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 text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. In much of Part I of Little Women, Mr. March is away serving in the Union Army during the Civil War.

• How does the Union cause line up with values held by the March family? (topic sentence)
• Give textual support that shows why Marmee and Mr. March would be supporters of the war.
• How does this relate to the lessons that Marmee is trying to teach her daughters?

2. Of all the sisters, Jo is the one who least wants to grow up.

• Why does Jo want to stay in the safety of the March household? (topic sentence)
• In what ways is her behavior informed by this desire?
• What causes her to move toward adulthood?

3. Though each sister is a major character in the story, Jo’s narrative is the one that drives the book forward

• How is this book fundamentally Jo’s story? (topic sentence)
• How does her relationship with each sister help her grow into the woman she becomes?
• What is the novel saying through Jo’s story about what it means to grow up?