Intersession assignment: The Scarlet Letter

DIALECTICAL JOURNALS
DUE October 12, 2010

DIRECTIONS: Keep a dialectical journal as you read all of THE SCARLET LETTER by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The minimum number of responses for the book’s twenty-four chapters is 48!

A dialectical journal is like a conversation between you and the book itself: Not you and the characters. The term “dialectic” means “the art or practice of arriving at the truth by using conversation involving question and answer.” The process is meant to help you develop a better understanding of the text and gather textual evidence for your Rhetorical Analysis assignments.

PROCEDURE:
o As you read, choose passages that stand out to you and record them in the left-hand column of a T-chart (ALWAYS include page numbers).
o In the right column, write your response to the text (ideas/insights,
questions, reflections, and comments on each passage)
o Label your responses using the following codes: (Be sure your responses are not all one or two. Attempt at least two of each one.)
o (Q) Question - ask about something in the passage that is unclear
o (C) Connect - make a connection to your life, the world, or another text
o (P) Predict - anticipate what will occur based on what's in the passage
o (CL) Clarify - answer earlier questions or confirm/disaffirm a prediction
o (R) Reflect - think deeply about what the passage means in a broad sense - not just to the characters in the story. What conclusions can you draw about the world, about human nature, or just the way things work?
o (E) Evaluate - make a judgment about the character(s), their actions, or what
the author is trying to say
o MUST BE WORD-PROCESSED!

Sample Dialectical Journal entry: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Quotations
“When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow . . . (3).


(My Note: I have not included the entire
quotation to which I am referring. Instead, I
use an ellipsis [ . . . ] to quote only the part
that is most important to what I want to talk
about.)

Response
I remember breaking my foot before a choir concert. I was not feeling well and had to leave the risers before a concert. When I was hopping down from the third riser, I landed on the side of my foot and broke it. All I cared about when I was recovering was being able to walk without crutches or a walking cast again. This seems to be how Jem kind of feels. (Making a Connection)

CHOOSING PASSAGES FROM THE TEXT:
Look for quotes that seem significant, powerful, thought provoking or puzzling. For example, you might record:

o Effective &/or creative use of stylistic or literary devices
o Passages that remind you of your own life or something you've seen before
o Structural shifts or turns in the plot
o A passage that makes you realize something you hadn't seen before
o Examples of patterns: recurring images, ideas, colors, symbols or motifs.
o Passages with confusing language or unfamiliar vocabulary
o Events you find surprising or confusing
o Passages that illustrate a particular character or setting

RESPONDING TO THE TEXT:
You can respond to the text in a variety of ways. The most important thing to remember is that your observations should be specific and detailed. You can write as much as you want for each entry.

Basic Responses
o Raise questions about the beliefs and values implied in the text
o Give your personal reactions to the passage
o Discuss the words, ideas, or actions of the author or character(s)
o Tell what it reminds you of from your own experiences
o Write about what it makes you think or feel
o Agree or disagree with a character or the author

*

Higher Level Responses
o Analyze the text for use of literary devices (tone, structure, style, imagery)
o Make connections between different characters or events in the text
o Make connections to a different text (or film, song, etc…)
o Discuss the words, ideas, or actions of the author or character(s)
o Consider an event or description from the perspective of a different character
o Analyze a passage and its relationship to the story as a whole

Vocabulary List 3: Due October 15th

Alacrity eagerness; enthusiasm; quickness
Burgeon grow; flourish; put forth new shoots
Deleterious harmful
Euphemism a polite phrase to cover something unpleasant
Hypocritical insincere
Lethargic tired; without energy
Ogle stare at; observe in an obvious manner
Postulate hypothesize; propose
Robust strong; healthy; tough
Tractable obedient; dutiful; polite
Burnish polish
Euphony pleasant sounds
Levity flippancy; joking about serious matters
Olfactory concerned with the sense of smell
Potable suitable for drinking
Rotund round
Alibi an excuse that shows someone was not at a crime scene
Buttress strengthen; support
Delineation demarcation; explanation; definition; outlining
Evacuate vacate; empty; abandon
Potent powerful; compelling; strong
Ruminate think over something; ponder
Transcribe copy
Allay to lessen
Exacerbate make worse
Liniment soothing lotion
Pragmatic practical
Ruse trick; stratagem
Transgress go astray; disobey; commit a sin
Alleviate make less severe
Cacophony discordant loud noises
Denounce condemn; speak out against
Exasperated frustrated; annoyed
Lithe flexible; supple
Pragmatist practical person; one who is concerned with usefulness
Saccharin falsely sweet
Aloof distant; detached; cold
Cajole coax
Livid very angry
Preamble introductory material
Sacrosanct very holy; inviolable
Traverse to move across
Altruism putting others first; being self-sacrificing
Caldron huge cooking pot
Deplore regret
Exculpate free someone from blame; pardon; acquit
Onus burden
Precarious unstable; risky
Sagacious wise
Trepidation fear
Amass accumulate
Depravity moral corruption
Execrable very, very bad
Immoderate excessive; extreme
Lofty snooty; arrogant; haughty
Precedent a previous occurrence used as a guide
Sage a wise person
Trinket something of little value; knick-knack
Deprecate criticize; denounce
Immutable unchanging; permanent
Longevity long life
Opulent wealthy; rich; magnificent
Precept guiding principle
Salacious lecherous; erotic
Trite unoriginal; dull
Candor frankness; openness
Deride ridicule; make fun of; mock
Exemplary outstandingly good; setting a fine example
Impartial unbiased; neutral
Precinct district of a city
Sallow yellowish
Trivial unimportant