What are we afraid of?

Last Updated: 6/3/2009

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Lectures

* Sources of Fear in the Seventies and Early Eighties in the United States - Part 1

* Sources of Fear in the Seventies and Early Eighties in the United States - Part 2 - Not ready yet.

Assignments

Due Monday 5/4 - Answer the What are we afraid of of? unit intro questions.

Due Wednesday 5/6 - Read about McCarthyism and answer the questions for the Wikipedia article.

Due Tuesday 5/12 - Explain how Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) exemplifies the fear of communism that led to McCarthyism. How does the movie portray the "commie threat" and the way it affects a community?

Due Wednesday 5/13 - Read the Black Panther Party Platform. For each of the ten listed points, explain: A. For what are they asking, basically. B. Do you agree with their demand? Explain.

Due Monday 5/18 - Answer the questions for Planet of the Apes (1968).

Due Monday 5/18 - EXTRA CREDIT - Explain how the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) differs from Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978). How is the enemy different? How has what we fear changed?

Due Tuesday 5/19 - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest zeitgeist groups. Read Ginsberg's "America", Frederick Barthelme's "Report" from 60 Stories , and The Unibomber Manifesto - The Future.
1. Individually explain what insecurities and tensions your author presents. (Provide evidence. Each student in the group does one reading.)
2. Group: Putting the 3 texts together, what do you see? What was "non-institutional America" afraid of?

Due Wednesday 5/27 - Read the two reviews, Rob Edelman and Pauline Kael's . Answer the Review questions.

Due Monday 5/29 - Quiz on two readings: Recalling New York at the Brink of Bankruptcy and History of New York City (1946–1977) - focus on the sevenites.

Due Monday 6/8 - Questions on two readings: New York in the 70s: A Remembrance and New York City fears return to 1970s . The last to questions are on the film Escape from New York .

Due Monday 6/8 - SENIORS ONLY - "What are we afraid of?" unit essay. This essay MAY NOT BE TURNED IN LATE.

Due Tuesday 6/9 - EXTRA CREDIT FILM REVIEW - Pick a horror/fear movie made after 1977. Watch it and do a Answer standard film review. Be sure to explain how your film shows a fear present in the society and how your film fits into the group of films shown this unit.

Due Tuesday 6/16 - NON-SENIORS ONLY - "What are we afraid of?" unit essay. This essay MAY NOT BE TURNED IN LATE.