Dialectical Journal
From the text...
From the mind...

Passages or sentences
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Your reaction
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Interesting language
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Your theory or hypothesis
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Key events or critical facts
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Your comparison to another
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Problems or conflicts
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Literary elements
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Remember to provide a
citation for each entry (page
work or to life

author’s purpose

number or chapter and
paragraph number)
Your attempt to explain the
Your best discussion of the
element’s significance
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A record of your thinking
about the literary work
EXAMPLES:
TEXT
RESPONSE
“No—Gatsby turned out all right at
This selection seems to foreshadow
the end; it is what preyed on Gatsby,
that something ominous (bad) will
what foul dust floated in the wake of
happen to Gatsby before everything
his dreams that temporarily closed
is all said and done.
out my interest in the abortive
It also appears that Nick might have
sorrows and short-winded elations
developed an intimate friendship
of men.” (page 2)
with Gatsby since his observation
has a tempered tone—it’s as though
he is withholding some judgment
about Gatsby.
TEXT
RESPONSE
“If you can picture a little dark
What is the purpose of this
puppy that has been kicked too
metaphor?
many times and is lost in a crowd of
strangers, you’ll have Johnny.”
The Outsiders, page 11 (Ch. 1)
Find one example of characterization
What is the purpose of this
in Chapter 1.
characterization?
“We all had the money to get in…but
This quote could be considered
Dally hated to do things the legal
external conflict or characterization.
way…He went around trying to
Choose one and identify the
break laws.” The Outsiders, page 20
significance of the quote.
(Ch. 2)
Find an example of figurative
Explain the author’s purpose or the
language (simile, metaphor,
significance of the use of figurative
imagery, etc.) in Chapter 2.
language.
TEXT
RESPONSE
“…[T]here were plenty of Socs
What is the significance of this
milling around and some of them
quote?
were giving me funny looks, as if I
shouldn’t be with Cherry or
something.”
The Outsiders, page 31 (Ch. 2)
Find one example of stereotyping in
What is the purpose of this
Chapter 3.
stereotype?
“‘Did you ever hear of having more
This quote could be considered
than you wanted? So that you
external conflict or internal conflict.
couldn’t want anything else and then
Choose one and identify the
started looking for something else to
significance of the quote.
want? It seems like we’re always
searching for something to satisfy
us, and never finding it.’” The
Outsiders, page 38 (Ch. 3)