Dialectical Journal – The Odyssey (TEST)-

from Books 1,5,9,10,11,12,16,17,21,22, and 23

A dialectical journal has 2 sides. On one side, you record important quotes from what you have read (including documentation of book and line numbers). On the other side, you comment on the quote, telling why it’s important & making connections. It’s sort of like a dialogue with the text. You will have a TOTAL of 10 ENTRIES

Entries are to be typed.

After each section we read, you will add to your dialectical journal by choosing quotes/passages(not the italicized text) that relate to one of the categories on back & responding to the quote. The directions & examples below will help you. On the back of this sheet are the categories you will use.

How to create your dialectic journal:

1. Open up a word processor document and insert a two column table to begin populating with info.

2. On the left-hand side, type a quote with documentation from the section of the poem that relates to a “big idea”. Use ellipses judiciously – do not over abbreviate the passage so that it’s choppy or that the meaning is lost.

  1. On the right hand side, write a response (commentary) to each quote.

Include the following and

LABEL the category (for example “Role of Men and Women” or “Epic Simile”)

(A) What the quote means in the story (briefly summarize-who/what/when/where)

(B) Why it’s important to the story (analyze – explain significance)

(C) How the quote relates to the selected category (synthesize)

(D) How the quote connects to modern times – Be specific with example. Are things similar or different &whywith specific example(s); you may use a personal example (evaluate)

Side 1: Quotes with documentation from reading

(1)“Of these adventures, Muse, daughter of Zeus, tell us in our time, lift the great song again” (Book 1,16-17).

(2)“Yet all the gods had pitied Lord Odysseus, all but Poseidon, raging cold and rough against the brave king…”(Book 13, 48-50).

Side 2: Commentary & Connection

(1)ROLE OF MEN AND WOMEN(A)In this quote, the poet invokes or calls upon the Muse of Poetry. (B)Without the muses’ help, he can’t tell his story. (C)One of women’s roles, therefore, was to inspire art, music, and poetry. Men sang the songs, but the muses gave them the inspiration. (D)In modern times, both men and women create great art, and we don’t rely on muses. Inspiration comes from talent and our personal views of the world.

(2)FATE VS FREEWILL (A)No matter how brave Odysseus was, the gods (fate) could keep him from home. (B) This shows that in the Greek world, the will of the gods was often stronger than free will. (C)He could decide to go home, but Poseidon could make his journey hard. (D)This still happens today. Events like Hurricane Katrina from 2005 remind us that not everything in our world is in our control. We can only try to prepare and then choose how werespond in times of crisis.

Assigned Dialectical Journal Entries for Books 1,5,9,10,11,12,16,17,21,22, and 23

(Don’t forget the commentary—see firstpage!) Choose 1 quote for each of the following:

Allusion- locate a passage that contains a reference to a Greek figure (or another Greek myth) not actually in The Odyssey. In your comments column, explain the meaning of the allusion (you may refer to side notes in text for assistance, but do not use as your commentary).

Epithet– find an epithet for one of the characters in the story and be sure to examine how this adds to their characterization.

Epic Simile - find a well-developed epic simile and be sure to explain the comparison’s impacton the text in your commentary

Epic Hero – select a passage which shows off a heroic trait of Odysseus that exemplifies his status as an epic hero.

Tragic Hero – select a passage which shows off a character flaw of Odysseus, exemplifying his status as a tragic hero.

Importance of Home/Greek Customs – locate a passage that either touches on the importance of the homeland or addresses a basic Greek custom (i.e. hospitality to strangers, rituals of celebration, practices of worship, etc.).

Intervention of the Gods and Goddesses – explore a passage that features either direct or indirect interference of the immortals in the lives of their mortal subjects.

Fate vs. Free Will – find and examine a text selection that highlights the constant struggle between Fate and the free will of mankind.

Role of Men and Women in Society–locate a text passageilluminating the differing expectations placed on each gender by society or a selection that demonstrates an individual’s willingness to not conform to these standards.

Archetype or Student Choice:Either select a poetry passage that hinges to a particular archetypal pattern (The Shadow, The Trickster, The Father, The Child, The Hero’s Journey, etc.) or find a passage you found interesting and/or wish you had written.

As a final activity, evaluate your finished dialectical entries and evaluate your work. Then clearly designate your 3 best journal entries (these will be more closely graded and awarded more points than the remaining entries).

*Points will be awarded based on proper MLA format of passages and level of commentary as well as format/structure of the entire assignment.

ITEM / Pts Possible / COMMENTS / Points Earned
Best Entry #1 / 15
Best Entry #2 / 15
Best Entry #3 / 15
Entry #4 / 6
Entry # 5 / 6
Entry #6 / 6
Entry # 7 / 6
Entry # 8 / 6
Entry #9 / 6
Entry #10 / 6
Following Directions
(format/structure) / 13
TOTAL / 100