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. Ranofer becomes increasingly withdrawn because of Gebu’s abuse, but he still manages to find significant role models in his life.

• Who are Ranofer’s role models, and why are they important? (topic sentence)
• Describe Ranofer’s role models in the novel, explain why he looks up to each one, then explain how these role models influence his character.
• In your concluding sentences, explain why you think the author chose to provide Ranofer with role models. What might Ranofer’s life be like if he didn’t have them?

2. In the novel, Ranofer is often abused by his half-brother, Gebu.

• What different forms of abuse does Ranofer experience at Gebu’s hands? (topic sentence)
• Explain how Gebu abuses Ranofer both physically and emotionally, then explain how Ranofer is able to overcome his brother’s abuse.