The Great Gatsby Dialectical Journal Analysis

#8: “The stars were shining, and the leaves rustled in the woods ever so mournful; and I heard an owl, away off, who-whooing about somebody that was dead, and a dog crying about somebody that was going to die, and the wind was trying to whisper something to me, and I couldn’t make out what it was, and so it made the cold shivers run over me. Then away out in the woods I heard that kind of a sound that a ghost makes when it wants to tell about something that’s on its mind and can’t make itself understood, and so can’t rest easy in its grave, and has to go about that way every night grieving. I got so down hearted and scared I did wish I had some company” (13).
Characterization (Huck): In the earliest pages of the book, it is evident that
Vocabulary (tanned): The word “tanned” originated from the word tanner, which means someone who converts animal skin into leather by burning it with harsh chemicals. As a result, in this line, Huck states that he was “tanned”, or beaten severely. This harsh definition further recognizes the struggles Huck went through as a child and how poorly he was treated by his father. It also gives more insight to the reader of how horrible Pap was to Huck and helps the reader understand why Huck is much kinder and accepting than most white
I took fish lines and matches and other things-everything that was worth a cent. I cleaned out the place. I wanted an ax, but there wasn’t any, only the one out at the woodpile, and I knowed why I was going to leave that. I fetched out the gun, and now I was done” (43).
Vocab: When Twain describes Huck’s preparation for leaving his father, it is evident the time and effort he goes through to make his plan work. He uses sufficient vocabulary to describe all of the things Huck takes for his journey which reveals a lot about his character. Huck is an intelligent boy and will do anything he can to achieve freedom. He is strong, resilient and knows he has to create a well, thought out plan in order to escape his