Dialectical Journal Sample: Symbol

One of you posted asking for an example of a dialectical journal entry for The Catcher in the Rye, so I will gladly provide one. I want you to remember that, as I tell my seniors, writing a good dialectical journal entry is less about being exactly right in your interpretation and more about making the attempt to interpret what Salinger means beyond the surface-level of the text. When looking for a symbol, you are usually looking for an object or a person that represents something bigger than just its elements. For instance in our everyday lives, "home" is often a symbol for peace and belonging, not just a combination of wood and nails. The American flag could be a symbol for sacrifice, honor, or freedom, not just fabric that is red, white, and blue. Does that make sense?

Here is an example from The Catcher in the Rye.

Left column: "When I left the skating rink I felt sort of hungry, so I went in this drugstore and had a Swiss cheese sandwich and a malted, and then I went in a phone booth" (135).

Right column: The phone booth is a physical symbol for Holden's mental and emotional separation from his fellow man as well as representing his longing to belong but his inability to do so. Ironically, whenever Holden feels most depressed or alone, he goes into a phone booth, leaving the rest of mankind hurrying around outside the glass walls in which he encloses himself. He separates himself from the noise of the world because he has such a strong distaste for what he views as most people's phoniness. However, once he is isolated from everyone else, he gets these urges to call people, all different kinds of people--people from his past schools, family members, old girlfriends--most of whom he eventually decides he cannot call at that time or place...mirroring how quickly he decides he cannot stand the few people he does meet and once again isolates himself. Even though he cannot seem to fit with the world around him or the people it houses, he desperately wants to, which Salinger conveys through each of his escapes into the phone booth.

I hope that helps. As I explained in my previous dialectical journal example, I do not necessarily expect your entries to be as long as mine, but I do expect insightful ideas and a clear link to the text on a deeper level.

Talk to you all again soon!
Mrs. Rogers