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. Cassandra’s character has a defined purpose in the story.

• How does Cassandra’s character symbolize the strained relationship between Blake and Quinn? (topic sentence)
• Offer 3 pieces of evidence that demonstrate what kind of person Cassandra is. In your commentary on this evidence, show how it relates to Blake and Quinn’s relationship.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, show how this aspect of Cassandra’s character relates to the novel’s theme of Finding Balance.

2. Shusterman utilizes a mood of suspense regarding the bus accident to keep readers engaged.

• How does Shusterman use the gradual revelation of details about the bus accident to create suspense? (topic sentence)
• Use evidence from the beginning, middle, and end of the novel to demonstrate how the reader becomes aware of the bus crash and its impact on Blake and how Shusterman then gradually fills in the details.