Workshop

Please answer the following questions for your peer, about your peer's work, in complete sentences, providing plenty of examples from their work in your response. You will give this to them so they can use it to make revisions; they will then hand it in to me for credit on the final day of class.

I do not want to see yes or no answers, unless the question specifies it. Yes or no answers-unless specified-will receive no credit.

1) In your own words, and without asking the creator to help you, write three sentences summarizing the horror at the heart of their story. What is it? Then do your best to get to the fear behind the fear. (Example: fear of the witch, which is really fear of women's power or fear of family members being left alone in old folk's homes which is really fear of dying alone).

2) In the same manner, write what cultural conditions or problems (horrors) created the horror that the story deals with. Do not ask the creator what these are, but use the proposal to see what you can ascertain. Be as specific as possible. These should connect to real issues in the world today, or real issues in the past (if their story is set in the past). For example, technological problems like increasing reliance on devices, economic disparity based on unfair tax laws, natural disasters due to climate change, etc. The story can absolutely have supernatural or fantastical elements to it, but these should still connect to conditions in our world. (If you are struggling with this, let Prof D know. I am good at brainstorming this stuff!)

3) Make any suggestions for how the connection to the cultural conditions can be clearer or more well-developed. Do not skip this if you think they are "good enough"--I promise they can be better (ask me if you need help).

4) What horror sub-genres does the story fit into? List them. (This can be in list form, no paragraph required).

5) Is the story either historical or contemporary? It must be. (This can be a yes or no answer, however, if it's some kind of futuristic sci fi, then it needs to be re-considered).

6) What is the setting? Can it be more specific? Ex. instead of "a corporation," what corporation? Ex. instead of "in the internet," where in the internet? Tumblr? Reddit? If the setting needs more development, now is the time to do that.

7) How might the setting contribute to the horrors in the story?

8) Discuss the ending of the story. Does it make sense given the cultural conditions? How might it be interpreted? Brainstorm other possible endings that could give rise to different interpretations. Consider, for example, the endings of The Woman in Black, The Witch, and Rosemary's Baby, and the messages these narratives send about women's agency in patriarchal systems.

12) What aesthetic effects (horror based) might the writer/filmmaker play with? Gothic atmospheres, subtle hints of paranoia, grotesque hyperbole, depressing realism, etc.

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