Crispin: The Cross of Lead

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

1. Bear sings a song about how Lady Fortune, representing luck or chance, cannot be trusted.

• To what extent are luck and chance responsible for Crispin’s fortunate outcomes?
• Identify three or more scenes where Crispin overcomes significant obstacles and explain the role of chance in each scene.
• What do Crispin’s experiences suggest about the relationship between luck and choices? Summarize your ideas in your concluding sentence or sentences.

2. Throughout the novel, Avi’s characters speak in ways that differ from most modern English speakers.

• How does Avi make his text seem old fashioned and historical while keeping it understandable for modern readers?
• Identify three passages that demonstrate Avi’s use of archaic-sounding language; how do they differ from the way modern speakers would express the same ideas?
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, briefly describe the way that the novel’s use of formal-sounding or historical language affected your reader experience.