Dialectical Journal Writing
Dialectical: adj., of or related to discussion, debate, or reasoning
Journal: noun, a first person written record of events
As you read a work of literature, if you are truly engaged in what you are reading, and not distracted
by other stimuli, your brain will do what it naturally does every conscience moment - it analyzes and
interprets the sensory input it receives. Your brain will initiate a dialogue (a discussion, a dialectic)
with itself about what you have decided to read.
So, how do you successfully read anything, especially a major work, like a novel?
a) To begin, make the book the ONLY sensory input your brain gives attention. Stop confusing it
by trying to “multi-task.” Your brain cannot multi-task when it comes to conscious analysis.
Try it, and you will probably just make a mess of the multiple mental tasks you are attempting.
So, do your brain a favor, turn everything and everyone else OFF and FOCUS on the reading
task. Actually READ.
b) Now that you are focused, let your mind go to work. Let it start talking –about the book (and
only ideas connected to the book) Nothing else. Let your mind ask questions, predict future
events, interpret possible meanings, and evaluate philosophical truth. Let it create visual
images to go with the written words. Let your mind use your emotional intelligence to reflect
on meaningful past personal experiences. Let it formulate a reasoned opinion about issues
and conflicts presented. Let your mind make connections between this work and other
literary works you have read in the past - or to other topics you have studied. Very
importantly, every so often, let it pause to summarize what it has read. The brain needs to do
this to anchor the important items firmly in its memory.
So, you already do ALL of these things? Great! If not, then start now.
c) Finally, as your mind interacts with the book, create a written record of this dialogue you are
having with yourself about what you are reading. In other words, keep a dialectical journal.
The following two pages will provide specific guidelines and examples for creating a dialectical journal
for the novel, The Jungle.
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Please READ the guidelines below and follow them EXACTLY.
1. The Jungle is 31 chapters long. You will make at least one journal entry for each and every
chapter for a passing grade on the project.
2. You may make a maximum of two entries for a chapter for a top grade on the project.
3. Clearly separate each chapter entry from the next – possibly even ONE chapter per page of
paper. Neatness helps me grade fairly and accurately. It’s hard to assess a mess. 
4. You may handwrite or type your entries.
5. Write neatly in INK. If you cannot do this, then TYPE.
6. If handwritten, you may use loose-leaf notebook paper, a spiral, or a composition book.
7. Create a cover page for your journal. It should include the title and author of the book, your
name and class information, etc. You could illustrate if desired.
8. For each chapter, you will create a two column chart. Write the chapter number at the top of
the chart (see examples on following pages).
9. In the left column, you will copy a passage from the chapter (between 20 – 100 words). This
should be a passage that engaged you in a meaningful way – something that caused you to
stop and think and react. Quote accurately.
10. Cite the page number of the book in parentheses at the end of the quoted passage.
11. In the right column, you will write your response to the passage you quoted on the left. This is
the discussion – the dialectic. Your response should be at least 20 words and written in clear
complete sentences. Below are the various ways in which you might respond to your chosen
passage. You should use a variety of these types of responses throughout your interaction
with the book. When finished, you should have used all types at least once.
 Question (Ask about facts or events that perplex, confuse, or intrigue you.)
 Analyze (Examine the complex way in which parts of the story fit together.)
 Interpret (Explore the possible meaning of characters’ words or actions.)
 Evaluate (Make a judgment about the morality or wisdom of character’s actions.)
 Reflect (Express personal thoughts or emotions elicited by a character or event.)
 Connect (Explain a connection to another work of literature or subject matter.)
 Create (Express your visual interpretation with an illustration or graphic item.)
 Summarize (Restate a brief synopsis of key events in the chapter.)
 Predict (Describe the possible future outcomes of an event.)
Grading scale: This scale assumes that all entries are complete and well done. NO credit will be given
for a quoted passage in the left column that is not accompanied by a full response in the right side
column. Maximum score is 110.
Number of
entries
20
25
30
35
40
42
46
2
Grade
48
60
72
84
96
101
110
Below are examples of the journal format, with examples of various types of responses. The passages are
taken from John Green’s excellent novel, The Fault in Our Stars, which you should read sometime. (Just
saying.) Be sure to give the page number and indicate what kind of response you are making to the passage.
Chapter 1
Passage from the Text
Response
Whenever you read a cancer
booklet or website or whatever, they
always list depression among the
side effects of cancer. But, in fact,
depression is not a side effect of
cancer. Depression is a side effect
of dying.
(p. 3)
(Reflection) I wonder if I would be
depressed if I were diagnosed with
a terminal illness. My best friend
has cancer, but she’s fighting it.
She cried and cried at first, but
then she simply decided that she
would live the best she could with
it. When I visit her, she’s always
happy and joking as usual. I’m the
one who gets depressed and cries.
Chapter 2
Passage from the Text
Response
My favorite book, by a wide
margin, was An Imperial
Affliction. . . . Sometimes you read
a book and it fills you with this
weird evangelical zeal, and you
become convinced that the
shattered world will never be put
back together unless and until all
living humans read the book.
(p. 33)
(Connection) That’s how I felt
about To Kill a Mockingbird when I
first read it. No wonder it won the
Pulitzer Prize for literature, and
the movie won the Oscar the next
year. Harper Lee always said she
only had one good book in her.
She had agonized writing TKAM
because every sentence, every word,
had to be perfect. Last week the
world learned there was a 2nd book
all along – to be published in the
summer of 2015!!!!!
Chapter 3
Passage from the Text
Response
My mom was really into celebration
maximization. It’s Arbor Day! Let’s
hug trees and eat cake! Columbus
brought small pox to the natives;
We shall recall the occasion with a
picnic!
(p. 40)
(Question) Has Hazel’s mom
always been this big on
celebrations, or is it just because
she is afraid her daughter is dying
and won’t live to enjoy many more
special occasions with the family?
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Chapter 4
Passage from the Text
Response
When I was a little kid, I would
wade in the White River with my
dad and there was always this
great moment when he would
throw me up in the air, just toss me
away from him, and I would reach
out my arms as I flew and he would
reach out his arms, and then we
would both see that our arms were
not going to touch and no one was
going to catch me, and it would
kind of scare the shit out of both of
us in the best possible way . . .
(p. 54)
(Analysis) John Green allows
Hazel to tell about this childhood
memory to show how we must all
face a time in our lives when our
parents cannot protect us from
harm. It’s okay, even fun, to be
scared when you know you’re not
really in danger. Hazel and her
parents must all be terrified of the
possibility of her death. It’s real
danger and they must be
frightened in the worst possible
way.
Chapter 5
Passage from the Text
Response
I wonder, though, if you would
mind answering a couple questions
I have about what happens after
the end of the novel. I understand
the book ends because Anna dies or
becomes too ill to continue writing
it, but I would really like to know
what happens to Anna’s mom –
whether she married the Dutch
Tulip Man, whether she ever has
another child. . . . What happens to
Anna’s friends . . . ?
(p. 70)
(Interpretation) I think Hazel is
so concerned about the end of her
favorite book because she believes
she will die just as Anna did.
Anna’s story ends with Anna’s
death and Hazel’s story will end
with Hazel’s death. Perhaps when
we face our impending death, our
greatest concern will be what
becomes of those we leave behind.
Hazel is not really worried about
Anna’s survivors. She is worried
about the family and friends she
will leave behind.
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Chapter 11
Passage from the Text
Response
One might marvel at the insanity
of the situation: A mother sends
her sixteen-year-old daughter
alone with a seventeen-year-old
boy out into a foreign city famous
for its permissiveness.
(p.159)
(Prediction) I think there’s a
strong possibility that these two are
going to wind up having sex. They
are both probably not going to
survive into adulthood. They are
in a very romantic city, and they
are probably going to have the
opportunity at some point during
the trip.
Chapter 12
Passage from the Text
Response
“Peter,” Lidewij said, but he
continued as he reclined there, his
words getting rounder in his
drunken mouth. “Sick children
inevitably become arrested: You are
fated to live out your days as the
child you were when diagnosed, the
child who believes there is life after
a novel ends. And we, as adults, we
pity this, so we pay for your
treatments, for your oxygen
machines. We give you food and
water though you are unlikely to
live long enough –“
(p. 192)
(Evaluation) Lidewij is a horrible
person. Can’t he see how cruel his
words are to Hazel. She is looking
for some kind of hope and he offers
her nothing. Clearly he has
suffered the death of a beloved
child, but that does not give him
the right to be cruel to others.
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Chapter 13
Passage from the Text
Response
Much of my life had been devoted
to trying not to cry in front of
people who loved me, so I knew
what Augustus was doing. You
clench your teeth. You look up. You
tell yourself that if they see you cry
it will hurt them, and you will be
nothing but a Sadness in their lives
. . . He flashed his cooked smile,
then said, “I lit up like a Christmas
tree, Hazel Grace. The lining of my
chest, my left hip, my liver,
everywhere.”
I’ll never
look at
Christmas
trees the
same way
again.
(pp. 213-214)
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