Responses

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**//Fahrenheit 451// Response Journals**

Section Page Numbers Last Line of Section Date Due

1 3-24 "opened his mouth" (Tuesday, May 21) 2 24-48 "He did not open the window." (Wednesday, May 22) 3 48-68 "the beginning." (Friday, May 24)
 * Part One**

4 71-93 "lips moving just a trifle." (Monday, May 27) 5 93-110 "of my house." (Wednesday, May 29)
 * Part Two**

6 113-136 "toward the river." (Friday, May 31) 7 137-154 "...putting out the fire together." (Monday, June 3) 8 154-165 "When we reach the city." (Wednesday, June 5) 9 167-189 Afterword, Coda, and Conversation (Thursday, June 6)
 * Part Three**

A response journal is a mixture of **summary**, **personal response**, and **critical response** to the book you read. These books can be used for the Advanced Placement Literature and Composition examination in your grade 12 year, so the responses should contain information that will help you to reconnect to the books a year and a half hence. Specific **quotations**, for example, if they are rich in ideas and imagery, are invaluable. For good general information on Response Journals, peruse the following two websites and their links: [] []
 * 1.What is a Response Journal?**

The content of each response is individual. You decide what is important and why you think it is important. As aforementioned, you should have a mixture of plot, personal comment, and critical comment. For those of you who require specific examples of what to write, I will include a list below that might help:
 * 2. What exactly do I write about in each response?**

You should record as much **plot summary** as you think you need in order to recall it later; however, plot is not as important as characterization and theme.

Regarding **personal response**, your feelings are important, too. What happened that caught your attention? Explain why it is riveting. What do you like about the book? What frustrates you? How could the author have made it better? What confuses you? What questions do you have for the author or a character? Do you feel empathy or antipathy for a character? Why or why not? How would you act if you were in this character’s place? Do any of the characters remind you of someone you know—a brother, parent, relative, friend, teacher? If so, how are they similar or different? Explain. Are thecharacters and inner conflicts realistic? Would people really behave this way? Why or why not? Does the situation remind you of something you experienced? If so, what? What do you think will happen next? Why? What connections do you make with history, other books, stories, or movies? What have you learned from reading this? Why?

Regarding **critical response**, your observations are appreciated. You can comment on any of the chief literary elements (TICS): title, tone, theme, irony, imagery, characterization, conflict, connotation, contrast, setting and symbolism. What do you notice about each? Why is that important? More specifically, what is significant about the title of the chapter or book? Would you change the title? Why or why not? How effective are the beginnings and endings of chapters or the book? Is the plot chronological, or are there flashbacks? What is the purpose of the flashbacks? Are they confusing? How do you cope with the difficult sections of the book? Do you have to reread sections or look up words in the dictionary? Give the definitions of words you researched—this is a valid response, too. Research ancillary (extra) information to better understand or enjoy the book. What did you find out about the time or place of the selection? The author? How does this help you with the story? What point of view (first person, third person limited omniscient, or third person omniscient) does the author choose? Is this effective? Why or why not? Is the language descriptive, imagery rich (metaphors, similes, allusions, personification, onomatopoeia, alliteration, oxymoron, paradox, etc.)? What is the effect of this language? Are there any apparent symbols (objects, people, places, actions) in the piece? What do they represent? What is the motivation of the central character(s)? What do they wish to achieve? Do they reach their goals? Explain. What, if anything, has the central character learned (epiphanies) by the end? Explain. What is the author's purpose (universal themes) in writing this book? Are there any really profound insights or truths that caught your eye?

For each of the nine responses, you should write about 150-250 words. When you make an entry, provide the following three items: Entry #, pages, and date. For example Entry 1, page 3-24, May 23, 2012
 * 3. For each section I read, how much must I write?**

Good question. If you prefer **paper and pen**, then I will accept these pages gladly. If you prefer to **type these out** and hand them in, fine, too.
 * 4. Do I handwrite the responses on paper, or do I type them?**