Unwind

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 Unwind, Shusterman presents robust character development, especially in the characters Lev and Connor.

• How does the author develop characters in this novel? Choose to write your essay about one of the following: Lev, Connor, Risa, or Roland. (topic sentence)
• In the body of your essay, discuss which events have the most impact on characters and how the author shows that impact over the course of the novel. Include textual evidence to support your claims.
• Close your essay with reflections on how those characters connect to one of the novel’s themes or sub-themes.

2. Unwind raises many moral questions about the right to life, who gets to choose who lives or dies, and when life begins or ends, without making any claims to a singular right answer.

• As a reader, which question or argument stands out the most to you? (topic sentence)
• Explain how the author presents and explores one of the many moral or ethical questions raised in this novel.
• In your final paragraph, discuss the following: If you lived in the fictional universe of this novel, what position would you take on the question raised, and why? You may include examples, quotations, and outside sources to support your reflections in the conclusion.

3. One of the novel’s themes focuses on Inner Versus Outer Strength.

• How is this theme developed through the novel’s characters? Focus your essay on one of the following: Risa, Connor, the Admiral, Lev, or Roland. (topic sentence)
• Discuss moments where inner or outer strength is either displayed or implied. Make inferences about what moments, choices, and decisions require a display of strength and how and/or why your selected character makes specific choices.
• In your conclusion, evaluate whether or not this theme is well developed in the novel.

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. In Chapter 9, a mother storking her child observes, “Funny, but the Bill of Life was supposed to protect the sanctity of life. Instead it just made life cheap.” Reflect on the events, outcomes, and forces of morality at work in the novel. Does this statement from the unnamed young mother ring true or false? To what degree? Use textual evidence to support your answer.

2. Evaluate Shusterman’s use of situational and verbal irony throughout the novel. Feel free to discuss its impact on tone, character development, plot development, or other aspects of the novel. Use textual evidence to support your observations.

3. Hayden is a character who isn’t afraid to ask questions that make the other characters uncomfortable. How does the author use Hayden’s character to help develop the plot of the novel? Connect Hayden’s questions to specific events or characters whose unfolding explores, answers, or challenges those moral questions.