Supernatural in Literature

Note: Please look through resources very carefully. This is a controversial issue so some sources may have bias. Check carefully for the expertise or background of the writer or contributor.

To LINK to any article, click on the titles in BLUE

Note: If you are not able to access a full text of the article or book, please check with CSUN Oviatt databases which may have a copy in their collectionor contact the GHCHS library for assistance

Websites and Online Articles

Ghosts, Vampires, Werewolves, etc.

The Best Ghost Stories at Project Gutenberg - 1919

Ghost Story Society

Vampire Romance

Pre-Dracula Vampire Characteristics Tracked Through Stories and Poems

Baring-Gould, Sabine (1865). The Book of Werewolves: Being an Account of a Terrible Superstition. London: Smith, Elder & Co.google books

O'Donnell, Elliot (1912). Werewolves.

Stewart, Caroline Taylor (1909). The origin of the werewolf superstition.University of Missouri Studies.

Journal of Dracula Studies

"Ghost Theory" of 18th century German theologian Johan Ernst Schubert and a list of vernacular house spirits and ghosts

Historical Ghost Stories

Fear, and Neurobiology

  1. "Supernatural Horror in Literature"—eText at the H. P. Lovecraft Archive
  2. Fear | Psychology Today
  3. The (Only) Five Basic Fears We All Live By | Psychology Today
  4. HowStuffWorks "How Fear Works"
  5. The Psychology of Fear. - OpenSIUC
  6. Article: The Psychology of Fear | Futurehealth
  7. Psychology: Feeling the fear : Nature : Nature Publishing Group
  8. The Social Psychology of Fear - JStor
  9. Burton, L.D. (2011). "Fear". Journal of Research on Christian Education20 (2): 113–116. doi:10.1080/10656219.2011.592801.
  10. Olsson, A.; Phelps, E. A. (2007). "Social learning of fear". Nature Neuroscience10 (9): 1095–1102. doi:10.1038/nn1968. PMID17726475.edit
  11. Travis, John (2004). "Fear not: Scientists are learning how people can unlearn fear". Science News165 (3): 42–44. doi:10.2307/4014925.edit
  12. Best, Ben (2004). The Amygdala and the Emotions. benbest.com
  13. Bracha, H. (2006). "Human brain evolution and the "Neuroevolutionary Time-depth Principle:" Implications for the Reclassification of fear-circuitry-related traits in DSM-V and for studying resilience to warzone-related posttraumatic stress disorder". Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry30 (5): 827–853. doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2006.01.008. PMID16563589.edit
  14. Cheng, D. T.; Knight, D. C.; Smith, C. N.; Stein, E. A.; Helmstetter, F. J. (2003). "Functional MRI of human amygdala activity during Pavlovian fear conditioning: Stimulus processing versus response expression". Behavioral neuroscience117 (1): 3–10. doi:10.1037/0735-7044.117.1.3. PMID12619902.edit
  15. Edmundson, Laurel Duphiney. "The Neurobiology of Fear". Serendip. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  16. Gallagher, B. (2008). "Fear of the unknown". Safer Communities7 (3): 22–24. doi:10.1108/17578043200800026.edit
  17. Gallup Poll: What Frightens America's Youth, gallup.com (29 March 2005).
  18. Kahoe, R. D., & Dunn, R. F. (1976). "The fear of death and religious attitudes and behavior". Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion14 (4): 379–382. doi:10.2307/1384409. JSTOR1384409.
  19. Lecture 22 – Fear of Death in PHIL 176: Death Yale Open Course
  20. Ledoux, J. (2003). "The emotional brain, fear, and the amygdala". Cellular and molecular neurobiology23 (4–5): 727–738. doi:10.1023/A:1025048802629. PMID14514027.edit
  21. Olsson, A.; Nearing, K. I.; Phelps, E. A. (2006). "Learning fears by observing others: The neural systems of social fear transmission". Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience2 (1): 3–11. doi:10.1093/scan/nsm005. PMC2555428. PMID18985115.edit
  22. Warr, M.; Stafford, M. (1983). "Fear of Victimization: A Look at the Proximate Causes". Social Forces61 (4): 1033. doi:10.1093/sf/61.4.1033.edit
  23. Wink, P. (2006). "Who is afraid of death? Religiousness, spirituality, and death anxiety in late adulthood". Journal of Religion, Spirituality, & Aging18 (2): 93–110. doi:10.1300/J496v18n02_08.

Books from LAPL

  1. Bourke, Joanna (2005). Fear: a cultural history
  2. The gothic : a very short introduction / Nick Groom.
  3. Gothic realities : the impact of horror fiction on modern culture / L. Andrew Cooper.
  4. Horror / Valerie Bodden.
  5. Horrors : great stories of fear and their creators / written by Rocky Wood ; illustrated by Glenn Chadbourne.
  6. Dracula and beyond : famous vampires & werewolves in literature and film / by Shaina Carmel Indovino.

JSTOR

  1. From beyond: HP Lovecraft and the place of horror
  2. H.P. Lovecraft: a Horror in Higher Dimensions
  3. Poe's Landscape of the Soul: Association Theory and "The Fall of the House of Usher"
  4. Problems of Fantasy
  5. The Aesthetics of Fear
  6. Women and Vampires: Nightmare or Utopia?
  7. Ghoulies and Ghosties
  8. HORROR, FEMININITY, AND CARRIE'S MONSTROUS PUBERTY
  9. RICH AND STRANGE: THE YUPPIE HORROR FILM
  10. The Trouble with Ghost-Seeing: Vision, Ideology, and Genre in the Victorian Ghost Story
  11. The Houses of Fiction: Toward a Definition of the Uncanny
  12. Ghost Theory
  13. NIGHTMARES OF CHILDHOOD: THE CHILD AND THE MONSTER IN FOUR NOVELS BY STEPHEN KING
  14. Monsters, Disgust and Fascination
  15. On the Fascination of Horror-Stories, including Lovecraft's
  16. Horror and Humor
  17. Warm-Blooded: True Blood and Let the Right One In
  18. Films without a Face: Shock Horror in the Cinema of Georges Franju
  19. Horror at Century's End: Where Have All the Slashers Gone?
  20. RECREATIONAL TERROR: POSTMODERN ELEMENTS OF THE CONTEMPORARY HORROR FILM
  21. FILM GENRE AND ITS VICISSITUDES: THE CASE OF THE PSYCHOTHRILLER
  22. What is a Ghost?: An Interview with Guillermo del Toro
  23. The Nature of Horror

Literary Resource Center

Note: not all articles may be available in full text form. Some articles can be found in CSUN Oviatt databases

  1. The supernatural in modern English fiction
  2. Hanscomb, Stuart. "Existentialism And Art-Horror." Sartre Studies International 16.1 (2010): 1-23.
  3. Kirkland, Ewan. "Gothic Videogames, Survival Horror, And The Silent Hill Series." Gothic Studies 14.2 (2012): 106-122.
  4. HAND, RICHARD J., and Michael Wilson. "Transatlantic Terror! French Horror Theater And American Pre-Code Comics." Journal Of Popular Culture 45.2 (2012): 301-319.
  5. Santaularia, Isabel. "Dexter: Villain, Hero Or Simply A Man? The Perpetuation Of Traditional Masculinity In Dexter." Atlantis (0210-6124) 32.2 (2010): 57-71.
  6. Zalewski, Daniel. "Show The Monster." New Yorker 86.47 (2011): 40-53.
  7. Egan, James. "Technohorror: The Dystopian Vision Of Stephen King." Critical Insights: Stephen King (2010): 199-215.
  8. Magistrale, Tony. "Toward Defining An American Gothic: Stephen King And The Romance Tradition." Critical Insights: Stephen King (2010): 184-198.
  9. Williams, Rebecca. "Unlocking The Vampire Diaries." Gothic Studies 15.1 (2013): 88-99.
  10. BIRCH-BAYLEY, NICOLE. "Terror In Horror Genres: The Global Media And The Millennial Zombie." Journal Of Popular Culture 45.6 (2012): 1137-1151.
  11. Maberry, Jonathan. "Go On. Bring A Zombie To Life." Writer (Kalmbach Publishing Co.) 123.10 (2010): 22-24.
  12. Hantke, Steffen. "Academic Film Criticism, The Rhetoric Of Crisis, And The Current State Of American Horror Cinema: Thoughts On Canonicity And Academic Anxiety." College Literature 34.4 (2007): 191-202.
  13. Levitin, Sonia. "Why Vampires?." Horn Book Magazine 87.5 (2011): 40-41.
  14. Contreras, Jaime Perales. "The New Master Of Horror Movies." Americas 61.2 (2009): 60-61.
  15. Stephanou, Aspasia. "A 'Ghastly Operation': Transfusing Blood, Science And The Supernatural In Vampire Texts." Gothic Studies 15.2 (2013): 53-65.
  16. Lane, Anthony. "Fright Nights." New Yorker 88.1 (2012): 105-108.
  17. Sutherland, John. "Come All Ye Fearful." New Statesman 142.5189 (2013): 48-49.
  18. Pearce, Michele. "Stephen King's Down-Home Nightmare." American Theatre 29.4 (2012): 32-35.
  19. Picker, Lenny. "Ghosts The Other Undead." Publishers Weekly 258.37 (2011): 22-28.
  20. BANN, JENNIFER. "Ghostly Hands And Ghostly Agency: The Changing Figure Of The Nineteenth-Century Specter." Victorian Studies 51.4 (2009): 663-685.
  21. Harris, Marla. "Contemporary Ghost Stories: Cyberspace In Fiction For Children And Young Adults." Children's Literature In Education 36.2 (2005): 111-128.
  22. BOSCO, JOSEPH. "Young People's Ghost Stories In Hong Kong." Journal Of Popular Culture 40.5 (2007): 785-807.
  23. Ravalli, Richard. "Snoop's Devil Dogg: African American GhostloreAnd Bones." Journal Of American Culture 30.3 (2007): 285-292.
  24. Habib, Sandy. "Ghosts , Fairies , Elves , And Nymphs : Towards A Semantic Template For Non-Human Being Concepts." Australian Journal Of Linguistics 31.4 (2011): 411-443.
  25. Lubar, David. "Spooky Things." Read 56.5 (2006): 14-17.

ProQuest Research Library [requires an LAPL library card]

Dirda, M. (2013, Oct 07). The horror, the horror. The Weekly Standard, 19, 34-37. Retrieved from

Monahan, J. (2012). English - favourite haunts. The Times Educational Supplement, (5023), 38. Retrieved from

Moshenska, G. (2012). M.R. james and the archaeological uncanny. Antiquity, 86(334), 1192-1201. Retrieved from

Ferguson, C. (2010). Zola in ghostland: Spiritualist literary criticism and naturalist supernaturalism. Studies in English Literature, 1500 - 1900, 50(4), 877-894. Retrieved from

Beam, D. (2010). Scare tactics: Supernatural fiction by american women. Legacy, 27(1), 215-217. Retrieved from

Colavito, J. (2010, Oh, the horror! Skeptic, 15, 21-23. Retrieved from

Colavito, J. (2006, The supernatural on television: A skeptical reassessment. Skeptic, 12, 19-19,80. Retrieved from

Smajic, S. (2003). THE TROUBLE WITH GHOST-SEEING: VISION, IDEOLOGY, AND GENRE IN THE VICTORIAN GHOST STORY. ELH, 70(4), 1107-1135. Retrieved from

Lara, B. W. (2002). Between worlds: Class indentity and suburban ghost stories, 1850 to 1880.Mosaic : A Journal for the Interdisciplinary Study of Literature, 35(1), 133-148. Retrieved from

Bernardi, D. (1999). "A bit sensational" or "simple and true": Domestic horror and the politics of genre.Legacy, 16(2), 135. Retrieved from

Schafer, S. E. (2000). Victorian ghosts in the noontide: Women writers and the supernatural. Victorian Studies, 42(4), 677-679. Retrieved from

Van Belkom, E., & Dillon, B. (1998, 12). Northern dreamers: Interviews with famous science fiction, fantasy & horror writers].Resource Links, 4, 29. Retrieved from

Scare tactics: Who's afraid of horror books, kids or parents.(1996, 06).Chatelaine, 69, 24. Retrieved from

Academic Search Premiere Articles

How to open articles. Click on the BLUE link under the citation information for each article. Articles are already in MLA format. Then enter the username and password for the article database

Supernatural Literature (Critical Analysis)

  1. Jaquet, Alison. "The Disturbed Domestic: Supernatural Spaces In Ellen Wood's Fiction." Women's Writing 15.2 (2008): 244-258.
  2. SMUTS, AARON. "The Ghost Is The Thing: Can Reactions To Fiction Reveal Belief?." Midwest Studies In Philosophy 34.1 (2010): 219-239.
  3. Matless, David. "A Geography Of Ghosts: The Spectral Landscapes Of Mary Butts." Cultural Geographies 15.3 (2008): 335-357.
  4. Evans, Timothy H. "A Last Defense Against The Dark: Folklore, Horror, And The Uses Of Tradition In The Works Of H. P. Lovecraft." Journal Of Folklore Research 42.1 (2005): 99-135.
  5. Robertson, Guy. "Blankets Will Not Protect You! An Overview Of Horror Fiction." Feliciter 56.3 (2010): 110-112.
  6. Aguirre, Manuel. "Geometries Of Terror: Numinous Spaces In Gothic, Horror And Science Fiction." Gothic Studies 10.2 (2008): 1-17.
  7. Crawford, Philip Charles. "A New Era Of Gothic Horror." School Library Journal 54.10 (2008): 32-33.
  8. Michelis, Angelica. "'Dirty Mamma': Horror, Vampires, And The Maternal In Late Nineteenth-Century Gothic Fiction." Critical Survey 15.3 (2003): 0-22.
  9. Saricks, Joyce. "At Leisure: Reconsidering The Horror Genre." Booklist 107.22 (2011): 19.
  10. Trott, Barry, and Kelly Fann. "Tapping Into The Appeal Of Cult Fiction." Reference & User Services Quarterly 51.1 (2011): 15-18.
  11. HANTKE, STEFFEN. "The Decline Of The Literary Horror Market In The 1990S And Dell's Abyss Series." Journal Of Popular Culture 41.1 (2008): 56-70.
  12. Stähler, Axel. "Writ(H)Ing Images. Imagination, The Human Form, And The Divine In William Blake, Salman Rushdie, And Simon Louvish." English Studies 89.1 (2008): 94-117.
  13. Lundie, Catherine. "`One Need Not Be A Chamber-To Be Haunted-': American Women's Supernatural Fiction." Canadian Review Of American Studies 23.1 (1992): 239.
  14. Schwartz, Howard. "Jewish Tales Of The Supernatural." Judaism 36.3 (1987): 339.
  15. Kendrick, Charmette. "The Goblins Will Get You!: Horror In Children's Literature From The Nineteenth Century." Children & Libraries: The Journal Of The Association For Library Service To Children 7.1 (2009): 19-23.
  16. Kalmanofsky, Amy. "Israel's Baby: The Horror Of Childbirth In The Biblical Prophets." Biblical Interpretation 16.1 (2008): 60-82.
  17. Lipka, Jennifer. "The Horror! The Horror!": Joseph Conrad's Heart Of Darkness As A Gothic Novel." Conradiana 40.1 (2008): 25-37.
  18. Heinecken, Dawn. "Haunting Masculinity And Frightening Femininity: The Novels Of John Bellairs." Children's Literature In Education 42.2 (2011): 118-131.
  19. Gentry, Erin. "The Biology Of Horror: Gothic Literature And Film." American Literature 78.3 (2006): 635-637.
  20. Gentile, Kathy Justice. "Sublime Drag: Supernatural Masculinity In Gothic Fiction." Gothic Studies 11.1 (2009): 16-31.
  21. Scruggs, Charles. "Faithful Vision: Treatments Of The Sacred, Spiritual, And Supernatural In Twentieth-Century African American Fiction." American Literature 80.1 (2008): 177-180.
  22. Lebedushkina, Ol'ga. "Our New Gothic." Russian Studies In Literature 46.4 (2010): 81-100.
  23. Harris, Marla. "Contemporary Ghost Stories: Cyberspace In Fiction For Children And Young Adults." Children's Literature In Education 36.2 (2005): 111-128.
  24. Aldiss, Brian W. "Metaphysical Realism." Science Fiction Studies 38.2 (2011): 225-231.
  25. Bennett, Alice. "Unquiet Spirits: Death Writing In Contemporary Fiction." Textual Practice 23.3 (2009): 463-479.
  26. EMANDI, Elena Maria. "Early Gothic Fiction In English Literature." Scientific Journal Of Humanistic Studies 5.9 (2013): 82-86.
  27. Watt, James. "Eighteenth-Century Gothic: Nation, History, Gender." Gothic Studies 14.1 (2012): 7-20.
  28. BANTINAKI, KATERINA. "The Paradox Of Horror: Fear As A Positive Emotion." Journal Of Aesthetics & Art Criticism 70.4 (2012): 383-392.

Phobia and Why We Like to be Scared

  1. IZENBERG, DAFNA. "My Age Of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread And The Search For Peace Of Mind." Maclean's 127.2 (2014): 60.
  2. Sanders, Laura. "Fear Can Be Inherited." Science News 185.1 (2014): 13.
  3. Adam, David. "Psychology: Feeling The Fear." Nature 505.7482 (2014): 157.
  4. SALARIO, ALIZAH. "Fear Keeps You Busy." Money 43.1 (2014): 19.
  5. Zalan, Kira. "Think Like An Astronaut." U.S. News Digital Weekly 5.51 (2013): 15.
  6. Lawton, Graham. "Fright Night." New Scientist 220.2945 (2013): 43.
  7. Stossel, Scott. "My Anxious Twitchy, Phobic (Somehow Successful) Life." Atlantic Monthly (10727825) 313.1 (2014): 74.
  8. Nuwer, Rachel. "Bugs, Yes. Spiders, No." Scientific American 309.6 (2013): 17.
  9. Middleton and Jason Ashley Wright, Nicole Marshall. "Fear can be fun, which is why some seek out scares." Tulsa World (OK) 27 Oct. 2013: Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 7 Feb. 2014.
  10. Bohan, Michelle. "How To Face Family Phobia." Hollywood Reporter 419.45A (2013): 54.
  11. HUTSON, MATTHEW. "What Are You Afraid Of?." Scholastic Scope 62.4 (2013): 16.
  12. Thompson, Mark. "Anxiety Disorders On The Rise In The Ranks." Time.Com (2013): 1.
  13. SANDERS, LAURA. "Body & Brain: Scented Naps Can Dissipate Fears: People Unlearned Scary Odor If They Smelled It In Their Sleep." Science News 184.8 (2013): 8.
  14. "Chase The Negativity Out Of Your Head." USA Today Magazine 141.2815 (2013): 8.
  15. Feldman, Ruth Tenzer. "Too Big Too Frightening." Odyssey 21.9 (2012): 22.
  16. Casoli-Reardon, MicheleRappaport, NancyKulick, DeborahReinfeld, Sarah. "Ending School Avoidance." Educational Leadership 70.2 (2012): 50.
  17. Wedner, Diane. "Be Affraid: Be Very Afraid." National Geographic Extreme Explorer 6.2 (2012): 2.
  18. Powell, Devin. "Arachnophobic Bugs." Science News 182.1 (2012): 9. =
  19. ELLIOTT, CHRISTOPHER. "The Nerve Of It All." National Geographic Traveler 29.4 (2012): 32.
  20. Eisenberg, Jesse. "Courage Is Just An Act." Men's Health (10544836) 27.2 (2012): 72.

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