Dialectical Journal Responses
A dialectical journal is an interaction between you and the written word. As you read a novel, look for passages
that interest you, bother you, make you angry, or enlighten you. Look for examples of characterization, setting,
imagery, theme, interesting language (diction), and unusual sentence structure (syntax).
Divide your paper into three columns. The middle column should be narrow. On the left, write out the section of
the text to which you are responding, with the author’s last name and page number. Do not just write the page
number! Write out the exact words, using quotation marks. In the middle column, write the concept you are
discussing (mood, tone, theme, characterization, diction, syntax, etc.). In the right column, respond to the
author’s words. Your response should consist of at least three sentences and must show a thoughtful connection
to the chosen text. You might want to comment on diction (word choice), syntax, theme, character
development, symbolism, figurative language, or any other aspect of the text that deserves discussion. Avoid
general comments such as, “The diction is nice and flows smoothly.” Work to make your responses specific and
relevant. Do not simply summarize the plot!
For visual learners, here are examples:
Quote
“During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless
day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds
hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been
passing alone, on horseback, through a singularly
dreary tract of country, and at length found
myself, as the shades of the evening drew on,
within view of the melancholy House of
Usher…I reined in my horse to the precipitous
brink of a black and lurid tarn that lay in
unruffled luster by the dwelling…(with) vacant
and eve-like windows” (Poe 126).
“Go! Freak is yelling. He’s right behind you, go!
I can’t look back but I can feel him, feel the icycold breath of him on the back of my neck, and
the hands reaching blind to grab me and then I’m
going up the stairs, just flying. The steps are
breaking under my feet and he’s howling in rage
behind me, his hands are scrabbling at my ankles
and for just a second he has me” (Philbrick 132).
“This one day just before school was supposed to
start I was moping around the back yard and
thinking again how pointless and stupid
everything was and Grim comes over and says,
‘You know what? Most of us go all the way
through like and we never have a friend like
Kevin.’ So maybe you should count yourself
lucky” (Philbrick 159).
Device/
Strategy
Tone,
diction,
mood
Syntax,
diction,
mood
Theme
Analysis
This passage uses diction to create its
melancholic, somber tone. Words such as
“dull,” “dark,” and “dreary” suggest an
oppressive atmosphere. “Vacant and eye-like
windows” creates the solemn, depressing tone.
Diction such as this establishes the dark mood
for the rest of the chapter.
In this passage, the author uses many short
phrases set off by exclamation points and
commas to create a suspenseful mood and sense
of urgency. In addition, the dangerous,
suspenseful mood is established through the
careful choice of diction such as “howling in
rage,” “scrabbling” and “icy cold.” These
words have negative connotations in this
context. The passage would have been much
less intense and meaningful had the author
simply wrote “Killer Kane yelled and tried to
grab Max.”
This passage contributes to the theme of
friendship in the novel. The author suggests that
friendship is an important part of life that
people should cherish and be thankful for—one
cannot know how much time you have to spend
with them. Although people must deal with
loss, as Max does, the good experiences and
memories are worth the pain.