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 language 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. The novel is told from Victor’s perspective as he tries to find a way to cross the US-Mexico border.

• Why do you think the author chose to tell the novel from Victor’s perspective? (topic sentence)
• Explain why the author chose to tell the novel from Victor’s perspective and how it might have been different had it been told from Miguel’s, Rico’s, or Julio’s perspective.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, use examples from the novel to explain why Rico may have had a more interesting narrative than Victor.

2. Victor is often confronted with difficult moral dilemmas in the novel.

• How does Victor’s family serve as a touchstone to help him make difficult decisions? (topic sentence)
• Explain how Victor’s family’s faith, his family’s symbol, and his parents’ influence assist him in making decisions in the novel.