Dialectical Journal guidelines

DIALECTICAL JOURNAL – The Book Thief

A dialectical journal is a type of multi-column, conversational note-taking. It will help you develop critical reading and reflective questioning. In your journal, have a conversation with the text and with yourself – The Book Thief is the perfect book for this type of conversation. Write down your thoughts, questions, insights, and ideas while you read. The most important part is that, while reading, you are responding to the text with what’s on your mind while you are reading.

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Make three columns on your paper (may use landscape or portrait layout).  Two journals per page only. (See sample)
2. In the LEFT COLUMN, you will record 25 “quotes” (phrases, descriptions, quotes, etc…) that you think are interesting or important. These must be quoted, and can include: important conversations, symbols, setting descriptions, characterization elements, plot details, etc.
3. In the MIDDLE COLUMN, identify the “HOW” or the literary devices utilized in your evidence Example: DIDLS (specify which one: Diction, Imagery, Detail, Language, Syntax), point of view, tone, symbol, motif, characterization, simile, metaphor, irony, hyperbole, pun, understatement, etc.
4. In the RIGHT COLUMN, write down YOUR OWN commentary and questions about the evidence in the LEFT COLUMN. Consider these types of commentary:

 Each entry in the right column must fill up the entire half page.

~ Higher Level Responses should:
Analyze the text for use of literary devices (tone, structure, style, imagery)
Make connections between different characters or events in the text
Make connections to a different text (or film, song, etc…)
Make connections to historical and modern events and media
Discuss the words, ideas, or motivations of the author or character(s)
Consider an event or description from the perspective of a different character
Analyze a passage and its relationship to the story as a whole

Additional Notes:

 These journals are meant to show your involvement in and connection to the text. Remember that you are not writing to me! Don’t write what you think I want you to write. Write what you feel led to write from and about the text. Pretend you are talking to the author, a friend, a character in the story, etc…

 If you get stuck and can’t think of anything to write, try: what you like/dislike about a certain scene/description, what seems confusing, what seems unusual, what you think something means, what personal connections you make, what predictions you can pose…

Possible Journal Starters:
 I really like/dislike this idea because…
 This idea is important to me because…
 This passage reminds me of a time in my life when…
 If I were (name of character), at this point I would…
 This character reminds me of (name of person) because…

KEEP SCROLLING FOR EXAMPLES… 

Some more examples from: (These are both from GREAT novels!)

Book: Ethan Frome Author: Edith Wharton
Quote
“HOW”
Commentary
“Ethan made a pretext of getting up to replenish the stove, and when he returned to his seat he pushed it sideways that he might get a view of her profile and of the lamplight falling on her hand. The cat, who had been a puzzled observer of these usual movements, jumped up into Zeena’s chair, rolled itself into a ball, and lay watching them with narrowed eyes.” pg. 78 symbol, imagery irony
This passage struck me as all at once frustrating and completely telling. Here they are finally alone and all Ethan wants is to look at Mattie, but the only seat near her is Zeena’s rocker and her presence is so strong there that Mattie can’t stand to sit in it. He tries to get inconspicuously closer to Mattie by getting up to replenish the stove, but is only able to push his seat close enough to see her profile and the lamp on her hand. The image it puts in my mind is vivid and haunting, and even though Zeena is not there the cat is their almost as her spirit that will never let them be truly alone. The “narrowed eyes” puts to my mind a spy as if Zeena instructed the cat to “keep an eye on those two.” They feel watched and wicked for even sharing the same close space.

Book: Touching Spirit Bear Author: Ben Mikaelsen
“Indians don’t own trees or the right to carve. Carve anything you want. Your totem is your story, your search, and your past. Everybody has their own. That’s why you carve. That’s why you live life – to discover and create your own story.” pg. 183
Imagery, metaphor
I am so curious now to learn the history and meaning behind a totem pole. I have always been fascinated with Native American culture, their myths and rituals. Carving or even creating a totem to represent my life is something that I would one day love to do. For Cole, it is about finding out who he really is and to breakdown all the barriers of his anger and his past, but I think that a totem can also be an expression of the joys of life, just as any art form can be. I also love the metaphor of the totem being your search and your discovery. We are all continually searching for that ultimate happiness or contentment and writing, painting, or carving… they can all offer reflection through that process.