Dialectical Journal Response

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 Device/ Analysis Strategy “During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless Tone, This passage uses diction to create its day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds diction, melancholic, somber tone. Words such as hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been mood “dull,” “dark,” and “dreary” suggest an passing alone, on horseback, through a singularly oppressive atmosphere. “Vacant and eye-like dreary tract of country, and at length found windows” creates the solemn, depressing tone. myself, as the shades of the evening drew on, Diction such as this establishes the dark mood within view of the melancholy House of Usher… for the rest of the chapter. 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! Syntax, In this passage, the author uses many short I can’t look back but I can feel him, feel the icy- diction, phrases set off by exclamation points and cold breath of him on the back of my neck, and mood commas to create a suspenseful mood and sense the hands reaching blind to grab me and then I’m of urgency. In addition, the dangerous, going up the stairs, just flying. The steps are suspenseful mood is established through the breaking under my feet and he’s howling in rage careful choice of diction such as “howling in behind me, his hands are scrabbling at my ankles rage,” “scrabbling” and “icy cold.” These and for just a second he has me” (Philbrick 132). 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 one day just before school was supposed to Theme This passage contributes to the theme of start I was moping around the back yard and friendship in the novel. The author suggests that thinking again how pointless and stupid friendship is an important part of life that people everything was and Grim comes over and says, should cherish and be thankful for—one cannot ‘You know what? Most of us go all the way know how much time you have to spend with through like and we never have a friend like them. Although people must deal with loss, as Kevin.’ So maybe you should count yourself Max does, the good experiences and memories lucky” (Philbrick 159). are worth the pain.