Dialectic Journal # 7

Chapter 8

Page 75

"In our separate whippings, Alexandros fell before I did. I mention this, not as a cause for pride; it was simply that I had taken more beatings. I was more accustomed to it."

What strikes you about this passage?

It strikes me that he had taken a lot of beatings. I never thought of him as a "bad boy", but he pretty much just admitted. He must have gotten a lot of beatings for him to be "accustomed" to them. Also what strikes me is that it seems to me that, throughout this book a common theme is beating kids. They do it all the time. Like when he got caught stealing and they hung him and beat him. It also strikes me that he said that he only said that Alexandros fell before him to admit that he had had more beatings, not for pride. I think that this means that being proud was really bad or shameful back then.

What questions does this raise for you?

Was he a bad/disobedient kid? How many times was he beaten? How bad did they hurt? How long did it take for your body to get used to them? Why did he get beat?

Chapter 9

Page 93

"A spasm of the lungs seized Alexandros; his throat constricted, he began to choke. My punch hesitated. A three-foot switch burned my back. "Hit him!" I obeyed. Alexandros dropped to one knee. His lungs had frozen, he was helpless. "Pound him you whore's son!" A voice shouted from behind me. "Finish him"

It was Dienekes"

What strikes you about this passage?

What strikes me about this passage is that, even when Alexandros is completely helpless and already hurt and choking everyone still wants him to hit him. Will there be no mercy!?!?! Jeez they are so mean to Alexandros. Also, when he hesitated to hit Alexandros, he got whipped, even though Alexandros was choking. And then to call him a whore's son!! What in the world is wrong with these people!?!?!? They punished him for showing compassion and giving the kid a break for once. But the think that struck me the most was that it was Dienekes who said to finish him off. Dienekes was so nice before. I cant believe he said that.

What is your reaction to this quote? How does it make you feel?

Chapter 10

Page 103

" 'Dienekes says the mind is like a house with many rooms,' he said. 'There are rooms we must not go into. To anticipate one's death is one of those rooms. We must not even think it.' "

Do you agree with the author? why/why not?

I agree with this totally. Your mind controls everything. There are different rooms in your head and if you go into the wrong one at the wrong time you could let yourself think something that is not true, it will happen. Like if you go into the "sick room" and convince yourself that you are sick you will start feeling sick.

How does this connect to other books (movies, shows) you have read (seen) in the past? Does this help you understand the text?

One time i was watching Smallville and Clark went into someones mind and there was a whole bunch of doors. He had to choose the right one in order to save his friend. If he chose the wrong one he would die or get stuck because the person would experience whatever happened in the door he went into and have a mental breakdown. This helps me to picture the text. I remembered that episode and what the mind and doors looked like. I could really picture and understand this.

btw Clark picks the right door and saves his friend (of course).