1. The Catcher in the Rye Textual Evidence Response
Dialectical Journal Assignment
Chapter # ______
Textual Evidence
Textual evidence comes directly from the book. This can be a direct quote spoken by a character or a passage of narration.
Response
This is where you will respond to the text in a thoughtful way. Follow the guiding questions to respond at the three different levels of analysis.
Each level should be at least 4-5 complete sentences.
Each passage you choose should relate to the overarching question:
To what extent does Holden represent a typical teenager or someone who has a serious mental disorder?
Choose quotes that relate to Holden’s:
Appearance
Personality
Attitude toward life
Attitude toward other people
Important relationships
Other characters’ attitudes toward Holden
Beliefs: What is important to Holden?
Include the correct MLA format citation
“ Text” (Author’s last name, page #).
Level 1: The Context of the Quote
Who is speaking?
What is happening in the text at the time of this quote?
What is the literal meaning of the quote?
Level 2: Author’s Tools and Literary Elements
What literary element(s) is/are revealed and how?
Characterization – What does this passage reveal about the character?
Setting – How does the setting in this passage impact the meaning?
Conflict – What problem or issue is revealed?
Theme – What theme or central message is revealed?
Symbolism – What symbol is revealed and what does it represent?
Tone – What is the author’s attitude toward the subject?
Language Use (diction, syntax, imagery) – How does the language use advance the effect of the passage?
What is the significance of these lines?
What is the author’s intention?
Why is the passage written in such a way?
How is the passage related to the text as a whole?
Level 3: Create a thematic claim
Based on the evidence and the information from Levels 1 and 2, create a thematic claim. Then, support it with an argument.
Choose one of the following stances for your thematic claim:
1) Holden is a typical teenager 2) Holden is suffering from a serious mental health disorder.
Is the claim true for the book as a whole?
Is the claim true for the world?
What might be an argument against the claim?
How can you defend the claim?

2. Each level should be at least 4-5 complete sentences.
English Name:
Date:
The Catcher in the Rye
Dialectical Journal Assignment
Chapter # _____
Textual Evidence
Textual evidence comes directly from the book. This can be a direct quote spoken by a character or a passage of narration.
Response
This is where you will respond to the text in a thoughtful way. Follow the guiding questions to respond at the three different levels of analysis.
Each level should be at least 4-5 complete sentences.
Level 1: The Context of the Quote
Level 2: Author’s Tools and Literary Elements
Level 3: Create a thematic claim

3. Each level should be at least 4-5 complete sentences.
English Name:
Date:
The Catcher in the Rye
Dialectical Journal Assignment
Chapter # 1
EXAMPLE
Textual Evidence
Textual evidence comes directly from the book. This can be a direct quote spoken by a character or a passage of narration.
Response
This is where you will respond to the text in a thoughtful way. Follow the guiding questions to respond at the three different levels of analysis.
Each level should be at least 4-5 complete sentences.
“I remember around three o’clock that afternoon I was standing way the hell up on top of Thomsen Hill, right next to this crazy cannon that was in the Revolutionary War and all… practically the whole school except me was there” (Salinger 2).
Level 1: The Context of the Quote
Holden is at the biggest football game of the year at Pencey Prep. Everyone from his school is there watching the game in the bleachers down by the field. Holden is way up on the hill by himself watching as everyone cheers on the two teams. He explains later that he felt ostracized because he had left all of the fencing foils on the subway and the fencing team was angry with him for his mistake.
Level 2: Author’s Tools and Literary Elements
This passage shows the characterization of Holden. Salinger is trying to portray Holden as someone who is left out and by himself. The reader is left to wonder whether Holden does this to himself or whether the others have truly left him out. Throughout the next few chapters it seems that Holden is someone who plays by his own rules. If he doesn’t want to do something, he doesn’t. Salinger depicts Holden as someone who does not apply himself which could relate to his schoolwork but also to his social life.
Level 3: Create a thematic claim
Holden is typical teenager who is ostracized and left out of society. While some may say that he has Ackley as a friend, Holden does not truly like Ackley. Holden and Ackley are similar in that they are both misfits in their social realm. However, Holden seems to be someone who chooses to be alone whereas Ackley is left out because of others’ reactions to him. Holden has now been kicked out of four schools. Though he is someone who is well read, he does not seem to apply himself causing him to be ostracized, or kicked out of, wherever he is. This seems to be true for the world as many teens isolate themselves.

4. CRITICAL READER CONNECTED THOUGHTFUL LITERAL READER LIMITED 5 4 3 2 1
Category
CRITICAL
READER
CONNECTED
THOUGHTFUL
LITERAL READER
LIMITED 5 4 3 2 1
 Responses
Elaborate and insightful responses
Detailed and meaningful responses
Somewhat detailed
responses
Simple, factual
responses that lack detail
Incomplete or inadequate responses
Quotes
You consistently choose quotes that allow for deep, meaningful analysis of each of the required response questions.
Most quotes allow for deep, meaningful analysis of the required response questions.
Some, but not all, quotes are relevant in connection with the response you provide or they lack a connection to the required response questions.
Few quotes allow for meaningful analysis. Quotes may or may not connect to the required response questions.
The quotes chosen appear to be randomly selected with no real sense of purpose or the required response questions.
Analysis
You “read between the lines” of the text to explain the nuances of Holden’s character and offer strong insights into the claim how Holden is developing as a typical teenager or not.
You construct a thoughtful and accurate interpretation of Holden’s character and how he views his world. Connections to the claim are evident.
You have a good understanding of Holden’s character, but you tend to repeat ideas in showing Holden’s personality and how he views his world. Connections to the claim are vague or underdeveloped. Some responses lack sufficient detail.
You accept the text literally without thinking of different possible interpretations of Holden’s character and/or in how he views his world.
Connections to the claim are limited or insufficient.
Your insight into Holden’s character is weak; how Holden views his world is barely examined.
Either there are no connections to the claim character, or the ideas are inaccurate.
Journal Requirements
Entries are numbered 1-5
Entries span the entire set of required chapters
Chapter # and page # provided for all quotes
Entries are in 2 column format (Quote/Response)
Responses meet minimum length
You fulfill all the required elements of the journal consistently across all five entries.
You fulfill most of the required elements of the journal across all five entries.
You attempt to fulfill the required elements of the journal, but with some inconsistencies in content and/or format.
The journal does not meet a couple of the requirements in content and format. Review project guidelines.
The journal is lacking in several project requirements in both content and format. Review project guidelines.
Conventions
The journal has been carefully proofread and edited. There are virtually no writing or mechanical errors!
Although the journal has been proofread and edited, there are occasional writing and/or mechanical errors.
The journal could still benefit from some polishing of grammar and mechanics.
There is little evidence of the journal having been proofread or edited for grammar and mechanics.
The journal should have been proofread and edited for grammar and mechanics.