1. A Sound of Thunder By: Ray Bradbury
Dialectical Journal
A Sound of Thunder
By: Ray Bradbury

2. How to set up your Journal
Heading: At the top of every page, put the name of the story along with the page range being read.
Body: A Summary of each story goes directly below the heading.
Then, under the summary, build a “T Chart.”

3. Summary – One Per Story (right now)
A summary is a shortened version of what you’ve read.
Remember, write only the highlights from what you’ve read in chronological order.
Summaries are always in your own words.
Leave OUT personal thoughts, opinions, analysis, etc.
Leave OUT details that are unimportant, even if it’s a really great part of the story!

4. T-Chart Left Side: Note MAKING
Right Side:
Note taking of terms and Text-Based Evidence directly from the book.
Cite Page and Paragraph #
Find at least ONE thing from EACH category from EACH page to think and write about.
Left Side:
Note MAKING
This side is to show evidence of your thinking and analyzing.
Also include your thoughts as to WHY the author is writing the story this way.

5. A Sound of Thunder
We are going to analyze and explore this story through a few different lenses and journal our findings (R.L.9.1):
How does the story move?
How does the story create intrigue, mystery, tension and surprise through the use of foreshadowing? (R.L.9.2; R.L.9.5)
Characterization: How and why does the author set up his characters in the way that he does? How do their personalities and conflicts (internal and/or external) help propel the intrigue, mystery, tension and surprise? (R.L.9.3)
Dialogue: Why and how does the author use dialogue to further the plot of his story?
Vivid Language: Why and how does the author use such vivid language?

6. Warning:
What I’m about to show you is NOT the entire work needed for this story.
What I’m about to show you is ONLY a reference point showing the caliber of work you’re expected to do THE ENTIRE WAY THROUGH THE STORY.
You are to be gleaning, gathering, and analyzing evidence throughout the entire story.
You will be required to answer questions and write about your findings.
Your journals are NOT COMPLETE until the right side of your page answers the “why” with a “because.”

7. A Sound of Thunder Ray Bradury pages 38 - 51
Eckels is a man who purchased a ticket to return to prehistoric time in order to hunt dinosaurs. He inadvertently ... (A real summary would go here but I’m not about to give you a spoiler.) (R.L.9.2)
Characterization:
Eckles: “A warm phlegm gathered in Eckles’s throat; he swallowed and pushed it down. The muscles in his mouth formed a smile…” pg. 38
Eckles is a nervous man. The author is trying to make us feel anxious because the author wants us to understand that Eckels is doing something dangerous.

8. Sound of Thunder, cont. Characterization:
Eckels (Cont.): “Eckels flushed angrily.” “Eckels looked at the check. His fingers twitched.” “Eckels swayed on the padded seat, his face pale, his jaw stiff. He felt the trembling in his arms, and he looked down and found his hands tight on the new rifle.
Mr. Eckels continues to be nervous, especially in light of how much money he has to hand over. When his fingers twitched, it was like he was rethinking his plan to go and shoot a dinosaur. The author is doing this so that we understand that he has good reason to be afraid.

9. Sound of Thunder, cont. Dialogue:
Pg. 38: “Does this safari guarantee I come back alive?” “We guarantee nothing…”
This quote furthers the story line because we understand that the company is not guaranteeing Eckels’s life. The author is doing this so that we understand that this journey is very dangerous and Eckels’s should have no expectation of coming home alive.

10. A Sound of Thunder, Cont. Dialogue, cont.:
Pg. 38 “This is Mr. Travis, your Safari Guide in the Past. He’ll tell you what and where to shoot. If he says no shooting, no shooting. If you disobey instructions, there’s a stiff penalty of another ten thousand dollars…”
The author has the official give Eckels simple instructions that seem rather “baby-ish” because the reader needs to understand that the rules must be obeyed. These rules will probably be an important aspect of the story.

11. A Sound of Thunder, Cont. Vivid Details:
“The sign on the wall seemed to quaver under a film of sliding warm water.” p. 38
This imagery makes the reader feel uncomfortable from the very first sentence because the idea of film and warm water is distasteful.

12. A Sound of Thunder, Cont. Vivid Details, Cont.:
“Eckels felt his eyelids blink over his stare, and the sign burned in this momentary darkness.” pg. 38
Eckels seems to be out of control – he feels his eyes blink, which means he’s not in control, and then the sign burns into his eyes because he’s really paying attention to what it’s saying. This day must be very important.

13. A Sound of Thunder, Cont. Foreshadowing:
Lines 13-18, page 38: Eckels is asking if he’ll come back alive and the official is not reassuring
Suspense is built because the audience now is interested in whether Eckels will come back alive from his safari.