Grace and the Grotesque
Course
Guidelines

"People look at
the outward appearance,
but the Lord looks at the heart."
(1 Samuel 16:7B, NIV)
the basics / diversity / content & communication /course goals / texts / path 1 / path 2 / miscellany
THE BASICS
English
354: Grace and the Grotesque
thematic thread: "Grace and the Grotesque"
class location (F24): sec 03 (12-2 p.m.) in 181.103, sec 02 (2-4 p.m.) in 186.C303
e-mail: pmarchba@calpoly.edu
office: 805-756-2159 / building 47 (the "maze"), hallway 35,
office A / available
hours
DIVERSITY, ACCOMODATION, & ACCESSIBILITY
- This course will present an array of challenging ideas for discussion purposes, some of which you may instinctively applaud, and others which you might find repelling (thematically, stylistically, or ideologically). I encourage you to articulate your own sensibility and perspective--both in the classroom and through your written work--while respecting dissenting positions. I award the highest scores to those students who bolster their arguments with ample evidence, clarity, and solid reasoning--whatever their position.
- Recognizing that every student learns differently, I attempt to employ multiple teaching methodogies as I move through each course I teach. If you like something I do, let me know and it might just reappear before the quarter ends!
- Convinced that the classroom environment should enable instead of disabling each student learner, whatever their background and abilities, I have adopted various Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. If your own circumstances require additional consideration, please let me know.
- If you plan on completing a contract with the DRC for special accommodations in this course, let me know within the first week.
CONTENT & COMMUNICATION
The films and literature 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 individual might become sensitized to social problems they had previously ignored once they encounter such problems dramatized in art. Another might find in a tale’s scenarios a few 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 watching something that hits too close to home because they’re not 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, less harrowing portrayals of difficult subject matter. They might even hold that the creator has no right to represent what they have framed because that creator’s own identity do not closely enough mirror the factors they have chosen to represent.
Though I'll include optional content warnings (don't follow the links if you don't want to know what happens!), I invite you 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 the latter happens, 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
- English dept. learning objectives
- to promote
close reading and analysis
- to improve students' visual and linguistic literacy
- to explore Biblical ideas' impact on various cultures
- to
hone critical thinking, writing, and argumentation skills
- to deepen
students' comfort with public speaking through class
discussion
- to familiarize students with effective interdisciplinary approaches to research and argument
- to prompt ongoing reflection concerning fraught concepts as sin, grace, beauty, pleasure, and suffering
MATERIALS (purchase these editions & have physical copies of them in hand during class)
- The Bible: a physical copy (required for class) of any translation of Old and New Testaments. (I will alternate among the ESV, NIV, and NRSV myself.)
- O'Connor, Flannery. Collected Works. Library of America, 1998. ISBN: 978-0940450370
- James, P. D. Children of Men. 1992. Penguin Random House, 2006. ISBN: 978-0307275431
- Lewis, C. S. The Magician's Nephew. 1955. HarperCollins, 2002. ISBN: 978-0064471107
- Schrader, Paul. First Reformed (2017). Watch at the Palm Theater (817 Palm St.) on Monday, Oct. 14, 7 p.m. ($12)
- Huston, John. Wise Blood (1979). Watch at the Palm Theater (817 Palm St.) on Monday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m. ($12)
- print out all PDFs linked from the Path 1 calendar, and bring to class (unless you have a tablet or laptop screen on which you can take notes)
- one additional film, to be assigned along with "Path 2" groups (see below). Please purchase these legally so you can watch this particular film multiple times.
- two 100-question scantrons and two blue books (midterm & final exams)
PATH 1: In-Class
Discussion and Exams [Path 1 (150pts) + Path 2 (90 pts) = 240 pts total]
- participation & class
discussion (30 pts, 3 grades of 10 pts each, awarded at the end of weeks four, seven, and ten); students most commonly earn 8-8.5 pts.
- demonstrate familiarity
with assigned readings
- bring assigned readings onto which you can record notes
- contribute thoughtful, organized reflections during discussion & activities
- arrive on time, and infrequently depart during class; avoid using cell phones
- report, via email, any errors (broken links, typos, etc.) found on the course website
- reading quizzes
(20 pts, 2 pts each): eleven randomly scheduled quizzes of 5-10 questions. Study questions (i.e. "points for reflection") linked from the Path 1 calendar will often inspire quiz questions.
Receiving 2 pts on a quiz requires correctly answering three of five questions. Quizzes can cover both the current
day's materials and those from the previous class period. Missed quizzes cannot be made up. The lowest quiz grade, including a missed quiz, will be dropped at the end of the quarter.
- attendance: your presence is particularly valuable when meeting in person. Absences impact yourself as well as those who could benefit from your perspective. You receive one free absence, which I recommend reserving for unexpected illness. Your second absence will cut 5 pts (of 240 pts) from your final grade, your third absence will cut 10 more pts (of 230) from your final grade, your fourth absence will cut 15 more pts from your final grade, etc. In other words, 3 absences will remove 15 pts (of 240 pts) from your final grade, etc. Excused absences require a doctor's note for severe illness, along with contact information for the physician.
- required film screenings
- Schrader, Paul. First Reformed (2017). Watch at Palm Theater (817 Palm St.) on Monday, Oct. 14, 7 p.m. ($12)
- Huston, John. Wise Blood (1979). Watch at Palm Theater (817 Palm St.) on Monday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m. ($12)
- If you don't join us, watch the film on your own (Amazon Prime, YouTube) and create a 15-min. video in which you talk to me about the movie by discussing 5+ of the points for reflection I generated about the film in question. Refusal to either attend or create the video will remove five percentage points from your final average (per film).
- Impassioned Pleas (40 pts, 10 each): students will post four 75-150 word responses as "comments" to videos housed at my free, non-monetized channel, Digging in the Dirt. Details here. So that you're immediately aware when new, required videos drop during the quarter, go ahead and subscribe. Your posts will help start a larger conversation. Impassioned Pleas will respond to the following vids:
- Plea #1 / Dr. M's intro. to First Reformed (2017). DUE before 7 p.m. screening on Mon., Oct. 14. Details.
- Plea #2 / Dr. M's intro. to Wise Blood (1979). DUE before class on Tues., Nov. 5. Details.
- Plea #3 / Dr. M's intro. to your Path 2 film. DUE by midnight on Sun., Nov. 10. Details.
- Plea #4 / Dr. M's discussion of storytelling for children. DUE by midnight p.m. on Thurs., Dec. 11. Details.
- closed-book exams: you remain responsible, on exams, for all assigned material, video lectures, and online "points for reflection" (study questions) linked from the Path 1 calendar.
- midterm exam
(30 pts): a timed, cumulative, closed-book exam composed of one 400-500 word essay (60 min., blue book) followed by an objective exam (20 min., scantron). Date: Thurs, Oct. 22.
- final exam
(30 pts): timed, cumulative, closed-book exam composed of one 500-600 word essay (60-75 min., blue book) followed by an objective exam (20-30 min., scantron). Dates:
- sec 03 (class: 12-2 p.m. / TR) / final: Tues., Dec. 10, 1:10-4:00 p.m.
- sec 02 (class: 2-4 p.m. / TR) / final: Tues., Dec. 10, 4:10-7:00 p.m.
- FINAL EXAM OPTIONAL if you accomplish all of the following:
- miss class no more than once
- no assignments skipped
- earn at least a 90% on the midterm
- maintain a 90% average for participation
- achieve a 90% average at the end of the quarter (before final exam)
PATH 2: Outside
Research and Writing [Path 2 (90 pts) + Path 1 (150 pts) = 240 pts total]
- path 2 groups: each student will belong
to a "Path 2" group of three classmates assigned to a particular topic which will interlink one poem each by Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning, one short story by Flannery O'Connor, five paintings by Salvador Dalí, and a Path 2 film. I have also provided five thematically relevant Bible passages for each group, though these should be considered suggestive, not prescriptive.
- Short Story Discussion (20 pts): Path 2 groups will closely read their assigned Path 2 short story by Flannery O'Connor, prepare for discussion by reviewing the study questions provided, then meet with Dr. M for 30 min. during his extended office hours in Week Six (see gray cells).
- 60-min. term paper outline workshop (20 pts): students will construct a 1-2 page, single-spaced outline of their argument which identifies a working thesis statement, their main points, and supporting claims and evidence. (Do not write the essay itself until after the workshop.) Send outlines to Dr. M and Path 2 groupmates prior to joint paper conference. 15-20 min. allocated to discussing each outline. Each Path 2 group should find an available slot (gray cells), and email me your preferences. Show up on time. Students who do not complete this workshop cannot turn in their term paper. Workshops will occur Wed., Nov. 12 thru Sat., Nov. 16
- peer editing of term paper (20 pts): students will bring two paper copies of their completed term paper to class on Thurs., Nov. 21 for peer editing. Students must be bodily in class with a completed paper, and provide substantive feedback on their peers' drafts, to earn credit.
- term paper (30 pts): an argument which primarily engages Path film and paintings. Details here. Completed and polished, 5-7 pages (not including additional Works Cited page), due by 11 p.m. on Fri., Nov. 22. Send Word document directly to Dr. M via email. Late papers will lose two points per day.
- To pass the GWR, you must:
- have earned 90 units before the current quarter begins
- earn at least a 74% in the course (not a C-), whether or not you're taking the class credit/no credit
- receive at least a 74% on the final term paper
- extra credit (3-6 pts): students who attend the monthly screening of a redemptively grotesque film this fall, hosted for students and the local community at Trinity Presbyterian (1301 Osos St., in the 7th Day Adventist building), will have 3-6 extra points added to their total points at quarter's end, prior to my configuring course averages. Join in the conversation after the screening to earn maximum points, and bring interested friends and significant others!
- Thurs., Oct. 16, 6:30 p.m. / M. Night Shyamalan's Signs (2002)
- Thurs., Nov. 7, 6:30 p.m. / Nicholas Meyer's The Wrath of Khan (1982)
- Thurs., Dec. 12, 6:30 p.m. / Paul Schrader's First Reformed (2017)
MISCELLANY
Grading
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 =
74-76
C- =
70-73 |
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.

Pietà from The Apocalypse of St. John (1960)
made using nail gun technique
Salvador Dalí
Dr. Paul Marchbanks
pmarchba@calpoly.edu