English · Boston College
The old adage "If it bleeds, it leads" suggests an uneasy fascination with crime, murder, and violence preoccupies American culture and media. From the colonial period to the present day, true crime narratives have simultaneously disgusted, riveted, and terrified audiences. Although critics have denounced the genre as glorifying crime and titillating spectators, real-life crime narratives also invite readers to contemplate the ways in which people engage in transgressive behavior that violates societal norms. This course will examine the evolution of the true crime genre to explore how
