This paper discusses the use of student journals in a community college literature course as a technique to analyze student responses to literary works. Journal statements collected from 26 students in two classes were evaluated and assigned to the following categories: self and society; class discussion and activity; class discussion, activity, and self; readings; readings and meaning; readings and self; and imaginative writing. Because the journals required regular, almost daily, writing, they encouraged responsibility, close reading of texts, and attentiveness in class discussion. In addition, entries revealed that the teacher's attitude and presentation of material, as well as comments written in the journals, helped students to define their personal and social roles. (Author/KS)