Name:____________________________________
Mrs. Daniel Block _______________________
English 11H
Date:_____________________________________
Dialectical Journals
Dialectical journal is a fancy word for double-entry or reader-response journals.
Dialectical journals allow you to have a “conversation” with the texts we read in class, and
ask you to think deeply about and respond to the texts in meaningful ways. They are also
great tools to help prepare for class discussions, literary analysis assignments, tests, and
the kind of thinking and analysis you will do on your SOL.
The Basics:
1. In the left-hand column of your paper you will write down specific
quotations/passages that stand out to you from the particular text(s) you are
analyzing. Sometimes I will give you specific things to annotate for, sometimes you
will choose passages that stand out to you for one reason or another. ALWAYS
include the page, act/scene, or chapter number for easy reference later.
2. In the right-hand column of your paper you will write your response to that
particular passage. Each response will be labeled with one of the codes listed below:





? = Indicates a question you have about a particular passage. It may be
something that is unclear to you or something you wonder about. Make sure
you leave space so you can come back and answer your question later.
! = Indicates a connection you have made. This can be a connection between
the text and yourself, the world, or another text you have read.
P = Indicates a prediction you have about what will occur later in the text.
Make sure you justify with your prediction. Make sure you leave space so you
can explain if your prediction was correct or not.
A = Indicates an analysis of some deeper aspect of the novel beyond simple
summary of character/events. Consider what the theme of the story is, and
how it is developed; what literary devices does the author use, and to what
effect; what recurring images or symbols does the author use, and why;
what connections to the time period/history is the author making; what
comments on society or the world at large is the author making?
E = Indicates and evaluation of what the author is trying to say. Do you
agree or disagree? Why?
3. Remember to always analyze rather than simply summarizing the text, and always
be specific and detailed in your responses!
Sample Dialectical Journal-“The World on the Turtle’s Back”
Passage from the text, with page
number
“The beings of the Sky-World paid no
attention to this. They knew what was
happening, but they chose to ignore it.” P.
26
Analysis
?-I wonder why the Sky-People did not do
anything to help the Sky-Woman. Is it
because she was overly-curious, and
perhaps they were glad to be rid of her? Or
were they angry at her for making her
husband dig up the sacred tree and making
the hole in the Sky-World?
“They buried their mother. And from her
A-The mother of the twins is a symbol of
grave grew the plants which the people still Mother Earth. This is also an archetype
use. From her head grew the corn, the
(the Earth Mother) that is seen throughout
beans, and the squash…” p. 28
literature. She helps her mother grow the
earth from a tiny clod of dirt, and the staple
crops of the Iroquois grow from her body,
which symbolizes the bountiful nature of
earth in supplying the Iroquois people with
the crops they need to survive.
“And the deep mind of the right-handed
!-This part of the story, and the entire idea
twin lied to his brother, and the deep mind that everyone has both good and bad sides
of the left-handed twin told the truth.” P. 30 to them, made me think of a story I read
last year, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
In that story, which is a medieval romance,
Gawain was a Knight of the Round Table,
and thought to be the most pure, honorable
knight of them all. However, as Gawain
went on his quest to find the Green Knight,
his fear of death caused him to succumb to
temptation and lie. This also showed the
idea that no one is perfect, and everyone
has the capacity for “darkness” in them,
even the most honorable of characters.