you will be keeping a dialectical journal for BEOWULF. Use the following guide:
The Dialectical Journal
Effective
students have a habit of taking notes as they read. This note-taking
can several forms: annotation, post it notes, character lists, idea
clusters, and many others. One of the most effective strategies is
called a dialectical journal. The word “dialectical” has numerous
meanings, but the one most pertinent is the “art of critical examination
into the truth of an opinion” or reworded “The art or practice of
arriving at the truth by using conversation involving question and
answer.” As you read, you are forming an opinion about what you are
reading (or at least you are SUPPOSED to be forming an opinion). That
opinion, however, needs to be based on the text – not just a feeling.
Therefore, all of your opinions need to be based on the text.
The procedure is as follows:
1.
Purchase a dedicated spiral notebook and draw a line down the center of
each page of the notebook. NOTE: I expect you to publish these journal
entries on your blogs nightly and number them as you go.
2. As you read, pay close attention to the text.
3.
Whenever you encounter something of interest (this could be anything
from an interesting turn of phrase to a character note), write down the
word/phrase in the LEFT HAND COLUMN making sure that you NOTE THE PAGE
NUMBER. If the phrase is especially long just write the first few words,
use an ellipsis, then write the last few words.
4. In the RIGHT
HAND COLUMN, WRITE YOUR OBSEVRATIONS ABOUT THE TEXT you noted in the
left-hand column. This is where you need to interact in detail with the
text. Make sure that your observations are THOROUGH, INSIGHTFUL, and
FOCUSED CLEARLY ON THE TEXT.
Requirements:
1) For each
novel we read you will need to complete a MINIMUM of 55 entries if you
wish to be eligible for an “A”. 35 is the minimum for a passing grade.
Make sure you number your entries.
2) A completed dialectical journal should be brought to class each day a reading assignment is due.
3)
On some short fiction and poetry reading assignments I may ask you to
keep a dialectic journal on the reading (usually I’ll ask for 5-10
entries for shorter works).
4) Dialectic journals will be used as part of class discussion and will be randomly collected and graded for homework.
When should you write things down?
• When certain details seem important to you
• When you have an epiphany
• When you learn something significant about a character
• When you recognize a pattern (overlapping images, repetitions of idea, details, etc.)
• When you agree or disagree with something a character says
• When you find an interesting or potentially significant quote.
• When you notice something important or relevant about the writer’s style.
• When you notice effective uses of literary devices.
• When you notice something that makes you think of a question
That
is all there is to it. This way, once you have read your text you will
already have a great set of notes on which to draw when you write your
paper. You also should have gained a great deal of insight about your
particular text.
Note: Should you rather type this, just use the COLUMN function in your tool bar and complete steps two-four electronically.
Grading (based on 55 entries, if you have 45 entries an A= B, B= C, 35 entries A=C)
A—Detailed,
meaningful passages, plot and quote selections; thoughtful
interpretation and commentary about the text; includes comments about
literary elements (like theme, diction, imagery, syntax, symbolism,
etc.) and how these elements contribute to the meaning of the text; asks
thought-provoking, insightful questions; coverage of text is complete
and thorough; journal is neat, organized, numbered and readable.
B—Less
detailed, but good selections; some intelligent commentary about the
text; includes some comments about literary elements (like theme,
diction, imagery, syntax, symbolism, etc.) but less than how these
elements contribute to the meaning of the text; asks some
thought-provoking, insightful questions; coverage of the text is
complete and thorough; journal is neat, organized, numbered and
readable.
C—A few good details about the text; most of the commentary
is vague, unsupported or plot summary/paraphrase; some listing of
literary elements, but perhaps inadequate discussion, but not very
thoroughly; journal is relatively neat.
D—Hardly any good or
meaningful details from the story; notes are plot summary or paraphrase;
few literary elements, virtually no discussion on meaning; no good
questions; limited coverage of text, and/or too short.
EXAMPLE OF A DIALECTICAL JOURNAL:
Lines 3051-3057 "That huge cache, gold inherited... to open the hoard."
The
cache of treasure is cursed by God. This implies that Beowulf was not
God's chosen, because he got slain by the dragon while he was after both
the literal treasure and the metaphorical treasure of glory and fame.
He never attained the one treasure, and while his fame did live on for a
bit, his nation was soon destroyed, leaving nothing of his legacy
behind. This does show, however, that Wiglaf may be God's chosen as it
could be argued that he was the one to give the dragon fatal wounds and
Beowulf just stabbed it as it was dying, and Wiglaf is the one who first
steps foot inside the treasure cave and his name lives on because he
becomes king.
Line 3100 "his worth and due as a warrior were the greatest."
Yes,
he was a great warrior, but not a great king. There are many references
in the last few pages of the poem to suggest that everyone though
Beowulf was a great warrior. This is what he wanted, fame and glory for
his victories in battle. This is what ultimately ends up killing the
Geat nation. If Beowulf, as a king, had spent less time gaining battle
glory for himself and instead trained his warriors to be even half as
good as he was, they might have been able to defend their country after
he died. I think it is Beowulf's own fault that his soldiers ran away
scared because he hadn't allowed them to prove themselves yet so they
had no idea if they could survive the battle.
Lines 3114-3116 "Now shall flame consume our leader...stood his ground in the steel-hail..."
Because
of the way Beowulf died (covered in burns from the dragon's flame) and
because of the way he is sort of cremated after dying, I believe that
this symbolizes hell. I think it's suggesting that Beowulf went to the
underworld rather than Valhalla.
FOR A DIFFERENT EXAMPLE go HERE
