path 1 calendar
class discussion
course guidelines
path 2 calendar
essay prompts


Brit Lit Survey: 1790 to Modern Day
Course Guidelines

 

"Once, not that long ago, if a man or woman shook you by the hand, offered you gifts,
you would have reason to expect that he, she, would not kill you at the next meeting
because the idea had just that moment come into his head . . ." (205).
Doris Lessing's The Memoirs of a Survivor (1974)


the basics / course goals / path 1 / path 2 / miscellany

THE BASICS

English 231: Masterworks of Brit. Lit. from the Late 18th century to the Present (4) GE C1
thematic touchstone: Apocalypse and Dystopia
class time & location: M/W, 8-10 a.m. (bldng 34, rm 228) & 12-2 p.m. (12:00-2:00 p.m. (bldng 2, rm 13)
instructor: Dr. Paul Marchbanks
email: pmarchba@calpoly.edu
office: 805-756-2159 / building 47 (the "maze"), hallway 35, office A / available hours
home: 805-593-0192 (9 a.m. to 9 p.m.)

The horrors accompanying war, revolution, disease, and governmental repression in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries set fire to the western imagination, sparking dystopic narratives like The Last Man (1826) that imagined how the human race might respond to still more catastrophic crises spread across a larger, sometimes global stage. The template established by Mary Shelley and her ilk developed a strong hold on the cultural consciousness, inspiring numerous novels, short stories and, more recently, television shows and films that together share a preoccupation with the question of humanity's ability to survive in the face of complete and utter disaster.

It is a question sharpened in the modern period by the menace of nuclear weapons, terrorism, global warming, new viruses, and--most recently--profound economic dysfunction. This course will examine such pressures--as imaginatively magnified tenfold--in the works of British poets, novelists, and comic book writers. It will do so by pairing the in-class discussion of poetry and fiction ("Path 1" readings) with out-of-class reading of and engagement with a subset of novels and graphic novels ("Path 2" readings).

COURSE GOALS


PATH 1: In-Class Discussion and Exams

Materials (purchase these editions)

Assignments



PATH 2: Outside Research and Writing

Materials

Assignments

MISCELLANY

Grading: go here for an elaboration of terms used below

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 frequent availability throughout the week. 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 9 p.m.) at 593-0192.

Writing Lab Center
Experienced writers at the University Writing & Rhetoric Center 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.

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. Any paper containing borrowed but undocumented thoughts or words will receive a failing grade, 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.




"The Burning Houses of Lord and Commons" (1834)
J. M. W. Turner

Dr. Paul Marchbanks
pmarchba@calpoly.edu