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. Describe the historical setting of Chesnutt’s story, “The Wife of His Youth.”

• How does the time period shape the plot and the characters? (topic sentence)
• Select one character and describe how this person is shaped by the historical setting of the story.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, discuss how this person’s characterization speaks to the context of Post-Reconstruction in the American North.

2. Consider the impact the history of slavery has on the lives of the characters.

• How do the characters respond differently as they navigate life after enslavement in the US? (topic sentence)
• Select one character and provide 2-3 examples of how slavery impacts this person’s decisions.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, consider the message Chesnutt conveys about the impact of Slavery on Black communities.