The Lord of the Flies

Dialectical Journals

(1)Updated 5/29/14 (2) Updated 6/3/14
Please follow my instructions to the letter. If you have any questions or concerns, please see me in class or contact me at
jbostock@bpsk12.org
Purpose: The Lord of the Flies is the last major work that you are going to read this year. The novel is literature with
a capital L, replete with copious amounts of symbolism, disconcerting themes, various literary tropes, and
allegorical characters. I want you to complete four separate dialectical journals that will, collectively, cover the entire
novel. These dialectical journals will demonstrate to me that you do read literature critically, not superficially.
Schedule: In order to discuss the novel and write about it in class over the coming weeks, you must complete the
dialectical journals on the following schedule (Note: The schedule below is subject to change.):
Read and Complete Dialectical Journals on the
following Chapters:
Due Dates
Dates Material Will Be the Focus of Our Class
Discussions/Writings
1. 1-3 Friday, 5/30/14 (Submit by 11:59 p.m.)
Monday. 6/2/14 (Submit at start of class.)
Monday, 6/2/14 Wednesday, 6/4/14
2. 4-6 Thursday, 6/5/14 (Submit at start of class.)
Friday, 6/6/14 (Submit at the start of class.)
Thursday, 6/5/14 Monday, 6/9/14
3. 7-9 Monday, 6/9/14 (Submit at start of class.) Tuesday, 6/10/14 - Thursday, 6/12/2014
4. 10-12 Friday, 6/13/14 (Submit at start of class.)
Thursday, 6/12/14 (Submit at start of class.)
Friday, 6/13/14 Tuesday, 6/17/14

Format:
Four PDFs, one for each three-chapter grouping, will be posted on the blog. You must complete the
dialectical journals on the PDFs. No paper copies of any kind will be accepted. All entries must appear as
Sticky Notes and include a corresponding highlighted passage. I need to know what part of prose you are
referencing in your entries when I read them.
For each dialectical journal, you are required to include the following:
Three numbered entries (3) per chapter, nine entries total (9) (Number the entries 1-9). For example, the
first dialectical journal requires you to complete Chapters One through Three. For Chapter One, your
entries should be sequentially numbered 1, 2, 3. For Chapter Two, your entries should be sequentially
numbered 4, 5, 6. Lastly, for Chapter Three, your entries should be numbered 7, 8, 9.
At the conclusion of the last chapter of each dialectical journal (Chapters 3, 6, 9, 12), number the last entry as
10. Write a brief paragraph in which you identify one element of literature (a character, a plot twist, William
Goldings writing style, the themes present in the chapters, conflicts, etc., etc.) that you found significant in
any of the three chapters and explain why you believe this specific element is important. For example, one
student wrote the following:
One element of fiction that I found significant in the first three chapters of The Lord of the Flies is
Goldings writing style, specifically his failure to use speech tags when writing dialogue, which I found
maddening. I had to reread the verbal exchanges between the characters because I couldnt tell who
was speaking to whom. All the starting and stopping interrupted the flow of my reading and made me
forget what was going on in the story. A Ralph said, or a replied Piggy a little more often would
have helped me out a lot while I was reading. Instead, due to the lack of speech tags, I became
frustrated and wanted to burn the book more than I wanted to read it.
Of course, if you want to write more than three entries, you may. However, I am only going to evaluate three
entries per chapter. Please number the three entries you want me to evaluate. If you fail do so, I will
evaluate the first three of each chapter.

Assessment: Each journal consists of ten entries (10), with each entry being worth 10 points (100 points total).
Entries that demonstrate you have practiced higher order thinking (analyzing, evaluating, and creating) will earn all
ten points. Entries that demonstrate you have practiced lower order thinking (remembering & identifying) will earn
fewer points.
Each dialectical journal will be assessed as a quiz grade (four quiz grades total).
For each day the dialectical journal is late, a letter grade will be deducted.
If you have not completed the dialectical journal by the designated time, your grades on classwork/homework
assignments and/or writing assignments will also be lowered by a letter grade. You cannot productively
participate in classroom/group discussion if you have not completed the readings. You prove that you have
completed the readings by submitting the dialectical journal on time!

How to Submit: You must submit each dialectical journal via e-mail (jbostock@bpsk12.org) in the PDF format.
Remember to send this as an Original file so I can read and respond to each entry.
For each dialectical journal, please include the following in the subject line: (1)Period & (2) Chapters
Example: Period 3, Chapter 1-3