Dialectical Journal for the Outsiders

PROMPT - How does Robert Cormier use conflict and characterization to reveal the themes of his novel The Rag and Bone Shop?

Dialectical Journal for Theme in Rag and Bone Shop

Analysis of Theme Journal Procedure: In the left hand column  Record evidence that supports a thematic idea in a text you are studying.  Note the context of the evidence from the text.  Use quotation marks around quotes, and note the page numbers on which they appear. In the right hand column  Explain how the evidence connects to the theme.

Thematic idea: Various things can give people power, and once they have that power, they can use it for constructive or destructive purposes.

Evidence (quote or detail and context) Commentary Quote: “Remembering what Bobo had done to Rebecca and all his other mean stuff, Jason hit Bobo with his clenched fist, astonishing himself as well as Bobo…Jason was swept with a thrilling sense of triumph and stood there grinning” (25)

Context:

Quote: “Carl became conscious of the gun in his hand, felt suddenly the power of his position. What it must feel like to be God” (6).

Context:

Quote: “Trent knew that this was the moment of decision, to go on or to stop. Simple, really. Dismiss the boy and send him back to his everyday, ordinary life not knowing the fate he had just missed. Or should he dig deeper? Call upon all of his own cunning and experience to find out if evil did lurk in the boy…”(133).

Context: Thematic idea: ______.

Evidence (quote or detail and context) Commentary Quote:

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