link to Course Guidelines page link to Path 1 calendar page link to Class Discussion page link to Path 2 Calendar page link to Essay Prompts page


British & American Modernism
Course Guidelines

“These young men, concrete, blocking her mental view by their extreme closeness,
moved shadowless in a kind of social glare numbing to the imagination."
Elizabeth Bowen's The Last September (1929)


the basics / diversity / content & communication / course goals / path 1 / path 2 / miscellany

 

THE BASICS

English 305: British & American Modernism (Sequence 6)
thematic touchstone: Translantic Pressures and Fissures
location: 12:10-2:00 p.m. (22-312)
instructor: Dr. Paul Marchbanks
email: pmarchba@calpoly.edu
office: 805-756-2159 / building 47 (the "maze"), hallway 35, office A / available hours



DIVERSITY, ACCOMODATION, & ACCESSIBILITY

CONTENT & COMMUNICATION

The literature & films I teach run the gamut of human experience, from the ecstatic and joyful to the degrading and sordid.  Many visual and literary artists regularly exercise this kind of topical license, operating under the assumption that representing even the most difficult material can serve a beneficial purpose.  One viewer or reader might actually become sensitized to social problems they had hitherto ignored when they encounter such problems dramatized in art.  Another might find in a tale’s situations and dialogue helpful analogues for painful things they have themselves experienced: the story, that is, might provide them a voice—useful words and strategies for expressing their own grief and suffering.

Others, however, might be re-traumatized by reading or watching something that hits too close to home because they’re not yet ready to re-experience their pain—even through the medium of fictional art.  Or, they might fundamentally disagree with the creators’ representation of challenging subject matter—might be offended by the representation and quickly point to other, more politic and sensitive portrayals of such difficult material.  They might even hold that the creator has no right to represent what they have placed in their art because that creator’s own identity factors do not closely enough mirror the factors they have chosen to represent.

Recognizing that even detailed content warnings have limited value, I’d like to supplement them with an open invitation to exercise your freedom during class to disagree with the perspective of others (incl. myself), to approach me during office hours or via email with concerns, and to just leave the classroom for a few minutes if you become upset or disturbed.  If this happens, please do keep the lines of communication open, and let me know if a particular issue or representation bothers you: you needn’t explain why it bothered you unless you wish to do so.

COURSE GOALS


PATH 1: In-Class Discussion and Exams

Materials (Purchase these editions--correct pagination will facilitate class discussion & buttress your participation grade.) ABE.COM IS STILL REALIABLE, BUT AMAZON SOMETIMES PROVIDES A DIFFERENT EDITION WHEN YOU TYPE IN THE ISBN I'VE PROVIDED. SELECT THE CORRECT PUBLISHER]

Path 1 Assignments [90 pts total]


PATH 2: Outside Research and Writing

Materials, by Path 2 group (purchase these editions--correct pagination will facilitate Path 2 office discussion grade. BE CAREFUL!! ABE.COM IS STILL REALIABLE, BUT AMAZON SOMETIMES PROVIDES A DIFFERENT EDITION WHEN YOU TYPE IN THE ISBN I'VE PROVIDED. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE CORRECT PUBLISHER]

Path 2 Assignments [60 pts total]


MISCELLANY

Rubric

A = 94-100

A- = 90-93

A (18-20 on 20-pt scale, 5.4-6.0 on 6-pt scale): creative, topically focused, tightly structured, supported with the most convincing evidence, and virtually error-free

 C+ = 77-79

C = 73-76

C- = 70-72

C (14-15.9 on 20-pt scale, 4.2-4.79 on 6-pt scale): a relatively focused essay with clear sense of progression from one idea to the next; argument bolstered by some supporting evidence; distracting number of grammatical errors
B+ = 87-89

B = 83-86

B- = 80-82

B (16-17.9 on 20-pt scale, 4.8-5.39 on 6-pt scale): topically focused, tightly structured, supported with solid evidence, and containing just a few stylistic or grammatical bumps

 D = 65-69

D (13-13.9 on 20-pt scale, 3.9-4.19 on 6-pt scale): topic clear but ineffectively argued; evidence provided tangentially relates to argument; loose sense of structure; profound difficulties w/ grammar
    F = 0-64

F (0-12.9 on 20-pt scale, 0-3.89 on 6-pt scale): little evidence of effort, or contains plagiarism


Contact

Take advantage of my office hours. Go here to find an open slot, then email me to reserve that time for an office visit. The fastest way to contact me if you have a quick question is via email. You can also reach me in my office at 805-756-2159, or in the evening (before 10 p.m.) at 593-0192.


Writing Lab Center

Experienced writers at the University Writing & Learning Center (in Kennedy Library, Room 11C) offer free assistance with writing assignments for any course. Using this service will improve even the best writer’s output. Visit their website to schedule an appointment in advance of your desired date, or simply drop by between 10a.m. and 8 p.m. MTWRF (reduced hrs on weekend). Here's a video that helps elaborate the sign-up process. If writing remains a challenge for you, you might consider enrolling in ENGL 150, a one-credit writing support course.


Plagiarism and the Honor Code

I encourage you to improve your writing with the help of peers, instructors, and myself. Remember, however, that all work you submit must be your own. (I will occasionally vet student work to verify authorship.) Any paper containing borrowed but undocumented thoughts or words will receive a failing grade (this includes material created by generative A.I.), and I am obligated to report all instances of plagiarism to the Vice President of Student Affairs. Let me know if you have further questions concerning this important issue.

Dorothea Tanning's surrealist painting Avatar, an illustration of fairy-like women swinging on a trapeze inside a small room
Avatar (1947)
Dorothea Tanning

 


Dr. Paul Marchbanks
pmarchba@calpoly.edu