The Assignment
Students will prepare a two-column dialectical journal for the novel and complete an entry for the journal around every 60 pages.
Students should include a correct MLA in-text citation for each piece of textual evidence.
Dialectical journals must be in 12-point Times New Roman font.
Review the Dialectical Journal Entry Example at the bottom of this page (click on the image to expand) to learn both the format of the dialectical journals and the depth of commentary expected.
Commentary should be substantial, focusing on analysis, inference, and connections. Be wary of restating and summarizing. Commentary needs to consist of at least 5-6 sentences.
Literary Terms and Devices to Discuss in Dialectical Journals
This by no means a complete list. Students may choose to discuss other literary or rhetorical devices as well.
Theme/Motif
When identifying quotes for a motif, look for quotes that identify a central idea within a text. Ex. One motif found in Romeo and Juliet is love. The theme is not to be confused with the motif. The theme is often a statement of the general topic of discussion or moral. Ex. The motif of Romeo and Juliet is love but a theme might be something like, “young love can be rash” or “passion blinds us to the truth”, etc.
Common motifs found in I am Malala to help guide your thinking:
Education as power or a weapon
Freedom of nonconformity
Family values
Women’s rights
Courage
Activism and change
Coming of age
Characterization
The methods a writer uses to reveal the personality of a character. In direct characterization the writer makes direct statements about a character’s personality. In indirect characterization the writer reveals a character’s personality through the character’s words and actions and through what other characters think and say about the character.
Literary Terms
This can include simile, metaphor, foreshadowing, flashback, alliteration, allusion, imagery, irony, personification, mood, point of view, oxymoron, tone, diction, hyperbole, symbolism, etc.
