Literature teaching and learning is a risky and dynamic experience an interaction a dialogue between people ideas language and text to create meaning. It is more of a form of praxis than the gaining of a body of knowledge. My pedagogic practice teaching literature aims to engage students in active learning in a dialogue with the texts considering the arguments and values with which these texts engage and how they engage with them making meaning co-constructing knowledge changing perceptions. In my own learner-centred practice working with students with mostly contemporary Gothic women’s and postcolonial literature I use constructive alignment for clear learning outcomes assessment learning and teaching interactions based on understanding then using threshold concepts – representation context and culture form in action transformation. Here I explore some of my teaching of Toni Morrison’s Beloved and Neil Gaiman’s short stories.