Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

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 author’s use of an epistolary form demonstrates how Ari’s and Dante’s lives change when Dante moves to Chicago.

• What is the primary purpose of the letters between Ari and Dante, as a literary device to advance the plot? (topic sentence)
• What do the letters reveal about Ari and Dante? Give several specific examples.
• In your conclusion, reflect upon the impact created by the epistolary form of the narrative as opposed to a more straightforward narrative style. Consider how letters might be a more intimate way of revealing certain facts about Ari and Dante.

2. The desert is one element of the natural world that the author uses to convey a truth about the characters.