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. The Journey to the West is an example of a picaresque novel.

• What elements of the novel make it picaresque? (topic sentence)
• Briefly define picaresque.
• Give examples drawn from throughout the novel that support each element of the definition of a picaresque novel.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, comment on how the use of the picaresque relates to one or more of the novel’s thematic concerns with Good Versus Evil and the Power of Redemption, The Juxtaposition of Pride and Humility, and The Need for Order and Law Amidst Chaos.

2. Sun Wukong’s character contains the duality of yin and yang.

• How does the characterization of Sun Wukong reflect both the principles of yin and the principles of yang? (topic sentence)
• Give at least three examples drawn from throughout the novel that support your interpretation of Sun Wukong’s dual nature.