George

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. For a long time, Melissa cannot trust her mom enough to tell her she is a girl.

• How does Melissa’s mom’s attitude toward her daughter shift over time? (topic sentence)
• Incorporate at least 3 quotations or details from the novel that illustrate your points. Explain what each illustrates about Melissa’s mom.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, identify how accepting Melissa’s mom is as the novel ends. Is she completely accepting, mostly accepting, or only somewhat accepting? Also, make a connection to the theme of Natural Versus Normal.

2. Melissa hides her magazines until her mom discovers them.

• What is the significance of Melissa’s “secret” magazines? (topic sentence)
• Include at least 3 quotations or specific scenes and reasoning about how each develops your arguments.
• In your conclusion, explain something the magazines taught Melissa and connect this to the theme of Secrecy and Shame.

3. At the end of the novel, Kelly arranges a trip to the zoo for Melissa.

• Why is this day at the zoo important for Melissa? (topic sentence)
• Incorporate at least 3 quotations and a clear explanation of what each reveals about the trip’s meaning.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain how these scenes address the theme of Natural Versus Normal.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. Consider the school production of Charlotte’s Web. Why is the play significant for Melissa? Why is playing Charlotte so important to her? How does the format of acting on the stage impact her? What does Kelly’s help mean? What does the audience’s reception reveal about the community, and how does it affect Melissa? What shifts after the play? As you compose your essay, include at least three quotations from the novel with reasoning about how each develops your points. Cite your quotations with page numbers.

2. Reflect on the friendship between Melissa and Kelly. How does their friendship transform throughout the novel? Where in the novel does Melissa lean on her friend? When is Kelly most supportive, and when is she least supportive? How does the school play affect Melissa and Kelly? Why is the zoo pivotal to their friendship?