whole book. He decides to make a movie about his experience. 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. White Doe" disguised the true relationship between the European settlers and Native Americans. Insightful and brilliant! Steve writes about his fear, anger, and pain and his rising sense of panic about the outcome of his trial. It is not a book on actual monsters but how Americans find monsters in different eras on social constructs. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. IE- minorities = what we are anxious about / obsessed with = the monstrous = monsters. The evidence that Poole provides . Written in an accessible, smart and entertaining way, this is a fantastic book. Steves parents are glad he is home, but the distance between Steve and his father is growing. And I don't have to mention the meaning of all the zombie movies. Our main man wonders how anyone can get used to the slammer. Poole states that, in actuality, that the Europeans saw the natives as uncivilized people and even believed them to be monsters. Best Bob Dylan Books Biographies, Lyrics, and More! 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. OBrien tells Steve he will have to testify on his own behalf and put some distance between himself and King. Bloodshed and hatred are universals in human nature and Pooles book is a very unsettling history of its American manifestation. 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. This book is a wonderful introduction to American history through the lens of monsters. Poole wants to tell a story and take his readers on a journey, and he definitely does so. More importantly, what is the definition of a monster? You'll also receive an email with the link. Best Leonard Cohen Books Biographies and Books by the Songwriter. Monsters in America is an important contribution, and it will be enjoyed by literary and cultural historians alike. Books About Race in America; Coretta Scott . on me, relax. 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. Steve Harmon, a Black sixteen-year-old, sits in his jail cell and writes in his notebook. Dracula (1931) is based on the fear of foreigners and disease. OBrien gathers her papers and moves away, leaving Steve standing with outstretched arms. The tendency to view American monsters as primarily psychological archetypes ignores how closely they have reflected actual historical events and actual historical victims.". Poole's connection of the monster to American history is a kind of Creature Features meets American cultural history. Honoring authors by not reading other reviews ahead of time, I anticipated simple engagement with monstrous intrigue of the horrendous and hideous. It's no secret that America is a little messed up. Dorothy Sayers Poems Five of Our Favorites! They are created to explain racism, cover up worse monstrosities and signal changes and the state of the nation at the time. Sabbath Books Best Reads for Christians on Rest and Sabbath! Renews March 11, 2023 Dont have an account? uniquely brings together history and culture studies to expose the dark obsessions that have helped create our national identity. Poole's examples are well-chosen and well-explicated. The horrible treatment of indigenous peoples and slaverys practice is sin that stains Americas history. Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes. We are led to believe that bloody movies portray the sinister seditions of social conservativismthe ultimate grim reaper. 2023 Baylor University Press. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. Why are we scared of this person? is always a question behind each chapter and Poole is careful to never reduce it purely to matters of sociology or psychology while still using those tools of analysis. Monster is told as a first-person account by Steve Harmon, a Black teenager on trial for felony murder in New York. You'll also receive an email with the link. Purchasing You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. Monsters in America does a phenomenal job examining American history through the lens of monsters and the monstrous. Amazon has encountered an error. I found it informative, fascinating, thought-provoking and well-written. I think that what makes the book riveting is that despite the particular social factors and grisly historical events, the book is about the Other in media. does a bang-up job of demonstrating how our culture helps us achieve some sort of understanding about our world and our lives. The jury returns verdicts of guilty for James King and not guilty for Steve Harmon. Scott - For All Who Hunger - Feature Review, Mattix & Thomas, Eds - Christian Poetry in America Since, Copyright 2023 The Englewood Review of Books. 1945-1960 2.) "New light" evangelists of the eighteenth century, enslaved African Americans, demagogic politicians, and modern American film-makers have used the devil to damn their enemies, explain the nature of evil and injustice, mount social crusades, construct a national identity, and express anxiety about matters as . Friedrich Nietzsche believed we are the monsters. Theme of monsters and identity synthesis and argument essay, Finaldocx, July 3092 Satisfied Bourassa to Attend Meeting on Unity August 692 Unity Accord, 4303C3A4-8682-474F-B21B-2E5B65A0CB1A.jpeg, Up to now it is still uncertain why Beatty made the decisions to wait until all, Q4 Which method did the earliest spam filter use to stop spam Select one, A Identify a health problem and risk factors that are linked to low or no fitness activity.docx, Question 28 The established that the church would be free of royal dominion and, Answersto2 Answersto2 Xguiltyofattemptedmurderbecauseshehas, The unified database will be critical in achieving the goal of JIT manufacturing, Exam Topic 1 Which of the following would BEST provide detective and corrective, Mistakes made in the system analysis stage show up in Select one a system, What precedence did Virginian leaders set in their rhetoric concerning the nullification crisis of 1832? We've quickly looked at a wide variety of Native Cultures across the Americas. 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. Reprinted by permission. History is horror. Mary Oliver Essays 10 Prose Selections to Read for Free Online! 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. 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. Steves lawyer, Kathy OBrien, urges Steve to take his situation seriously because this crime could put him in jail for twenty years or more. Discount, Discount Code 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 . It looks like WhatsApp is not installed on your phone. I used this as a textbook for a themed English course: Monsters, Myths, and Magic. View all He tells his story through handwritten notes and a typewritten screenplay. 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. 335 Pages, 6.00 x 9.00 in. Friday afternoon, July 17th & December, 5 months later. Study Guides, Friday afternoon, July 17th & December, 5 months later. She tells the jury that James King and Steve Harmon, along with two other criminals, robbed a drugstore. I wasn't ready for the overtly sociological approach of the book, and was expecting a history, as alluded to in the title of the book. Flashbacks in Steves screenplay show Steve playing on the streets, listening to Mr. Sawicki, his film club mentor, and hanging out with James King and Osvaldo Cruz. One Bear Place 97363, Waco, TX 76798-7363 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. Bram Stoker Award finalist W. Scott Poole is the author of numerous books and articles on monsters and mayhem in popular culture. 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. 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. The atheist taught that inflicting suffering while enjoying the process is human nature. More than mere metaphors, they are creations of human fears and human ignorance. "Angels, Monsters, and Jews: Intersections of Queer and Jewish Identity in Kushner's "Angels in America."" PMLA 113, no. The book won the John Cawelti prize from the Popular Culture Association for the best book published in pop culture history for 2011. Salvatore Zinzi, a prisoner at the Rikers Island jail, testifies that another prisoner, Wendell Bolden, told him about the drugstore robbery. He is the author of several books, including a biography of H.P Lovecraft, which became a Bram Stoker award finalist, and. Instead of representing the "us vs them" mentality, monsters are much closer so home: they are us. Pooles excoriation of one homogenous grouping belies the essence of the problem which is our human nature. In her closing argument for the State, Petrocelli stresses the importance of the stolen cigarettes in proving who committed the crime. Pooles constant harangue against anything conservative is a thin criticism to begin, stretched beyond any semblance of recognition by the end of the book. Steve calls the movie Monster because that is what the prosecutor has called him. Numerous scholars explore the cultural and political implications of monster and horror films for the times from which they emerge. Few scholars connect such implications across broader expanses of time to reveal how intrinsically monsters and the horrific have been bound up in the history of 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. If specters of the past still haunt our present, they may yet invade our future. Produced by Johns Hopkins University Press in collaboration with The Sheridan Libraries. Monster presents through the obvious things, for example, krakens or werewolves. You can find more scary stories from him on Twitter: @monstersamerica. From our colonial past to the present, the monster in all its various forms has been a staple of American culture. I found the book interesting and informative, it's brief but gives you just enough to perhaps to look further on your own. The man immediately begins screaming about something hidden in the mist that is attacking and killing people. The Best C.S. Monsters arrived in 2011and now they are back. (one code per order). In "Monstrous beginnings," the introductory chapter of "Monsters in America: Our Historical, Obsession with the Hideous and the Haunting" by W. Scott Poole, the author makes an argument, about how monsters were not only used as entertainment, but were also used as an excuse to, justify the offenses done to the Native Americans as well as the slaves brought from Africa by, the European settlers. Whether your interest is literature, American history, popular culture, race and ethnicity, women's studies, or religion, you would be happy reading this book. 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. Even fewer scholars do so as adeptly and as entertainingly as W. Scott Poole. 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. Steve is about to stand trial for felony homicide.

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