For one of my classes this semester I have to write a five to seven page term paper on a topic that is (1) of interest to me and (2) won't bore my professor. It has to deal with biomedical practices and culture. I think I am going to go with this topic: the psychology of grotesque. I am planning on starting off by giving an example of grotesque in art (Bacon's Pope Innocent X) and literature (maybe Thomas Mann, Poe or Faulkner) and then the definition (to label something as grotesque it must be distorted or ugly, and bizarre - so basically a physical and emotional reaction is necessary). And then I will discuss the psychology of societies (the cultural) response to grotesque subject matter (people don't like Bacon's work for a number of reasons, including the defamation of a divine, supreme figure by artistic expression) yet, grotesque literature is much more acceptable, maybe because it's not visual in the same sense.
What do you think? I can see five to seven pages of this.
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