Course Guidelines Path 1 Calendar Class Discussion Path 2 Groups & Texts Writing Assignments Reference Texts


Grace and the Grotesque
Groups and Texts ("Path 2")

ornamental line


"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see."
(Hebrews 11:1)

topical groupings / student groupings

Topical Groupings [links for poems and short stories lead to helpful study questions]



A Few Relevant Bible Passages
Short Story
(Flannery O'Connor)
Poems
(Elizabeth Barrett Browning & Robert Browning)
Paintings
(Salvador Dalí)
Digging in the Dirt
(I Cor. 13)
Films (assorted directors), rent at Amazon


Group 1: Fear
  • Proverbs 1:7, 9:10
  • Psalms 33:8
  • John 14:27
  • Philippians 4:6-7
  • 1 John 4:18

"A Circle in the Fire" (1953), 232-51

 

"Can I Trust You to Protect Me?"

The Hughes Brothers's The Book of Eli (2010), content warnings ( violence) / intro. vid. / study qstns

Group 1: Fear
Group 2: Pride
  • Proverbs 29:23
  • Romans 12:16
  • Galatians 6:4
  • Philippians 2:3
  • James 4:10

"A Late Encounter with the Enemy" (1953), 252-62

"Shared Visions: More Dance Than Drill"

Taylor Hackford's The Devil's Advocate (1997), content warnings (sex) / intro. vid. / study qstns

Group 2: Pride
Group 3: Death
  • Leviticus 3:1-17
  • Psalm 106
  • Lamentations 2
  • Acts 5:1-11
  • John 15:13
  • John 19-20

"The River" (1955), 154-71

"Marriages That Can Survive Murder"

John M. McDonagh's Calvary (2014), content warnings (violence) / intro. vid. / study qstns

Group 3: Death
Group 4: Betrayal
  • Exodus 20:16
  • 2 Samuel 13:13-39
  • Matthew 26:14-25, 27:1-10
  • Colossians 3:8-10
  • Judges 16

"A View of the Woods" (1956), 525-46

"Let's Talk About Love"

Sarah Polley's Women Talking (2022), content warnings (rape) / intro. vid. / study qstns

Group 4: Betrayal
Group 5: Eros / Not Available in F24
  • Genesis 2:24-25
  • Proverbs 5:18-19
  • Song of Songs 1:1-17
  • I Corinthians 1:2-5, 8-9
  • I Corinthians 13: 4-7

"Parker's Back" (1965), 655-75

 

"Can I Trust You to Protect Me?"

Not Available in F24

Group 5: Eros
Group 6: Sex
  • Song of Songs 4-7
  • Mark 10:6-9
  • I Corinthians 6:15-20
  • I Corinthians 7:1-9
  • Hebrews 13:4
"The Comforts of Home" (1960), 573-94

 

"Oneness Is Not Fantasy Fiction"

 

Lars von Trier's Breaking the Waves (1996), content warnings (sex & nudity) / intro. vid. / study qstns

Group 6: Sex
Group 7: Family
  • Exodus 20:12
  • Deuteronomy 6:6-9
  • Galatians 3:26-29
  • Ephesians 6:1-4
  • I Timothy 5:8

"Everything that Rises Must Converge" (1961), 485-500

 

"Patience Is Not Passive"

Lars von Trier's Melancholia (2011), content warnings (nudity, suicide) / intro. vid. / study qstns

Group 7: Family
Group 8: Parenting
  • Exodus 20:12
  • Deuteronomy 6:6-9
  • Psalms 139:13-18
  • Proverbs: 23:13-14
  • I Thessalonians 2:11

"The Enduring Chill" (1958; 1965),
547-72

"Memory Flexes. So Should Forgiveness"

Jean Negulesco's Johnny Belinda (1948), content warnings (rape implied) / intro. vid. / study qstns

Group 8: Parenting
Group 9: Siblings / Not Available in F24
  • Genesis 4:1-15
  • Genesis 25:19-34, 27:1-41
  • Samuel 13:1-29
  • Matthew 5:22-24
  • Luke 10:38-42

"Greenleaf" (1956), 501-24

"Memory Flexes. So Should Forgiveness"

Not Available in F24

Group 9: Siblings
Group 10: Community
  • Leviticus 19:33-34
  • Deuteronomy 20:10-20
  • Matthew 10:5-14
  • Romans 13:8-10
  • Hebrews 13:1-3

"The Displaced Person" (1955),
285-327

"Truth That Hurts Can Heal"

Nicholas Meyer's Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) / intro. vid. / study qstns

Group 10: Community
Group 11: Prejudice
  • Genesis 1:27
  • Acts 10:9-43
  • Galatians 3:25-29
  • Colossians 3:11
  • James 2:1-17

"The Artificial Nigger" (1955), 210-31

"Don't Put Up, Shut Up"

Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino (2008), content warnings (racial slurs, violence) / intro. vid. / study qstns

Group 11: Prejudice
Group 12: Disability
  • Deuteronomy 27:18
  • 2 Samuel 4:4 & 9:1-13
  • Isaiah 35:1-8
  • John 9:1-41
  • Mark 7:31-37

"The Life You Save May Be Your Own" (1953),
172-83

 

"Future Forward"

 

Lars von Trier's Dancer in the Dark (2000), content warnings (violence) / intro. vid. / study qstns

Group 12: Disability


Student Groupings



sec 01
(7-9 a.m.)
sec 02 
(9-11 a.m.)
sec 03
(12-2 p.m.)
Group 1: Fear

 

Spencer Koch
Julia Healy
Goldie Morris
Camille Dixon
James Smith
Keren Coyote
Group 2: Pride
Isabella Yonge
Cole Rossi
Jonas Kingery
Kay Urrutia
David Carrion
Grace Bennett
Dora Deng
Everett Johnson
Sam Duncan-Doroff
Group 3: Death
Sarah Hirst
Wyatt De Mers
Luke Connoly
Ethan Linley
Alden Hauserr
Charlotte Smith
 
Group 4: Betrayal
Audrey Borders
Neslin Dineros
Nancy Tran
   
Group 5: Eros
  Charlize Palcencia
Elliott Gorath
Nicolette Littler
Nadeen Manior
Maddie Kavanaugh
Summer Martinez
Group 6: Sex
Katie Rice
Anna Smith
Daniel Cullen
   
Group 7: Family
  Brandon Mendoza
Isabella McCloy
Sam Moore
Austin Tepe
Ashlynn Matthews
Esai Contreras
Group 8: Parenting
 

Rachel Mcilroy
Dailyn Thompson
Isaac Chen
Group 9: Siblings
  Isabelle Utsler
Anna Langer
 
Group 10: Community
     
Group 11: Prejudice
     
Group 12: Disability
    Nick Deskins
Viane Puga
Danny Rodriguez


White, skull-shaped object with red shapes hovering above it. Black background.
The Vertebrated Cavern, Series of Decals (1936)
series of decals, gouache on black paper
Salvador Dalí


Dr. Paul Marchbanks
pmarchba@calpoly.edu