Refugee

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. 

Scaffolded/Short-Answer 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. When Josef leaves Germany for Cuba, he is on the cusp of an important social marker in his life: becoming an adult.

• Why is Josef’s transition to manhood important for him and his family?
• Find three examples where Josef makes decisions for himself or his family that he believes are important for adulthood.
• What is the ultimate example of Josef’s desire to become an adult?

2. Throughout Isabel’s journey, we learn about clave, a special rhythm in Cuban music that Isabel is worried she will never hear, especially if she leaves her home of Cuba for the U.S.

• Why is clave important for the Cuban people?
• Find three examples in the novel where either Isabel or her companions discuss the importance of clave.
• Does Isabel manage to hear clave in the novel? If so, when does she manage to hear it? What does this mean for the concept of clave and its relation to homeland?

3. Mahmoud oscillates between invisibility and visibility throughout his journey.

• Why does Mahmoud want to remain invisible?
• Find three examples of when Mahmoud needed to become visible in order to survive.
• How does Mahmoud feel about staying invisible at the end of his journey?

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. Safety and security within a place are fluid. Within the novel, the experiences of the three young refugees show that a country might be "safe" in one time period (e.g., Cuba in the 1940s and Germany in the 2010s) and might be riddled with war and political instability in another time period (e.g., Germany in the 1940s and Cuba in the 1990s). Based on both the novel as well as in-class discussion regarding refugee status, select one of the following three countries in the novel and compare and contrast its stability throughout the novel. What factors made the country unstable? How did the instability affect the populations? Incorporate textual evidence from the novel as well as outside sources discussed in class.

2. The word “tomorrow” is a word that Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud hear in different parts of their journey. Unfortunately, more often than not, this is a false promise of “tomorrow,” leaving the three protagonists discouraged and frustrated. Select one of the three protagonists and write an essay in which you analyze the promise of “tomorrow” in their journey. Is “tomorrow” always negative in his or her story? Why or why not? Be sure to use quotes and cite examples in your essay.