dialectical journals & bloom’s...
TRANSCRIPT
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