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.

Scaffolded/Short-Answer 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. Fire appears several times in Little Fires Everywhere, including in the title.

• What does fire symbolize in the novel? (topic sentence)
• In what scenes or parts of the novel is fire mentioned, and how do these specific references to fire support its symbolic meaning? Discuss at least 3 examples to support your ideas.
• Finally, in your concluding sentence or sentences, connect this symbolic meaning to the novel’s title. 

2. Elena Richardson and Mia Warren exist in stark contrast to one another.

• How can you best summarize the difference in Elena’s and Mia’s characters? (topic sentence)
• What are 3 specific differences between the two characters, and how do these differences contribute to the plot?
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, address how these differences lead to the argument in the climax of the novel and the fire that follows.

3. Pauline Hawthorne’s photography of Mia is what encourages Elena Richardson to dig into her past.