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. Throughout the novel, Ana Rosa continually advocates The Power of Words.

• Why does Ana Rosa believe words are powerful? (topic sentence)
• Select one moment in the novel where words hold power for Ana Rosa.
• In your concluding sentences, summarize whether words hold the same power for all the characters and explain your reasoning.

2. The family is an important central unit in the novel.

• How does Ana Rosa’s family affect her decisions? (topic sentence)
• Find an example in the novel where her family influences a decision.
• In your concluding sentences, explain briefly what this example says about Family Relationships and How They Affect People.

3. Consider the role of the government in the lives of the people of the Dominican Republic.