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Nonfiction Dialectical Journal Entries

Dialectical Journal Entry Directions:

● Typed in chart provided
● 1 Dialectical Journal entry of 2 quotes and responses per reading check
○ (3 reading checks, each with 2 responses. 6 responses in total)
● Data passages must be directly quoted and include a citation
● Commentary should be at least 3 sentences
● Commentary must address the following questions:
Thematic topic/literary device you are focusing on
What is the context of the quote?
Why is the passage important to the novel as a whole? This is where you
discuss the literary device or thematic topic in depth.
How does the passage connect to another text (book, song, movie, etc.), to
your own life, OR to the world?

Example Dialectical Journal using “Fish Cheeks”:

Data passage cited from text Commentary

“What would Robert think of our shabby Chinese
Christmas? What would he think of our noisy
Chinese relatives who lacked proper American
manners? What terrible disappointment would he
feel upon seeing not a roasted turkey and sweet
potatoes but Chinese food?” (Tan 1).
This passage shows the narrator as being extremely worried
about how her crush might perceive her family and their culture.
At this point, she is running through all the different things that he
may find “weird” or “different” about them during their joint
Christmas. The use of these rhetorical questions shows that the
narrator is self-conscious about her family and their cultural
customs. As she sees it, her family is the opposite of what she
thinks Robert’s must be like. This shows that she feels she is
different than Robert. This is similar to many high schoolers’
experiences with a crush. Oftentimes a person gets too caught
up in what could go wrong rather than trying to stay positive.

Follow your nonfiction reading schedule document on Schoology for assigned reading check breakdown

Entries for reading check #1: DUE TO TURNITIN.COM ON THURSDAY 11/09 BY 8 AM

Assigned chapters/pages: 1-69 (1-11)
Data passage cited from text.
Remember to cite author’s last name and page number.
Example:
“Only the faintest glimmers of firefly light appeared in
flickers behind the windows” (Bradbury 1).
Commentary (you do not need to color code).
Thematic topic/literary device you are focusing on
What is the context of the quote?
Why is the passage important to the novel as a whole? This is where
you discuss the literary device or thematic topic in depth.
How does the passage connect to another text (book, song, movie, etc.),
to your own life, OR to the world?
Entry #1: “My father, a simple principal, was
taking on the two most powerful and
dangerous forces in the country. And my
mother was standing by him” (Yousafzai 49).
Entry #2: “A funeral for one of the victims of
their last attack was being held in a nearby
building. As the mourners gathered to pay
their respects, a suicide bomber blasted
himself. More than fifty-five people were
killed” (Yousafzai 63-64).
Entries for reading check #2: DUE TO TURNITIN.COM ON TUESDAY 11/28 BY 8 AM
Assigned chapters/pages: 69-138 (11-25)
Data passage cited from text.
Remember to cite author’s last name and page number.
Example:
“Only the faintest glimmers of firefly light appeared in
flickers behind the windows” (Bradbury 1).
Entry #1:
Entry #2:
Entries for reading check #3: DUE TO TURNITIN.COM ON MONDAY 12/04 BY 8 AM
Assigned chapters/pages: 138-207 (25-END)
Data passage cited from text.
Remember to cite author’s last name and page number.
Example:
“Only the faintest glimmers of firefly light appeared in
flickers behind the windows” (Bradbury 1).
This passage shows how the narrators parents are very
brave and courageous, it is also clear they have power
and are strong. At this point she is admiring them and
highlighting how much courage they have and how they
are speaking out against the terrorists. The use of this
sentence shows how the narrator is very proud of her
family and as she sees it they are very good people who
are not afraid. This shows that people should be proud of
their peers and family and to stand strong no matter the
circumstances.
This passage shows a clear example of terrorism and fear.
It is very clear at this point that terrorism happens all
around them all the time no matter what the occasion.
This passage also shows us that it does not matter what
the people think or feel since they will strike when they
feel like it no matter if it’s a joyous celebration or if
someone is in mourning. This shows that unexpected
things always tend to happen and that no matter how
safe a place may seem, there may always be something
more.
Commentary (you do not need to color code).
Thematic topic/literary device you are focusing on
What is the context of the quote?
Why is the passage important to the novel as a whole? This is where
you discuss the literary device or thematic topic in depth.
How does the passage connect to another text (book, song, movie, etc.),
to your own life, OR to the world?
Commentary (you do not need to color code).
Thematic topic/literary device you are focusing on
What is the context of the quote?
Why is the passage important to the novel as a whole? This is where
you discuss the literary device or thematic topic in depth.
 How does the passage connect to another text (book, song, movie, etc.),
to your own life, OR to the world?

Entry #1:

Entry #2: