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. The Nazi Aryan ideal was blond hair and blue eyes, taken to be signs of the “superior” race.

• When and how do Bitton-Jackson’s blond hair and blue eyes impact her experience during the Holocaust? (topic sentence)
• How does this special treatment affect her relationship with other Jewish people in the camps?
• In your conclusion, describe how Bitton-Jackson’s being singled out for her appearance helped heighten the Survivor’s Responsibility within her.

2. The night before Markus leaves for a labor camp, he studies the Talmud with Bubi and tells him, “Remember this passage when you remember me” (50).

• Why does Markus want Bubi to remember him this way? (topic sentence)
• What does this statement say about the importance that Markus places in his faith?
• In your conclusion, reflect on how Jewish Identity is a source of strength for Markus, and how he encourages Bubi to adopt this attitude as well.