Nothing But the Truth

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Nothing But the Truth

• Dialectical Journal Topics Study Guide

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The First Amendment
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The First Amendment

• Congress shall make no law respecting an
  establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
  free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom
  of speech, or of the press or the right of the
  people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the
  Government for a redress of grievances.

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About the Author

• Avi
• Example of a documentary novel
• Famous for young adult literature
• Young adult literature
• Typified by a clearer moral universe
• Good guys v. bad guys
• Harry Potter, The Outsiders
• Bildungsroman A young person learns to think and
  act like an adult while making adult decisions.
• When I was a child, I spake as a child, but now
  I am an adult and have to put away childish
  things.

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Literary Terms

• Protagonist The main character in the story.
• Antagonist The character against the main
  character.
• Foil An opposite character, highlighting the
  differences between specific characters.
• Foreshadowing Giving clues as to what may happen
  next.
• Conflict the main problem in the story.
• Complication the side problems in the story.
• Direct Characterization telling about a
  character.
• Indirect Characterization showing about a
  character.

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Response Topics Chapter One

• What type of school administrator would organize
  the beginning of the day with a memo like this?
  How would you organize it? Does this remind you
  of anyone youve dealt with in your life?
• What does the memo foreshadow as the main
  conflict in the book? Can you predict what will
  happen next?

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Response Topics Chapter One

• Write about Philip Malloy - what would you put it
  a news story about this new freshman? Does he
  seem likeable? Is he cool? Does he remind you
  of yourself or someone you know?
• What does Philip Malloy want to do, according to
  his journal? Is he similar to you? To your
  friends?

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Response Topics Chapter One

• Comment on an old teacher that reminds you of
  Miss Narwin - looking back on him/her, what was
  he/she really like? What is Miss Narwin really
  like? (Draw your information from her letter do
  not make it up). What do you think of when you
  say her name?

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Response Topics Chapter One

• Comment on what is important to you - what are
  your goals for this year? For your life? Be
  truthful.

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Response Topics Chapter 2-4

• Draft the first draft of an editorial for the
  school newspaper called Respectful Silence?

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Response Topics Chapter 2-4

• Write about respect as it is found in your
  school.

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Response Topics Chapter 2-4

• Mentioning both events from the reading
  assignment and your own life, comment on
• Mr. Lunser's behavior during the announcements
• on the general attitude of 9th grade boys toward
  girls
• on the attitude of students toward their exams
  and their teachers.

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Response Topics Chapters 5-8

• Write about "the money crunch" - the need for
  money (yours, your family's, your school's), what
  it is needed for, and respond to the idea that
  there may not be enough of it. Imagine something
  that you (as a 10th, an 11th or 12th grader) want
  which costs money - imagine how you will feel if
  the money is not available.

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Response Topics Chapters 5-8

• Respond to a poor grade which you have gotten on
  a major test. Have you ever acted out
  unnecessarily at a teacher because of that grade?
  Has a teacher treated you differently because of
  a poor grade? Explain.

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Response Topics Chapter 9

• Write an article for the school newspaper called
  Rules Trip Malloy using the major events of the
  story as its happened so far. Be careful not to
  give your own opinion. In the article, give the
  facts and interview
• Coach
• Miss Narwin
• Philip.

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Response Topics Chapter 9

• Why does Philip not tell his father the truth
  about the track team? Is he telling himself the
  truth? What are some strategies you can think of
  to help him get along better with Miss Narwin?

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Response Topic Chapter 10

• You have heard about Narwin vs. Philip Malloy and
  about the humming. What do you think? Is Phillip
  to blame? Miss Narwin? What do you think will
  happen next?

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Response Topic Chapters 11-12

• Pressure - what are the pressures on you? Talk
  about pressures you, teachers and/or parents
  and/or friends might be feeling. How do these
  pressures affect the way you act and react

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Response Topic Chapters 11-12

• Rewards - what has someone said or done to make
  you feel good about yourself, to make you feel
  your efforts are worthwhile?

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Response Topic Chapters 11-12

• What does "sticking up for yourself" mean in
  these chapters? 

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Response Topic Chapters 11-12

• Does Mr. Malloy have a good relationship with his
  son?

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Response Topics Chapter 13

• Write an article for the newspaper  Student
  Suspended for Humming   Include in your article
  the facts and statements from Philip, Miss
  Narwin, Dr. Palleni, Ken Barchet, and one of
  Philip's parents.  The point of the article is to
  try to uncover and express the truth.

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Response Topics Chapter 13

• Why does Philip try to stop his father from
  calling Ted Griffin? What happens to the "truth"
  on p.96-99? How could this have been prevented?

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Response Topics Chapter 13

• Write a humorous list of 10 Rules We Should Have
  (But Don't)

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Response Topics Chapter 14

• In English class you discussed the topic Does
  the News Media Control Our Opinions?  Write your
  further thoughts about the topic. Refer to the
  news article on p.113. Are any of your opinions
  controlled by the news media - about President
  Obama or politics in general, about fashion,
  about sports or TV shows or movies, about
  anything? 

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Response Topics Chapter 14

• How do the adults in your life influence your
  opinions?  Give at least one good example.

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Response Topics Chapter 15

• Imagine that you have heard the Jack Barlow Talk
  Show. What do you think of Jake and his callers?
  Do you agree with their points of view?

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Response Topics Chapter 15

• What would you write to Miss Narwin to Philip?

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Response Topics Chapter 16

• What do you think of Malory's motives and
  actions? What do you think of Dr. Seymour's
  actions?

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Response Topics Chapters 17-18

• Respond in your diary to what Miss Narwin tells
  the reporter, Mr. Duval, on p.191-2. Do you agree
  that people like to hear the worst and rarely
  seek out or talk about the best? Give some
  examples of this.

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Response Topics Chapters 17-18

• Write a short newspaper article  Students
  Support Narwin, which reports on what might have
  happened if a student petition had been
  circulated.

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Response Topics-- End

• What do you make of the ending of the book? What
  is fair? What is not fair?