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, Sasha struggles to give up her penchant for stealing things.

• How does Sasha ultimately overcome her compulsion to steal from others? (topic sentence)
• Describe 3 major instances that show Sasha’s progress toward overcoming her kleptomania.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, sum up Sasha’s arc and where she is at the novel’s end compared to where she was at the beginning.

2. Characters in this novel try to express themselves through their appearance and on their bodies.

• How are bodies a site of meaning and identity in A Visit from the Goon Squad? (topic sentence)
• Support your thesis by providing 3 examples of characters who express or create their identities using their physical appearance.
• Finally, in your concluding sentence or sentences, connect this back to the theme of Identity.