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. Boyle’s work often results in creating peace between former rivals or enemies.

• How does Boyle’s work help to bring about reconciliation between former enemies?  (topic sentence)
• Provide three examples from the text of changes in the relationship between former enemies. How are these experiences similar?
• Finally, in your concluding sentence or sentences, discuss how the journey from rivalry to acceptance relates to either the theme of The Transformative Power of Compassion or Everyone Is Worthy of Redemption.

2. Fr. Boyle tells the story of several tragic deaths in the text.

• Why do you think he does this? (topic sentence)
• Use three examples from the text to support your argument, connecting them back to your central thesis.
• In your conclusion, connect your argument back to the motif of unnecessary death.