Dialectical Journals

HOW CAN CULTURE BOND OR DIVIDE HUMAN BEING?

The term “Dialectic” means “the art or practice of arriving at the truth by using conversation involving
question and answer.” Think of your dialectical journal as a series of conversations with the texts we
read during this Unit. The process is meant to help you develop a better understanding of the texts we
read. Use your journal to incorporate your personal responses to the texts, your ideas about the themes
we cover and our class discussions. You will find that it is a useful way to process what you’re reading,
prepare yourself for group discussion, and gather textual evidence for your Literary Analysis
assignments.

Procedure
○ As you read, choose passages that stand out to you. Record them in the left-hand column of a T-
Chart. (ALWAYS include page numbers.)
○ In the right-hand column write your responses to the text (ideas, insights, questions, reflections,
and comments on each passage).
○ Label your responses using the following codes:
➢ (C) Connect - make a connection to your life, the world, or another text
➢ (CL) Clarify - make a statement or idea less confusing or more clear
➢ (R) Reflect - think deeply about what the passage means in a broad sense - not just the
characters in the story. What conclusions can you draw about the world, about human
nature, or just the way things work?
➢ (E) Evaluate - make a judgement about the character(s), their actions, or what the
author is trying to say
○ Provide at least six (6) entries. Each entry must be at least 5 sentences long.

Sample Dialectical Journal Entry: The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien
Passages from the Text Pg. # Your Response

“...they carried like freight trains; they
carried it on their backs and shoulders--
and for all the ambiguities of Vietnam,
all the mysteries and unknowns, there
was at least the single abiding certainty
that they would never be at a loss for
things to carry.”
(R) O’Brien chooses to end the first section of the novel with
this sentence. He provides excellent visual details of what each
soldier in Vietnam would carry for day-to-day fighting. He
pg. 2 makes you feel the physical weight of what soldiers have to
carry for simple survival. When you combine the emotional
weight of loved ones at home, the fear of death, and the
responsibility for the men you fight with, with this physical
weight, you start to understanding what soldiers in Vietnam
dealt with every day. The quote sums up the confusion that the
men felt about the reasons they were fighting the war, and
how they clung to the only certainty -- things they had to carry
-- in a confusing world where normal rules were suspended.
 Dialectical Journal #1
HOW CAN CULTURE BOND OR DIVIDE HUMAN BEING?

Passages from the Text Pg. # Your Response

“...He was a man of action, a man of war.
Unlike his father he could stand the look
of blood. In Umuofia’s latest war he was
the first bring home a human head. That
was his fifth head; and he was not old
man yet.”
10 (E) In this passage, author wanted to describe the different of
behavior of Okonkwo and his father. According to the text,
author shown the character of Okonkwo as he was young and
strong man by comparing to his father. Okonkwo’s father was
described as a coward person because he really dislike the war
and death. Different from Okonkwo that the author described
him as a hero who brought the victory to the village. Apart
from the character’s behavior, this passage was also shown the
unique of Igbo culture that they considered their enemies head
as a reward of the fighter. Commented [1]: I like this response, but it seems like
an (R).

An (E) response will judge or evaluate the passage.


Passages from the Text
Okonkwo was inwardly pleased at his
son’s development, and he knew it was
due to Ikemefuna. He wanted Nwoye to
grow into a tough young man capable of
ruling his father’s household when he
was dead and gone to join the ancestors.
He wanted him to be a prosperous man,
having enough in his barn to feed the
ancestor with regular sacrifices. And so
he was always happy when he heard him
grumbling about women.
Dialectical Journal #3
Passages from the Text
Dialectical Journal #2
Pg. # Your Response
p.53 (R) This passage illustrated Okonkwo’s parental side toward
his son, Nwoye. Even Okonkwo was described at the first three
chapters that he was an emotionless man, but inwardly he still
love his son. Every parents might love their children but it
depended on how they shown it out. Similar to Okonkwo, he
truly love his son but he was not good at showing off. From
this reason, it caused the contradiction between emotion and
behavior of Okonkwo. According to this passage, in perspective
of Okonkwo, he very proud in his son, Nwoye, because of the
development that the son has made. He also created some of
expectations about the future of Nwoye that he would be
affluent and trustable person. Observation and expectation
were the basic stuff that every parent would had. Even
Okonkwo were terrible at showing emotion, but however he
would probably be a good parent. Inwardly, Okonkwo was still
love and care about his children definitely. Commented [2]: Good response.
One thing you've missed is how Okonkwo is "happy"
with Nwoye complains about women. How terrible!
Pg. # Your Response
 Dialectical Journal #4
Passages from the Text
After the singing the interpreter spoke
about the Son of God whose name was
Jesus Kristi. Okonkwo, who only stayed
in the hope that it might come to
chasing the men out of the village or
whipping them, now said:
“ You told us with your own mouth that
there was only one god. Now you talk
about his son. He must have a wife,
then.” The crowd agreed.
“I did not say He had a wife,” said the
interpreter, somewhat lamely...
Pg. # Your Response
149 (CL) This misunderstanding scene happens because the
different culture of Igbo and white people. Igbo people, most
of them spend their life with nature, also, their huts and
habitat mostly located in forest. Then, their believe and culture
probably influenced by the nature. Likewise the belief of
people in Umuofia and Mbanta that they believe about the god
of nature. Most of the god in believe of Igbo people come from
natural element, for instance, Oracle of cave, god of rock, and
sacred python. Accordingly, it is hard to make Igbo people
understand about Christianity and the spirit of god. About
Jesus Kristi who has been mentioned in this paragraph, he is
known as the son of god in Christianity. Generally, either son
or daughter, both of them is needed to come for the
fertilization of their parents. And these is also what Okonkwo
believe. But in case of Jesus Kristi, it totally far away from the
general concept. Because of the belief of Christian that they
believe the god is so immaculate then god cannot have any
sexual relation with female. There is impossible that god will
have a child and also overthrow the general idea of having
children. The confusion of child of god caused
misunderstanding concept to Okonkwo. To explain why
Okonkwo does not understand the concept, that is because
Okonkwo has a strong and constance mind. Therefore, it is
hard to convince him to believe in the thing that he has ever
seen it before.
 Dialectical Journal #5

Passages from the Text Pg. # Your Response

 Dialectical Journal #6

Passages from the Text Pg. # Your Response