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. In Rebecca, the narrator, Mrs. Van Hopper, and Mrs. Danvers all experience varying degrees of jealousy.

• Where does jealousy first appear in the novel, and what does this jealousy reveal about the character who experiences it? (topic sentence)
• Give at least three examples of moments when the characters experience extreme jealousy, and what these moments suggest about the characters themselves.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain how jealousy connects to the theme of The Haunting or The Narrator’s Journey.

2. A symbol is an object or event that holds a metaphorical meaning—it stands for something beyond itself.

• What does the narrator know about Manderley in the beginning of the novel? (topic sentence)
• Provide at least three examples of moments in the text when Manderley stands out as a significant symbol.