Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Consider Bull’s quote from Chapter 13: “[W]e are going nowhere. That, my friend, is the irony of our constant movement.”

• How does Bull’s statement relate to Edward’s experience? (topic sentence)
• Explain how Bull’s statement relates to Edward’s experience, then explain whether you agree with Bull’s statement in regard to Edward’s character.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain the connection between Edward’s mobility and his character growth.

2. Stars are often referenced and serve as an important symbol in the novel.  

• What do the stars symbolize to Edward? (topic sentence)
• Explain what Edward initially feels when he looks at the stars, when he experiences a greater appreciation for the stars, and how the stars relate to his own life.