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. Mac relies on the help of others to carry out his business dealings throughout the novel.

• Excluding Vince and Joe, which secondary characters contribute most to Mac defeating Staples? (topic sentence)
• Describe two to three secondary characters, their talents, and the roles they play in defeating Staples.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, describe why Mac relies heavily on his team to carry out his business pursuits.

2. Staples exemplifies a traditional shadow archetype in the novel.

• Which of Staples’s traits characterize him as a typical antagonist in the novel? (topic sentence)
• Describe three qualities that characterize Staples as a typical antagonist in The Fourth Stall.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, describe Staples’s motivation for his business dealings and how Mac resolves his conflict with Staples.