The Dark Is Rising

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 each step of Will’s quest, he learns more about the sacrifices and responsibilities he must take on as an Old One. At the same time, the new world he is entering has many beautiful things in it.

• What are the costs and benefits of becoming an Old One? (topic sentence)
• Describe 3 painful or difficult things that Will learns or does; then describe 3 things that Will loves about his new world.
• Finally, in your concluding sentence or sentences, evaluate whether Will is worse or better off for becoming an Old One; explain your judgment.

2. The author weaves together myths and legends to create a fantasy world that has its own history and system of magic. Choose 1 mythological figure to discuss.

• What role does this figure play in the novel? (topic sentence)
• Briefly research the origins of this figure and identify 3 characteristics or storylines that seem relevant to The Dark Is Rising. Explain how each contributes to Cooper’s portrayal of the figure.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, discuss how the figure’s mythological origins contribute to the meaning of the work as a whole.

3. In order to save the world, the Old Ones sometimes have to do things that harm individual people.

• The Old Ones seem to be good, but are they nice? (topic sentence)
• Describe 3 choices Will or the other Old Ones make that hurt people or that seem unfair. Explain why each one seems wrong.
• Finally, in your concluding sentence or sentences, discuss why Cooper might have portrayed the agents of the Light in this way.

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. Light and dark are such common symbols of good and evil that we accept them almost without thinking about it. How does the motif of light and dark function in The Dark Is Rising? Is there anything unexpected about the way Cooper uses the imagery? How does the motif overlap with other motifs, symbols, or imagery—e.g., the association of cold with evil?

2. Compare The Dark is Rising to another story that references myth and/or legend. Possibilities include one of the other books in the series or a different series such as the Chronicles of Prydain; a short story from Puck of Pook’s Hill or Rewards and Fairies; or a story from Arthurian legend. Describe similarities and difference between your choice and The Dark Is Rising. Do they share ideas or themes? Are the protagonists similar? Do the stories use myths and legends in a similar (or different) way?

3. How might the battle of the Light and Dark connect to the author’s experience as a child during World War II? What incidents and situations are reminiscent of her experience? Does knowing about the events that inspired certain scenes impact how you read them? Why or why not?