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 below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the text throughout your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Milkman allegedly travels from Michigan to Pennsylvania to find the gold Macon II believes in a cave.

• What is Milkman’s real quest? (topic sentence)
• Explain how Milkman’s search for gold becomes a family search and why.
• In your closing sentences, evaluate the success of Milkman’s quest.

2. Mr. Smith jumps from the hospital. Milkman rejects his family, breaks up with Hagar, and travels to Pennsylvania. Guitar gives up marriage and children for the Seven Days. Macon I flies from a fence when shot, and Macon II maintains a loveless marriage. Solomon leaves his wife and children to return to Africa.

• Why do the men in the novel “fly” from varying circumstances? (topic sentence)
• Compare and contrast the “flights” of Milkman, Guitar, Macon I and II, and Solomon.