A Chance in the World

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. In the memoir, Steve suffers brutal attacks at the hands of his foster parents.

• What changes should be made to the foster care system to protect children in foster care? (topic sentence)
• Provide three examples from the text to describe how someone who was suspicious of the Robinsons might have intervened on behalf of Steve.
• In your concluding sentences, explain what measures could be taken by child welfare services to regularly check on children like Steve.

2. While in college, Steve works as a janitor over the summer with a janitorial crew he befriends.

• What impact does the janitorial staff have on the trajectory of Steve’s life? (topic sentence)
• Explain why the janitorial staff is important to Steve, what void the janitorial staff serves to fill, and how the staff encourages Steve and changes the trajectory of his life.
• In your concluding sentences, explain how Steve’s life may have been different had he not met and worked with the janitorial staff.

3. Steve searches for his family in the story in part to better understand his own identity.

• Why does Steve struggle with identity? (topic sentence)
• Explain how Steve struggles with identity in relation to his race, his siblings, and his parents. How do each of these factors contribute to Steve’s identity?
• In your concluding sentences, explain whether you believe Steve achieved his identity through his biological family or by some other means.

Full Essay Assignments

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

1. Throughout the memoir Steve desires a family above all else. What are the instances in which Steve thought he had found his family and later realized that he did not feel as though they were family after all? How does Steve’s opinion of family change after he meets his biological brothers and sister? How does it change after he has his own family? How do you think Steve would define family? Use examples from the memoir to explain your thinking.

2. After leaving the Robinsons, Steve embarks on a years-long journey to discover who his parents were. What does Steve begin to find as he searches for his biological parents? What does Steve find unforgivable? How does Steve’s impression of what is unforgivable change after he has his own children? How does Steve’s perception of his parents change over the course of the memoir? Does Steve ever discover if his parents wanted him?

3. Even while living with the Robinsons Steve enjoys reading. How did reading shape the way Steve interacted with people? Why is reading important to Steve’s identity and his desire to go to college? Why was it important for Steve to study hard? How did the books Steve reads inspire him to achieve what he believed to be impossible?