ENG 225 02 Disability in Literature

MWF 11.15-12.05
Spring 2023
Professor Rebecca Steinberger
Office: MH 301 Phone #: 570.674.6423
E-mail: rsteinberger@misericordia.edu
Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, & Friday 9-10 am; and also by appointment
TEXTS:
Plays:
The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Martin McDonagh (at the Campus Store)
Translations, Brian Friel (at the Campus Store)
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon and Simon Stephens
(at the Campus Store)
Every Brilliant Thing, Duncan Macmillan (at the Campus Store)
Short Stories:
“The Yellow Wallpaper”, Charlotte Perkins Gilman (at the Campus Store)
“The Metamorphosis”, Franz Kafka (at the Campus Store)
Young Goodman Brown & Other Stories, Nathaniel Hawthorne (at the Campus Store)
“Everyday Use”, Alice Walker (on Blackboard)
“Good Country People”, Flannery O’Connor (on Blackboard)
Poems:
Jericho Brown, Angela Alaimo O’Donnell, John Lee Clark (on Blackboard)
Deaf Republic, Ilya Kaminsky (at the Campus Store)
IMPORTANT!—Students are expected to bring a copy of each day’s assigned text to
class, having read it, thought about it, and prepared comments and/or questions about it in
advance. Also, I recommend that you purchase all the required texts at the start of the
term, as the Campus Store returns any unsold copies well before the term’s end (and
without warning).
CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
This course is designed to explore literary texts and films from across the globe that
address disabilities of various kinds (physical, mental, social). Some of the questions we
shall consider include: how has the definition of “disability” shifted in recent years?
What, then, is “normal”? Is the very term “disability” problematic? How does disability
further impact other social constructs such as race, gender and socio-economic status? In
order to investigate these issues, we shall begin with the lexicon of disability. The
subsequent sections of the syllabus will include poetry, plays, short stories, novels, and
film, and be approached from the following perspectives: patient perspective; family
perspective; disability due to trauma (including war/political strife); and resiliency and
self-efficacy.
This is a 3-credit course with no prerequisites.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
From Shakespeare’s portrayal of the villainous Richard III to Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s
insight into the underpinnings of postpartum depression, literature is ripe with characters
and issues that expose the ways in which society marginalizes—and even isolates—
individuals with disabilities. By establishing markers of difference in fictional characters
(i.e., Manus and Sarah in Friel’s Translations, Christopher in Stephens & Haddon’s The
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, and Gregor Samsa in Kafka’s “The
Metamorphosis”), writers ask their audience to question the social, cultural,
psychological, and physical impact of stereotypes in their own environment.
Together, we shall work
 To become familiar with the ways in which disability has historically been
portrayed in literature.
 To gain an understanding of pervasive stereotypes in our culture and the impact
this has had on disabled individuals.
 To assess how cultural alienation is achieved (with a special focus on race and
ethnicity).
 To develop and enhance writing and presentation skills through Blackboard posts,
papers, and informal presentations.
 To understand how your perception of disability has been shaped by experiences,
attitudes, and cultures.

CORE GOALS and ESSENTIAL SKILLS ADDRESSED BY THIS COURSE:

This course counts towards the English requirement in the core curriculum. In this
course, students will achieve these goals of the Core Curriculum:

1. Students will communicate effectively using oral, written and/or artistic presentations.
Oral and Written Communication

2. Students will demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Critical Analysis and Reasoning

3. Students will demonstrate integrating information and technological literacy.

Technological Competency and Information Literacy

5. Students will demonstrate an awareness of ethical issues across disciplines. Study of

Values and Ethics

These goals will be assessed through class discussion of readings, informal writing
assignments and activities, papers, oral presentations and exams in which students must
analyze and construct convincing arguments.
UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION GOALS ADDRESSED BY
THIS COURSE:

In fulfillment of its mission, Misericordia University provides a learning community

which prepares its baccalaureate graduates to:

1. Reflect the values of mercy, justice, and hospitality in their actions.

3. Consider ethical issues and values and make reasoned judgments about them.

4. Think independently and creatively, analyze information critically, and solve

problems.

5. Respect and understand cultural differences.

6. Understand global perspectives.

7. Communicate and interact effectively.

8. Understand and appreciate the arts, humanities, science, and technology.

9. Succeed in their academic disciplines.

10. Pursue life-long learning.

These goals will be assessed through class discussion of readings, informal writing
assignments and activities, papers, oral presentations and exams in which students must
analyze and construct convincing arguments.

WHAT TO EXPECT:
I am not a lecturer; however, I will provide you with necessary background information
on texts, authors, and the cultures we cover. During class, we will spend our time
dissecting the major issues embedded in our readings and developing our own critical
notions based on our readings. Yes, you will have your own, individual critical notions
about what we read—and all of you have valuable things to say! Sometimes, we might
work in small groups, provided that the task at hand is discussed fully.
I cannot stress enough that I am always happy to meet with you; if my office hours are at
inconvenient times for you, we can schedule alternate times. Do not hesitate to stop by—
whether you have questions about the readings, your writing, or my extensive knowledge
of football, fashion, and 80s music (just kidding). 
When doing the readings, don’t be afraid to write in the margins…this will help you
relate to the text, raise questions about it, and make brilliant comments during our class
discussions. Keep an open mind, and always respect what your classmates have to say.

ACADEMIC & COURSE POLICIES:

 Important! If the University goes on a compressed schedule, this class will meet
from 12.45-1.30. Information on weather-related cancellations can be found on e-
mu.
 Attendance at each class is expected and active Class Participation is an
essential component of each student's success in this course. Students are
responsible for whatever happens in class during their absence. Your health is my
primary concern and if you are unwell, DO NOT COME TO CLASS. However,
you must submit a doctor’s note or documentation from the Health Center if you
are sick. If you miss 6 classes, you will fail the course. Tardiness is also
unacceptable. Bottom line—don’t miss class or Vecna will come for you!
 Late assignments will not be tolerated. For each day an assignment is late, your
grade for that particular assignment will drop 10 points.

 All cell phones must be turned off before class begins. Also, all cell phones and
technological devices (iPods, iPhones, and so forth) must not appear on your desk
or near your person unless they are part of that day’s class work. Texting in class
is STRICTLY prohibited.
If you need to use your laptop, you must NOT use your device for anything other
than the texts/assignments we are covering.
Let me be clear: if I discover that any student is updating FB, tweeting, googling,
texting, Instagramming, snapchatting (and so forth) during class time, you will be
dismissed from class that day.
 All papers (including rough drafts) must be typed in 12 pt., Times New Roman
with 1 inch margins and submitted via email. All work should be created and
submitted in a Word Document. DO NOT submit papers/assignments through
Google Docs or save in PDF. SAVE your work on a flash drive and/or email it
to yourself.
 Academic Integrity: Any form of cheating or dishonesty, including plagiarism,
is a fundamental violation of the nature and purpose of Misericordia University.
Such behavior will not be tolerated and will result in at least lowered grades,
possibly failure in a class, program dismissal, and, in the most serious cases,
dismissal from the university.
Plagiarism is using someone else’s ideas or words and claiming them as
one’s own. Students who use another person’s words must copy them accurately,
enclose them in quotations marks, and identify the source clearly. If another
person’s ideas are used in a student paper, the source must still be identified and
the author of the ideas given credit. Students are responsible to make sure they are
using sources properly and documenting them properly. THE UNIVERSITY
HANDBOOK ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE CLEARLY. Please review in the
University Catalog or on-line at
http://www.misericordia.edu/catalog/ugacpol.cfm.
 Any assignment completed without total academic integrity will
receive a zero. If a second violation occurs, the student will be assigned an F
for the course.
If you have any questions at all regarding plagiarism, please speak with
me first before submitting a paper.
 Respect for Diversity:  It is my intent that students from all diverse backgrounds
and perspectives be served by this course, that students’ learning needs be
addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that students bring to this
class be viewed as a resource, strength, and benefit. It is my intent to present
materials and activities that are respectful of diversity: gender, sexuality,
disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, culture, neurodiversity, and
diversity of thought or opinion.  Your suggestions are encouraged and
appreciated.  Please let me know ways to improve the effectiveness of the course
for you personally or for other students or student groups.  You are welcome to
share this feedback by any means that is comfortable for you, including but not
limited to: email, office hours, or feedback through Blackboard.
 Policy for Emergency Classroom Response: In the event of a fire alarm, please
exit the building by the nearest emergency exit and proceed to the amphitheater;
I will take attendance there and report any missing students to campus security. I
will have my cell phone on at all times in the unlikely event we receive an MU
Alert. I will provide you will specific instructions based on the information I
receive.
 FERPA: As per the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA), all e-
mail correspondence between the instructor and students must be addressed to the
student's institutional e-mail address (@misericordia.edu) in order to maintain
students' privacy.
 Disability Statement: Misericordia University is committed to creating an
environment where all are welcome and does not discriminate in the recruitment,
admission, educational process, or treatment of students. In the spirit of
hospitality and justice, we comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended.  In order to
receive services, students must self-identify their disability and provide
documentation from a healthcare professional. Eligibility for accommodations
such academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aides is determined through an
individualized, interactive process in the Office for Students with Disabilities
(OSD).  
The OSD is located in the SSC, on the lower level of Alumnae Hall.  Individuals
seeking accommodations may call 570-674-6408 or email Kristen Ricardo,
Assistant Director SSC/Office for Students with Disabilities
at kricardo@misericordia.edu.
 *Please note: My goal is to make this course as accessible as possible. Please let
me know if I can help you in any way. The area of accessibility is very near and
dear to my heart.
 Tutorial Assistance: Misericordia University offers a variety of tutorial options
to assist students in achieving academic goals. Individual and group peer tutoring
is provided in most core curriculum courses and some professional courses
dependent on student tutor availability. The Peer Tutoring Program services are
provided by the Student Success Center, which is located in the lower level of
Alumnae Hall. All tutoring services are free of charge.
Smarthinking is an online tutoring service available to all students. Students can
drop in on a live tutoring session, submit papers, or schedule private sessions in
many subject areas, such as statistics, economics, biology, physics, chemistry, and
many others.
Smarthinking registration and log in information can be found on the Student
Success Center channel found under Student Services.
 Email Etiquette:
In this highly-sensationalized, uber-technological era, it’s easy to forget about the
proper use of language. However, as university students you MUST practice
email etiquette. When you send an email to faculty, staff, and fellow classmates,
“Yo, tzup? Wot r we doin in class 2day?” does not cut it. Begin your email with a
greeting, and follow with a message that includes complete sentences. Do not,
under any circumstances, email as if you were sending a txt. It is impolite,
unacademic, and disrespectful. Always sign the email, too.
 The quote on Shakespeare’s statue in Leicester Square reads, “There is no
darkness but ignorance”. You are to treat your fellow classmates and their
opinions with respect. I do not tolerate cyberbullying, offensive, misogynistic,
stereotypical, biased, or racist remarks. Failure to comply with this policy will
result in being permanently removed from the class.
 A true Renaissance woman: I am not 24-7 all-access. Please send all emails
before 5 pm if you’d like a response on any given evening. Feel free to send
emails after that time, but please do not expect a response until the morning.
 Writing Center:
If you would like additional help with your writing, please visit the Writing
Center (Alumnae Hall 29). They are not a proofreading service, but they will help
you with developing ideas and crafting your masterpieces. Contact Matthew
Hinton, Coordinator of Writing, at 570.674.6191 or writingc@misericordia.edu.

EMBEDDED LIBRARIAN:
We are extremely lucky to have Maureen Cech, Archivist and Special Collections
Librarian at the Mary Kintz Bevevino Library, join us as an embedded librarian. She will
be an important asset to our research and papers. Maureen joins us via our class page on
Blackboard and can be reached at 570-674-6420 or mcech@misericordia.edu.
REMEMBER, REMEMBER…:
 I reserve the right to alter the syllabus and course schedule when necessary.
 Email me before 5 pm! 
 The views of the writers we cover are not necessarily the views of your professor.
Please do not conflate the two. Also, a disclaimer: some of the material we
read/discuss may contain graphic language or violence.
 Grades are non-negotiable. Grade-grubbing will not be tolerated.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1) Disability Lit and MU Paper (20%): There are so many cultural events on our
campus (on Zoom!) that enhance the intellectual life of the student. Believe it or
not, many of these directly relate to the themes of our course this semester. To
encourage your taking advantage of these often free events, you shall “attend” 3
venues (lectures, guest speakers, readings, films, etc.) and relate each one to a
different literary text/marker of difference that we discuss in class. In doing so,
you will realize that the literary texts we study do not exist in a vacuum; rather,
they relate to our everyday lives! You must diversify the events you select to
write about; in other words, mix the genres (i.e., you cannot attend all poetry
readings, or all events sponsored by clubs that raise awareness to various
disabilities/diseases). This 5-6 page paper may be creative, but must include
direct quotes from each of the texts you write about. No secondary sources are
required for this challenging project. Use your creative juices and be original.
Due: Monday, April 17 by 5 pm via email— rsteinberger@misericordia.edu.
(Note: MLA format for documentation and citation is required on all assignments. In
addition, you must use 12 pt., Times New Roman font with 1 inch margins. Also, Works
Cited pages must be included.)
2) Class Participation, Attendance and Assignments (20%): Everything you do
for this course—from in-class writing assignments, discussion posts, pop quizzes,
or outside observations—counts. An important university and life skill is verbal
communication. You are expected to actively participate in class discussions,
which requires that you complete the assigned readings and have something to
contribute to our discussion. NOTE: If you do not bring the text we are discussing
to class, your Class Participation grade may result in F.
The grade breakdown is:
A: misses 0-2 classes; always prepares for class; participates (nearly) every day;
adds insightful comments to our discussion; engages with other students’
comments.
B: misses 2-3 classes; always prepares for class; participates most of the time;
sometimes adds insightful comments; rarely engages with other students’
comments.
C: misses 3-4 classes; sometimes prepares for class; occasionally participates;
provides mostly surface comments; never engages with other students’ comments.
D: misses 4-5 classes; only occasionally prepares for class; rarely participates.
F: misses 6 or more classes; never prepares; never participates.
 If necessary, we will have pop quizzes to ensure everyone is keeping up with the
material. No make-up quizzes are granted. Take my advice: do the reading and
there won’t be any quizzes.
3) Exams (40):
Exam #1 (20%) will cover the texts/issues we discuss during the first part of the
semester and may include short answer and essay questions. This will be given in class
on Monday, February 27. Each student MUST be present at the allotted time—no
make-ups will be given.

Students will take their Exam #2 (20%) in class on Monday, April 24. Each student
MUST be present at the allotted time—no make-ups will be given. This will cover
materials from after the first exam to the end of the semester. It is not comprehensive.

4) Service Project & Presentation (20): %): Do you ever say to yourself, “We
should do something about this”? Well, now is the time to get involved with
service to others. Here’s how it will work: you will each join a group and choose
an original idea that assists individuals with disabilities. Can you work on your
own? Well, sure. Each student/group will write a Project Proposal. Imagine that
we are taking our “cause” to the popular TV show, Shark Tank. You and your
Service Project Partner(s) will (1) write a convincing argument as to why your
idea for raising awareness should be funded. For example, I try to raise awareness
for Lupus. I would describe the disease and the complications with education of
the illness and diagnosis, why I am an advocate, and so forth; (2) explain your
idea; (3) think about who is the audience; (4) what is the (desired) impact of your
Service Project?
You made add any additional elements in order to convince Shark Tank
philanthropists (aka, your classmates) to advocate for your cause. Make it
creative.
Decide on your groups and what you would like to accomplish by Friday, March
3. At the end of the semester (as listed on the Course Schedule), students will give
a 10-15 minute presentation (strictly timed) in class to share the intricacies of
their projects and/or “perform” them. Be sure to think about how to engage your
class members, as they will vote on whether or not to “fund” your proposal. Each
group member must also individually submit a 750 word reflection paper on the
presentation topic that outlines the genesis of your creative work and what you
gained from the experience. Think about what preconceived notions you had
going into the service project experience and how they may have changed. Have
fun and remember—be as creative as you please!

GRADING SCALE:
93-100 = A 90-92 = A- 87-89 = B+ 83-86 = B 80-82 = B- 77-79 = C+
73-76 = C 70-72 = C- 65-69 = D 64 and below = F
COURSE SCHEDULE
W Jan 18 Welcome! Introduction to the course
F Jan 20 Which issues of disability (do you think) impact you the most? What is
‘normal’ anyway? Jericho Brown’s poems, “Duplex” & “The Virus” BB
***The English Department invites you to submit to INSTRESS Journal of the Art. 
Deadline is: January 30, 2023.  Submission email:  instress@misericordia.edu.
Southern Gothic confronts physical deformities

M Jan 23 Alice Walker, “Everyday Use” on BB

W Jan 25 Walker, concluded; Flannery O’Connor, “Good Country People” on BB

F Jan 27 O’Connor, concluded; Angela Alaimo O’Donnell poems on BB

19th Century writers expose markers of difference
M Jan 30 Nathaniel Hawthorne, “The Birthmark”

W Feb 1 “The Birthmark,” cont’d; “Rappacini’s Daughter”

F Feb 2 “Rappacini’s Daughter”

M Feb 6 Franz Kafka, “The Metamorphosis”

W Feb 8 “The Metamorphosis”

F Feb 10 “The Metamorphosis” concluded; Hanif Kureishi’s “Rome” Tweets

@Hanifkureishi

Women and mental illness

M Feb 13 Charlotte Perkins Gilman, “The Yellow Wallpaper”
W Feb 15 “The Yellow Wallpaper”
F Feb 17 Martin McDonagh, The Beauty Queen of Leenane
M Feb 20 The Beauty Queen of Leenane
W Feb 22 Duncan Macmillan, Every Brilliant Thing
F Feb 24 Every Brilliant Thing
M Feb 27 Exam #1
W Mar 1 Mapping MU; Reflections posted on Blackboard by 5pm
F Mar 3 What is ‘normal’ anyway? Panel discussion
Spring Break—enjoy 
Fragmented Identities
M Mar 13 Brian Friel, Translations, Act One
W Mar 15 Translations, Act Two
F Mar 17 Translations, Act Three
M Mar 20 Friel, concluded
W Mar 22 Brainstorming session on Class Presentations; topic emailed to me by 5pm
F Mar 24 Ernest Hemingway, “Get a Seeing-Eyed Dog”; Johnny Lee Clark’s poems,
“On My Return from a Business Trip,” “Three Squared Cinquains” & “A
DeafBlind Poet” on BB
M Mar 27 Ilya Kaminsky, Deaf Republic, Act One; wear Blue and Yellow in support
of Ukraine
W Mar 29 Deaf Republic, Act Two
F Mar 31 Simon Stephens, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
M Apr 3 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
W Apr 5 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
F Apr 8 No class; Easter Recess
M Apr 10 Writing Day
W Apr 12 Workshop on Presentations
***The Misericordia Players present our Spring musical, 25th Annual Putnam 
County Spelling Bee, April 13-16 in Lemmond Theatre!
F Apr 14 Optional Paper Conferences
M Apr 17 Disability Lit & MU Paper Due; Film Fest – Class Pick
W Apr 19 Film Fest
F Apr 21 Film, concluded
M Apr 24 Exam #2
W Apr 26 Class Presentations
F Apr 28 Class Presentations
M May 1 Class Presentations
W May 3 Last day of class; Re-defining/re-framing disability
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