We Are All Made of Molecules

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. Stewart indicates at one point, “I didn’t have many friends. The only birthday parties I went to were the ones where the whole class was invited.”

• What makes Stewart different from his peers? (topic sentence)
• Explain and discuss any physical, emotional, or other characteristics that make fitting in difficult for Stewart. Evaluate which factors seem to impact exclusion more than others.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain why the author chose to use a character like Stewart in his novel to exemplify inclusion.

2. Ashley and Stewart perceive Jared and his behavior in very different ways.

• Why do Ashley and Stewart have varying perspectives on Jared? (topic sentence)
• What is Stewart’s true opinion of Jared, and how is this opinion different than Ashley’s?
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain what Ashley and Stewart’s perspective on Jared indicates about their characters.

3. Social hierarchy plays a significant role in the novel as Ashley is driven by how she is perceived by her peers.

• Describe the social hierarchy at Borden and the relative positions of Ashley and Stewart. (topic sentence)
• Which characters are mobile on the social hierarchy? How do characters’ perspectives about friendships change as positions on the hierarchy change?
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain whether the perspectives on social hierarchy change for either Ashley or Stewart.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by textual details, and a conclusion.

1. Stewart’s definition of family evolves over the course of the story. How does the meaning change for Stewart from the novel’s beginning to its conclusion? What geometric shapes does he use to express this concept, and how are these representations significant on a symbolic level?

2. Schrödinger bridges the gap between the Andersons and the Inksters. What is Ashley’s initial reaction to the cat and how does her relationship with him change? How does Schrödinger advance the plot of the novel? In what ways does the cat serve to unite the family?

3. Clothing plays an important role in Ashley’s narrative because of her interest in fashion. Several of the characters in the novel experience social pressures involving clothing or lack of clothing. How does clothing reinforce and maintain social hierarchy for the characters? In what ways does the lack of clothing impact social hierarchy? Which characters are impacted by each?