English 12 Regular: Choose one of the following novels to read

Exemplary Sample Dialectical Journal Entries

Student Name:________________

Book Title/Author: The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Date:

Evidence	Commentary	Literary Device and Explanation
When describing her family’s visiting her in the hospital as a three year old, Jeannette Walls writes: “Everyone always turned and stared at Dad. I couldn’t figure out if it was because he called people ‘pardner’ or ‘goomba’ and threw his head back when he laughed” (12).	As a young girl, Walls naturally would not perceive her father’s eccentric behavior the way other adults would – as obnoxious and loud. Walls shows naiveté in thinking that it is her dad’s strikingly attractive looks that cause people to stare at him. It also shows her attitude toward her dad as innocent, much like a toddler’s. I understand where Walls is coming from when she says this, because I also tend to view my father in a positive light. If he makes a mistake, I naturally forgive him easily, although my father did not put me through any of the horrors Rex Walls’ children endured.