According to COCC Professor Eleanor Sumpter-Latham, monsters have served very real purposes in our culture. Need a scapegoat for an unexplainable death? How about blaming a vampire? Want an explanation for a mysterious medical condition or a missing child? Look to the witch down the block for an answer. Explore the roles monsters, ghouls, werewolves and vampires continue to play in our lives with Dr. Sumpter-Latham at the East Bend and Redmond Public Libraries. Her programs are part of the Know Fear series at Deschutes Public Library during the month of October. All programs are free and open to the public.

Saturday, October 1, 2011, 2:00 pm, East Bend Public Library
Saturday, October 29, 2:00 pm, Redmond Public Library

“Monsters give our fears physical form, something we could, at least theoretically, defeat,” says Sumpter-Latham. “Even if we cannot defeat them, they are still specific things to blame, as opposed to blaming complex global situations. . .or ourselves.” Monsters were often blamed for the unexplainable continues Sumpter-Latham. “How did a good person, with no wound and no obvious signs of illness just waste away and die? We say leukemia; they said vampires.”

Dr. Sumpter-Latham earned her Ph.D. at the University of Washington in 1993. She currently teaches writing and literature courses at COCC. In February 2011, Dr. Latham presented a program on Virgil’s epic poem The Aeneid as part of the Know Italy series at the library.

For more information about this or other library programs, please visit the library website at www.deschuteslibrary.org. People with disabilities needing accommodations (alternative formats, seating or auxiliary aides) should contact Liz at 312-1032.