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. Consider the importance of Rab and Johnny’s friendship to the theme of Self-Sacrifice.

• Who is Rab, and what does he teach Johnny about self-sacrifice? (topic sentence)
• Offer evidence from the story that shows how Rab helps Johnny and how Johnny changes because of their friendship.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, draw a connection between Johnny’s friendship with Rab and the novel’s overarching theme of Self-Sacrifice for the Greater Good.

2. Consider the significance of the Lyte cup in Johnny’s character development.

• What does the Lyte cup symbolize, and what does it reveal about Johnny’s development? (topic sentence)
• Offer evidence from the story that shows how Johnny’s view of the Lyte cup changes over the course of the novel.