Lake Nona High School Summer Reading
English I: Maze Runner by James Dashner
Assignment: Dialectical Journal for EACH novel. Be prepared to take a test the first week of school.
While we urge you to start early to avoid rushing to finish the assignment in the last week before school starts, make sure
that you don’t read it so early in the summer that you won’t remember the important details for the test when you return.
A dialectical journal is another form for a double entry journal or a reader response journal. Dialectical note taking records
a dialogue, or conversation, between the ideas in the text (the words that you are reading) and your own ideas. The
dialectical journal help you the reader do a “close read” of the text. In other words, you will be holding a discussion with
yourself on key points, asking questions, and reacting to particular phrases that drew your attention. As the reader, you
will choose significant passages from the text to enter into the journal.
Directions:
While you are reading, choose a passage from each chapter that stands out to you and record it in the left hand column.
In the right hand column, write your response to the text.
You must write:
1. In the left column copy the quotation or passage from the text, include the chapter and page number.
2. In the right column,
a. State the meaning of the quote or summarize/paraphrase it.
b. Analyze the quote. Why does the quote matter? Why is it important? How does it support my position?
c. Your response should be thoughtful and insightful.
3. Your journal should be handwritten, NOT typed.
4. It must be an original response (Copying from a friend or Internet will render your assignment a “0” grade).
*Cheating in any form will result in an “F” on this assignment.
Look for quotes that seem significant, powerful, thoughtprovoking or puzzling. For example, you might record:
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How to respond meaningfully to quotes:
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Effective and/or creative use of stylistic or literary
devices
Passages that remind you of your own life or something
you’ve seen before
Structural shifts or turns in the plot
A passage that makes you realize something you
hadn’t seen before
Examples of patterns: recurring images, ideas, colors,
symbols or motifs.
Passages with confusing language or unfamiliar
vocabulary, but make sure you strive to make sense of
them, don’t just write “I didn’t get this part”
Events you find surprising or confusing
Evidence of theme, tone, mood, character
development, plot complication, setting significance,
etc.
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Analyze and evaluate the beliefs and values implied in
the text
Discuss what makes the quote or passage meaningful,
striking, or important
Discuss how the passage illustrates a larger theme in
the book
Discuss the character’s role and/or the values of the
character
Comment on the relevance of a passage to its historical
context or to the present
Analyze how the use of literary devices (tone, structure,
style, imagery) affects meaning
Make connections between different characters or
events in the text
Make connections to a different text
Research a particular allusion to a historical event or
person and comment on its meaning within the text
Sample:
Quote
“While the books went up in sparkling whirls and blew
away on a wind turned dark with burning.
Montag grinned the fierce grin of all men singed and
driven back by flame.” (Ch 4, p4-5)
Response
I thought this quote was important because it seems to
me that he is a firefighter from the previous
description, but he seems to be happy that the books
are burning. The quote describes how the books were
burning using descriptive words like “sparkling
whirls.” I would think that a firefighter would be sad to
see something burning. Why isn’t he trying to put out
the fire? Why is he grinning?