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

1. Explain why family is important in Trash.

• How does family play in important role in Trash? (topic sentence)
• Describe three incidents from the novel in which family is important to the story’s plot.
• In your concluding sentences, describe what major theme about family emerges from the events in the story, especially its resolution.

2. Describe the character you most identify with in the novel.

• Which character did you relate to in Trash? (topic sentence)
• Give three details from the novel that caused you to identify with the character.
• In your concluding sentences, explain why this character is the best representation of who you are.

3. Explain whether a revolution is needed for reform in the country in which Trash takes place.