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. Mitch comments early on that Morrie is a messy eater. Why does food keep popping up in this story?

• Why is food important in this book? (topic sentence)
• How does Morrie’s ability to eat change? What might be said about food as a symbol of nourishment? Offer three examples in which food is mentioned to support your answer.
• Finally, in your concluding sentence or sentences, connect this discussion of food back to either the theme of Death as a Lesson or the theme Giving is Living.

2. Mitch and Morrie’s relationship is portrayed both in the present and in flashbacks returning to Mitch’s days at Brandeis University. How is their relationship different and how does it continue to change throughout the book?