Dialectical Journal: ​Crispin

dialectical​ (die-uh-LEKT-i-cul), n.: the art or practice of arriving at the truth through logical arguments.
journal​ (JUHR-nul), n.: a personal record of events, experiences, and reflections kept on a regular basis; a diary.

1. This is what you must do in your journal: ​keep a dialogue with yourself. In your journal, have a conversation​ with the text and
with yourself. You will be using textual evidence from the novel to interact with ​and respond to questions posed by your Core
teacher. The frequency at which you will be using the Dialectical Journal will depend on where we are in the novel and what is
occurring. Each time you are assigned a Dialectical Journal Entry you must complete it as quickly as possible so as not to get behind.
If the class has moved on in the reading, it will be difficult to go back and answer the questions, especially when your teacher will be
assigning new questions.

How do I respond to each text entry?​ You can respond to the text in a variety of ways. The most important thing to remember is that your
observations should be specific and detailed. You can write as much as you want for each entry, but ​you must write 3-5 sentences minimum.

As part of your response, you can analyze the style of the text—reflect on elements like symbols, imagery, metaphors, point of view. Some
basic responses are to:

• Raise questions about the beliefs and values implied in the text
• Give your personal reactions to the passage
• Discuss the words, ideas, or actions of the author or character(s)
• Tell what it reminds you of from your own experiences, or write about what it makes you think or feel
• Agree or disagree with a character or the author
To make higher-level responses try the following:
• Analyze the text for use of literary devices (tone, structure, style, imagery)
• Make connections between different characters or events in the text
• Make connections to a different text (or film, song, etc…)
• Discuss the words, ideas, or actions of the author or character(s)
• Consider an event or description from the perspective of a differ

● Note: If evidence of copying (or sharing your entries with a friend) is found, then each party involved will receive a 0 on the
entire assignment.

Chapter(s) Prompt and Response

1-2 “In the midst of life comes death.” How often did our village priest preach those words. Yet, I have also heard that “in the midst death 
 comes life.” If this be a riddle, so was my life. 
How do you interpret the riddle at the beginning of Chapter One? Respond with 5 sentences or more. I​ think this riddle is saying that in life 
death will come and in death so will life. We are all living and one day death will be upon us. We can also find life even though we may be 
dead. Life as a peasant was very hard for Crispin and his mother. They lived in fear of being killed because of who they were. They might 
have wished that they were dead so that they could live in peace. They wouldn’t have to be fearful of their lives every hour of every day. 

3-4 How does the treatment of Asta and her son reveal what life must have been like for a peasant in the Middle Ages? Respond by choosing 
one piece of textual evidence that supports your answer and follow with commentary.  
“Not only did the mill grind our wheat and barley-at a cost- it contained the ovens where we villagers, by the steward’s decree, baked our 
bread, which required yet another fee” (18). This is only one piece of evidence that shows what life was like as a peasant. This quote 
states that villagers had to pay a fee for grinding wheat and barley and baking their bread. The villagers were already pretty poor and I am 
almost certain that they did not always have the money to pay the fees and they were, more often than not, hungry. Villagers were also 
required to ask for the steward’s permission to be excused from work, to buy or sell, tp travel to marry, and to baptize their children. This 
also shows just how much privilege villagers had and what they had to go through to meet their needs.  

5-7 Describe one choice that the main character made in these chapters and summarize the consequence of that choice. Answer by choosing 
one piece of textual evidence that supports your answer and follow with commentary. “​ The rest of the day I spent hiding, not even 
daring-despite my hunger-to search for food”(26). Crispin spent the entire day hiding in the forest even though he was very hungry. He did 
not want to get caught for fear of what would happen to him. While he was hiding he learned some very important news about himself 
from two of the search party members who did not know he was near. He learned that he was being accused of breaking in to John 
Aycliffe’s home and stealing money. When Crispin heard this he was very surprised because they were saying that he stole because of his 
mother’s death and that he was being accused of a crime he had not been apart of. 

8 Father Quinel has just informed Crispin of his name, and that his mother could read and write. From Crispin's perspective, write a 
paragraph describing how he must feel finally knowing his true name, and what he might be thinking regarding his mother's ability to read 
and write. Remember that you are writing as if you are Crispin.  
My name is Crispin. Crispin. I guess that’s a nice name, i’m going to have to get used to it. Crispin, Crispin,Crispin. Why mom, didn’t you 
call me by my name? Why didn’t you even tell me my name was Crispin? And why didn't you tell me you were able to read and write? Why? 
Why did you keep such things from me? I can’t even imagine it. You were the only person I could trust and you kept all these secrets from 
me. I thought I knew you but, now I don’t know anymore. What else did you keep from me and what does my father have to do with my real 
name? All these things keep bringing me back to, Why did you keep these things from me? I was your son and now i’m all alone with all 
these unanswered questions. 

9-11 At the boundary cross on the southern end of Stromford, Crispin found Father Quinel’s body. 
Why would someone murder a priest, and out of the characters you’ve met so far who do you think was the murderer? Why? S ​ omeone 
might murder a priest because they are afraid of him asking God for answers or asking Him to help Crispin to not be found and killed.They 
might also be afraid that Father Quinel might have gotten too much information from God about their plans.​ ​I think John Aycliffe is the 
murderer of Father Quinel because he wants Crispin dead and is willing to do anything to find him. Aycliffe might have known that Father 
Quinel was seeing and talking to Crispin after the death of his mother and wanted to put an end to all meetings. I also think that Cerdic 
was somehow tied into the murder of Father Quinel because he led Crispin into a trap and told him Father couldn’t meet him. 
12-14 On pages 60 and 61 the author writes of the boy’s thoughts…”I, who had already gone farther from my home than I had ever gone before; I, 
whose life has become so quickly was altered; I, who had never really had to make important choices about ANYTHING – now I had to 
decide everything for myself. The result is that I stayed where I was. In truth, I dreaded going far from the road lest I lose the muddy thread 
that connected me to the only life I knew. In faith, I did not know how to do otherwise.” What do you think Crispin needs the most if he is 
going to survive and build a new life? ​I think Crispin needs to have faith and believe in himself. He needs to have a positive attitude 
towards his journey or he won’t get very far. Right now he believes that he can do nothing and this is causing him to give up too easily and 
making him have a negative aspect. If Crispin thinks about the good things that have happened to him he might be able to finish his 
journey not only for Father Quinel but, for his mother as well. 

15-17

18-21

22-24

25-27

28-29

30-31

32-33

34-35

36

37-38

39

40-41

42

43-44

45-46

47-48
49-51

52-54

55-56

57-End