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 novel over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. In Chapter 2, Mr. Jenkins calls Meg “the most belligerent, uncooperative child in school.” Is this a complete and accurate description of her character? 

• What is true about Meg that might make teachers and peers misinterpret her character? (topic sentence)
• Select details from the text that show there is more to Meg’s character than her anger. How do people see her at home? Across the universe?
• In your final sentences, explain how L’Engle uses Meg’s character to highlight that people and things can seem one way, but actually be another way (i.e., It’s Not What Things Look Like; It’s What They Are Like).

2. L’Engle implies that each of the Mrs. Ws has a backstory that may or may not be the same.