This course looks at different interpretations of the “Magical Negro,” a supporting character in literature who, by use of supernatural powers or quasi-mystical insight, helps a white protagonist get out of trouble. We'll explore examples of this trope in excerpts of novel-length work and short stories, comic books and film, and trace how the concept of the magical negro has developed from the 19th century to today. Discussions will center on works by Edgar Allen Poe, Stephen King, Octavia Butler, J.K.Rowling, Dhonielle Clayton, Tomi Adeyemi and more! Each class we'll ask how the invention of Black characters with magical abilities functions as more than a plot device. By the end of this course, we will have developed an understanding of how critics and writers have addressed the appearance of these characters in literature, and considered ways we might create and share new narratives that do not make others feel like anomalies.