A Readers Journal What is it?

A record of what you read PLUS Plot events, character notes Initial impressions Questions that probe character, clarify plot events, delve into meaning of language, symbol, structure Personal response to plot, character, theme, language Connections back to other stuff in the text Connections to own reading background, personal background and to other stuff learned Answers to your earlier questions as they become clearer to you this is an ongoing thinking process that becomes richer and more complex as you read and as you practice this skill Your analysis of inferences, allusions, connotations in language or questions which highlight these ideas to be answered later in your notes Analysis and/or picking out of o symbols o figurative language (metaphor, simile) o important quotations which reveal character, theme, forward the plot elements and/or support your ideas about these things

How do I write it? Divide your page in half use the right hand side of the page for analysis and questioning use the left hand side for plot details (make sure you include page #s) Some people use coloured highlighters to go back and pick out common elements such as symbol, metaphor etc. Keep your notes as you read but chunk your reading i.e. read a logical chunk then stop and make your notes
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I would encourage you to read with a stack of sticky notes beside you and as you come across something that you have a question about, something that surprises you, or something you can make a connection to, make a quick note, stick the note in the text and then when youre done reading, go back to the sticky notes to write your readers journal response. Here are some suggestions of what you can record in your journal: Make predictions Draw conclusions Connect to personal experiences Express opinions Visualize Identify and interpret the meaning of figurative language Identify the main idea Identify and analyze problems and Ask questions solutions Recognize sequence Identify authors purpose Compare and contrast Summarize Identify cause and effect

What if I dont understand something I have read? Depends on what it is vocabulary? Allusion? Inference?

Vocabulary Try to guess at the meaning from context (words, sentences around it) note it if you think it affects meaning and go back later to look it up otherwise skip and continue reading. Allusion Reference to a well known idea or event note it try to guess what it means check it out later you will need to improve your background knowledge in order to understand what you are reading (this is partly my job to assist you we will be looking at lots of allusions and figuring them out together). Inference Something that is not directly stated but which the reader must make a number of connections about to figure out - This is reading between the lines often writers tell us important things about character and theme indirectly the more complex the text, the more inferences it has picking these out takes practise the more you do it the better you get at it inferences build up in novels and add layers of meaning and depth to what you read this is the essential difference between pop culture fiction i.e. Hannibal and great literature, i.e. Fugitive Pieces. How will my journal be evaluated? Level One minimal pass (D) notes are almost exclusively plot events but are at least detailed and thorough, some attempt to understand inference, some questioning, enough to show basic comprehension of text Level Two satisfactory (C) notes are complete, plot events detailed, character analysis done, some inferences identified, questioning shows ability to understand some complex ideas but connections may not be made or may be simple connections only Level Three good (B A ) notes are complete and detailed, character analysis thorough and insightful, identifies themes, picks out uses of language, has strong questioning skills and is able to make some connections among and between ideas. Level Four excellent (A +) notes are very thorough and detailed, insights show ability to make connections at the highest level and to understand deeply buried inferences questioning shows probes that are complex and abstract, understanding of all elements of the text is demonstrated and connected, i.e. character, theme and language connected

Due dates for your readers journals will be on the same day as the literature circle meetings which are as follows: Book 1 First third Book 1 Second third Book 1 Final third Book 2 First third Book 2 Second third Book 2 Final third

Sample Selection of a Readers Journal (for each third you should be aiming for about 8-10 hand-written pagesabout half that if youre typing) The Great Gatsby Narrator says that he is the type of person people seem to want to share their stories with pg 5

Seems like type of narration will be 1 person, but the narrator is not really the main character. He talks so much about being a tolerant person. Raises question of reliability. Will have to pay attention to this as I read. Gatsby is the narrators weak spot. He seems a little biased when it comes to him. Why is it better to come from old money? Isnt part of the American Dream the idea that if you work hard enough, you can be successful? Nick isnt as wealthy as his neighbours but hes hardly poor. He makes it sound like he is. This helps confirm for me that I have to read between the lines when it comes to his narration of events. Contrast between old money and new money. New money is less fashionable so Gatsby is also new money and therefore less fashionable

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Only Gatsbywas exempt pg 6 Nick comes from a wealthy family. Grandfathers brother made his wealth in the wholesale hardware business, but they claim they come from nobility which is not true. Pg 7 Description of Nicks living accommodations for the year (1922). Describes it as a cardboard bungalow but he has a housekeeper.

Setting: due east of New Yorka pair of enormous eggs, identical in contour and separated by only a courtesy bay pg 9. Nick lives in West Egg which is less fashionable next to Gatsbys mansion Tom and Daisy Buchanan introduced. Daisy is Nicks second-cousin once removed and Nick knew Tom from school. Toms family is very wealthy. Pg 10 Description of Tom on pg 11

Tom comes from old money so they live in East Egg.

For someone who claims to not be judgmental, Nicks characterization of Tom as a jerk is pretty strong. He reminds me of Gaston from Beauty and the Beast.

(Youll probably find that you write a lot at the beginning of the novel, but as you read further, dont feel you have to com ment on every single detail.)