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 below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Roy is on the bus when he first sees Mullet and appears to be fascinated by him.

• Why is Roy interested in learning about the running boy? (topic sentence)
• Provide three reasons about why Roy is interested in the running boy and how he attempts to connect with him.
• In your concluding sentences, judge whether Roy’s interest in Mullet dissipates upon meeting him or if he continues to be fascinated by Mullet throughout the novel. Explain your rationale.

2. When Roy and Beatrice initially encounter one another, Beatrice threatens Roy.

• What is Beatrice’s reason for disliking Roy when she meets him? (topic sentence)
• Explain why Beatrice threatens Roy, whether her threat is justified, and why she later becomes Roy’s friend.