Dialectic(al) –adjective
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di·a·lec·tic
[dahy-uh-lek-tik]
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Also, dialectical.
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logical argumentation.
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of, pertaining to, or of the
nature of logical
argumentation.
the art or practice of logical
discussion as employed in
investigating the truth of a
theory or opinion.
Source: www.dictionary.com
Dialectic Journal
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You will choose a significant passage
from the text.
You will quote the text exactly as it
appears in the left column of your
journal. Always include page number.
In the right column, write a thoughtful
response to the quoted text
Sample Text Selection
from The Things They Carried b y Tim O’Brien
“…they carried like freight trains; they
carried it on their backs and shoulders-and
for all the ambiguities of Vietnam, all the
mysteries and unknowns, there was at
least the single abiding certainty that they
would never be at a at a loss for things to
carry” (p 2).
Sample Dialectic Response
O’brien chooses to end the first section of the novel with
this sentence. By comparing it to a freight train, he
makes you feel the physical weight of what soldiers have
to carry for survival. When you combine the emotional
weight of loved ones at home, the fear of death, and the
responsibility for the men you fight with, with the
physical weight of their packs, you start to understand
what the soldiers in Vietnam dealt with every day. This
quote sums up the confusion that the men felt about the
reasons they were fighting the war, and how they clung
to the only certainty – the things they had to carry – in a
confusing world where normal rules were suspended.
Choosing Passages
powerful, thought provoking, or puzzling
Look For:
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Structural shifts or turns
in the plot
Effective &/or creative
use of stylistic or literary
devices
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Passages that remind you
of someone or something
A passage that makes
you realize something
you hadn’t seen or
considered before
When choosing passages, also
consider:
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Examples of patterns:
recurring images, ideas,
colors, symbols, or motifs
Passages with confusing
language or unfamiliar
vocabulary
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Events you find surprising
or perplexing
Passages that illustrate a
particular character or
setting
Responses Should:
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(Q) Question something
in the passage that is
unclear
(C) Connect to your life,
the world, or another text
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(P) Predict or anticipate
what will occur based on
what is in the passage
(CL) Clarify or answer
earlier questions or
confirm/disaffirm a
prediction you made
earlier
Or, your responses could do
one of the following:
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(R) Reflect deeply about
what the passage means
in a broad sense – not
just to characters. What
conclusions can you draw
about the world, human
nature, or just the way
things work?
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(E) Evaluate or judge the
character(s), their
actions, or what the
author is trying to say
Check out this example
from The Ox-Bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark
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“The old man and the Mex were dead at
the fall, and just swung and spun slowly.
But young Tetly didn’t cut. His horse just
walked out from under, letting Martin slide
off and dangle, choking to death,
squirming up and down like an impaled
worm, his face bursting with compressed
blood” (p 186).
A Response:
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I can’t believe that they actually killed the three men.
They had no evidence to prove that they were guilty
and yet they murdered those three men in cold blood.
It’s hard to believe that some people can have so
much disregard for human life. This part of the book
makes me think of the death penalty. I used to be in
favor of the death penalty because I believed in the
saying, an eye for an eye. But sometimes you never
know if a person is truly guilty or not. Death is a
permanent condition; if you make a mistake, you
can’t undo it.
Some Sample Sentence Starters:
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I really don’t understand this because…
I think the author is trying to say that…
If I were (character) at this point I would…
I really dislike/like this idea because…
This passage reminds me of a time in my life
when…
I was surprised when…
In this passage, the author successfully
shows…
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Dialectical Journal Due _October 20
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Read 4-5 Chapters per week
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At least one entry every 2 chapters (minimum of
13)
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At least 50 words each
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Sporadic journal checks & quizzes
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Need Rough Draft & Final Typed or Creative Draft
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Must mark the text using stickie notes (similes,
metaphors, responses) * at least 2 per chapter!
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Sept 9 & 10= Chaps 1 & 2
Sept 14-17= Chaps 3-7
Sept 21-24= Chaps 8-12
Sept 28 –Oct 1= Chaps 13-17
Oct 4-8= Chaps 18-22
Oct 12-15= Chaps 23-26
Oct 20= Journals DUE!!
Oct 22or 23= Test??
Oct 26-29= Group Presentations!!!!