The Scarlet Pimpernel

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. In the novel, Baroness Orczy’s portrayal of the French and British demonstrates her attitude toward the two cultures.

• How does the author portray the French as primitive and the English as happy and virtuous? (topic sentence)
• Provide three examples from the novel that portray the French in a negative light and the English in a positive light.
• In your concluding sentences, explain why Orczy chose to portray the English and the French the way she did.

2. Marguerite is known throughout Paris and London in the novel.

• What qualities does Marguerite possess that make her wildly popular in London and Paris? (topic sentence)
• Explain three qualities that make Marguerite admirable to the other characters in the novel, then explain why these qualities are important to her success in Paris and in London.