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. Marty faces internal conflict when he tries to determine whether he should hide Shiloh from his parents or not.

• Was Marty correct in keeping Shiloh secret, and lying to his parents and others? (topic sentence)
• Explain why Marty made the decision to hide Shiloh from his parents and others then discuss options Marty might have had based on the novel’s circumstances.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain whether you believe there are certain instances when it is appropriate to lie. Support your assertion with evidence based on the novel’s plot.

2. Judd and Marty interact frequently in the novel after Marty first discovers Shiloh.  

• Does the relationship between Judd and Marty change in the novel? (topic sentence)
• Using text details to support your topic sentence, explain how Judd feels about Marty at the beginning of the novel and compare it to how he feels at the novel’s conclusion.