Dialectical journals &

Bloom’s taxonomy

Dialectical journals - strength

Overall, you guys know the lens (especially

Marxism, naturalism and

feminism).

Strong synthesis connections!

Dialectical journal –

things to improve

Elaborate! Many of you are struggling to elaborate, and do not address Steinbeck’s purpose (remember those analytical verbs)

Too much summary, not enough analysis

Correct citing and spelling (Casy; capitalizing titles like The Road, etc.)

To help you increase your analysis

Come meet with me, or give me your journal ahead of time

The people who did this got As :D yay!!

Cite specifics! (The examples are there to help! Use them!!)

Use your analytical verbs to help

Don’t rush!

Fill in the chart in it’s entirety (if there’s empty space, there’s empty analysis)

Use Bloom’s Taxonomy to help guide you

How we’ll use it

Many of you are struggling with moving

past summarizing (you’re describing what is

happening, rather than why we should

care)

Using Bloom’s taxonomy will help give you

the language and ideas for how to

increase complexity.

Remember – hard work is hard!

Analyzing literature is hard, but with diligent, thoughtful practice, it gets easier.

If you always rush through, you won’t improve.

If you are still struggling to get past surface level details, ask yourself the following questions.

Questions to ask yourself

Surface level

What details is Steinbeck

including?

What lens can I interpret this

through?

What universal theme is

shown here?

In depth

What is the effect of the details Steinbeck includes?

By reading through this lens, what information am I directed to that I otherwise wouldn’t know? How does that change my reading?

How is Steinbeck writing so that this universal theme is clear? What is he most emphasizing and why?

It is not enough to ask what, you must also ask why

Responses to avoid – make sure you

understand the quotation in context, not just

by itself

“Mules! Hey, Joe, hear

this? This guy wants to

trade mules. Didn’t

nobody tell you this is the

machine age? They

don’t use mules for

nothing but glue no

more” Steinbeck 21)

Steinbeck uses a

machine age lens as he

describes the mules as

being obsolete. This

shows that machines

are better than the old

way of doing it.

Responses to avoid – make sure you

understand the quotation in context, not just

by itself

“Mules! Hey, Joe, hear

this? This guy wants to

trade mules. Didn’t

nobody tell you this is

the machine age?

They don’t use mules

for nothing but glue

no more” Steinbeck

21)

The issue with this response is that it

does not realize the salesman is

lying. If you analyze this passage

taking his word for it (that mules

really are obsolete), you miss out on

what the passage is actually saying.

“Jesus, Joe, that was a hot one!.. I

got that team, an’ if I can’t get

seventy-five for that team, I ain’t a

business man” (Steinbeck 21).

A stronger response

“Mules! Hey, Joe, hear

this? This guy wants to

trade mules. Didn’t

nobody tell you this is the

machine age? They don’t

use mules for nothing but

glue no more… Jesus, Joe,

that was a hot one!.. I got

that team, an’ if I can’t

get seventy-five for that

team, I ain’t a business

man” (Steinbeck 21).

When read through a Marxist lens, this passage

demonstrates the harm that comes from making a

living off of exploiting others. The salesman cares

only about money, and as a result exploits the

migrant’s desperation. He denigrates his mules and

lack of knowledge regarding cars (the Machine

Age) in order to manipulate the man into taking the

lowest value possible for his goods. The salesman

delights in his extreme profit margin, thereby

demonstrating that capitalistic systems that prioritize

profit over anything else may benefit those at the

top, but causes great suffering for those at the

bottom who are exploited.

A stronger response

Things to include:

The best lens

Analytical verbs

Cause/effect

relationships

The author’s purpose or

intent: what message is

being conveyed? Why is

Steinbeck including this

in the novel?

When read through a Marxist lens, this passage

demonstrates the harm that comes from making a

living off of exploiting others. The salesman cares

only about money, and as a result exploits the

migrant’s desperation. He denigrates his mules and

lack of knowledge regarding cars (the Machine

Age) in order to manipulate the man into taking the

lowest value possible for his goods. The salesman

delights in his extreme profit margin, thereby

demonstrating that capitalistic systems that prioritize

profit over anything else may benefit those at the

top, but causes great suffering for those at the

bottom who are exploited.

Example from chapter 4

Determine it’s complexity

“‘I went off alone, an’

I sat and figured. The

sperit’s strong in me,

on’y it ain’t the same.

I ain’t so sure of a lot

of things’” (Steinbeck

21)

Steinbeck uses a

transcendental lens by

describing how Casy sat

and figured. This shows

he is transcendental

because he is thinking

by himself.

Example from chapter 4

Determine it’s complexity Comprehension

This response is identifying

the lens, but is mostly

summarizing the action.

The writer is

demonstrating that she

understands the material,

but is not analyzing it.

Steinbeck uses a

transcendental lens by

describing how Casy

sat and figured. This

shows he is

transcendental

because he is thinking

by himself.

Increase the complexity: what can you add or change to make this analysis?

“‘I went off alone, an’

I sat and figured. The

sperit’s strong in me,

on’y it ain’t the same.

I ain’t so sure of a lot

of things’” (Steinbeck

21)

Steinbeck uses a

transcendental lens by

describing how Casy sat

and figured. This shows

he is transcendental

because he is thinking

by himself.

Increase the complexity: what can you add or change to make this analysis?

“‘I used to think it was jus’ me.

Finally it give me such pain I

quit an’ went off by myself an’

give her a damn good thinkin’

about… I says to myself,

‘What’s gnawin’ you? Is it the

screwin’?’ An’ I says ‘No, it’s

the sin.’ … ‘Maybe it ain’t a sin.

Maybe it’s just the way folks

is’… Well, I was a layin’ under a

tree when I figured that out,

and I went to sleep” (Steinbeck

23).

Steinbeck uses a transcendental lens by

describing how Casy sat and figured out alone in

nature in order to come to an understanding. By

being alone under the tree, Casy was able to

confront and work through his thoughts

independently, which allowed him insight. Casy

develops his own spirituality independtly of

others, which reflects his growing individualism.

Casy finds peace in this realization (he goes to

sleep after figuring it out), thereby illustrating that

personal truth is not only possible by oneself, but

that it bring peace and understanding.

Synthesis

Go beyond summary

Don’t just describe your outside source, you also need to analyze the connection.

Think about it in 3 steps:

What is your source? (summary)

How does it connect to The Grapes of Wrath?

What does this say about life as a result? (Why should we care?)

Example

In Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Luke Skywalker has exiled himself to the island

of Ahch-To due to his failure as a Jedi Master. When Rey arrives, she

demands to be taught by Luke, something he firmly resists. Luke is only

able to finally come to peace with his legacy and the state of the Jedi

Order when he realizes it can be reborn in Rey, and does need to be the

same religion it had been for a thousand year. This openness to change

and adapt allows Luke to come to terms with his past failure, help save

the Resistance, and move on ultimately. Both Luke and Casy reflect that

when structured belief systems no longer work, one does not have to

loose all belief entirely, but should seek answers inside themselves to

determine a new truth that can not only lead to inner peace, but can

help others as well (The Last Jedi).

Moving forward

These responses should take time

Don’t settle for the first quotation you see; there should be at least 3-4 quotations per chapter you can use

Use my reading questions to help guide you to significant moments

Elaborate! Use a separate sheet of paper (or type) if you feel like you need more space than what the boxes provide