Skip to Main Content

Section 2: Section Diagnostic

Considering what you have learned from reviewing the Section 1 Diagnostic, write an interpretation of and personal response to one of the texts you chose to read in this section of the unit.

Part 1: Interpretation of the Text

Write a brief summary of the text you selected. In your interpretive summary, address these two questions:

  1. What meaning have you found in the text, and how does it address the unit’s first Central Question: What does it mean to live a life well-lived?

  2. How has the author of the selected text communicated that meaning through a story, other textual details, and figurative language (imagery, metaphors, symbols)?

Part 2: Personal Response

Develop a short personal reflection, essay, or narrative, which you will write in class. In your personal response, consider the unit’s second Central Question: What compass might you carry as you undertake your journey in the world?

Your personal response might take one of the following forms:

  • Option 1: A reflective narrative, in which you tell the story of how you have come to understand the text and find meaning in it.

  • Option 2: A personal essay, in which you discuss the central stories and ideas of the selected text and how they might be significant as a compass for you.

  • Option 3: A personal narrative, based on a meaningful story from your own life that is somehow connected to the stories and ideas in your selected text.

In writing your response, be sure to do the following:

  • Indicate your understanding of the text, its key ideas, its details, and their meaning for you.

  • Respond to the selected text personally, indicating how and why it might be meaningful to you.

  • Reference the selected text, either through your own storytelling or through specific citations from the text.

  • Develop your ideas with descriptive details, examples, and explanations.

  • Organize your ideas in a logical structure.

  • Use correct and effective grammar and spelling to clearly communicate your ideas.