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. 

Scaffolded/Short-Answer Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the book in your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Gender Hierarchies and the Female Struggle is one of the ongoing themes developed throughout the narrative: Gong Gong, Aunt Baba, and Adeline all experience some form of female-related struggle and gender bias.

• What overall message or idea is suggested by their experiences with gender hierarchies and the female struggle? (topic sentence)
• What actions by Gong Gong, Aunt Baba, Adeline, or their antagonists contribute to that message or idea? Provide examples of actions, events, and/or situations from the text.
• In your concluding sentence(s) identify the most important pivotal scene involving gender hierarches and the female struggle and why it is important to the story.

2. On her deathbed, Aunt Baba tells a fairy tale to Adeline about a girl hurt by her stepmother who then triumphs over the pain to create beautiful pieces of art.

• What is the significance of this fairy tale? (topic sentence)
• Compare Aunt Baba’s fairy tale to the “Cinderella” fairy tale by the Grimm Brothers.