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. Morality, Survival, and Freedom are related themes in the novel. Survival is of the utmost importance to Sage, considering his difficult childhood at Mrs. Turbeldy’s orphanage. His drive to survive, even under the most difficult circumstances, defines everything about him.

• What other codes do characters in The False Prince live by? (topic sentence)
• Who are 3 characters that live by moral codes other than survivalism? Discuss ways in which each character demonstrates their moral code with evidence from the story.
• Finally, in your concluding sentence or sentences,  summarize how Sage’s survivalist attitude will help him—as opposed to another moral code—now that he has been restored to the throne as Prince Jaron.

2. Carthyan lore and history create a rich, textured word in The False Prince. They also set the stage for intense patriots.

• Which character shows the strongest Carthyan Patriotism and Pride, grounded in its lore and history? (topic sentence)
• Discuss 3 story details, events, or scenes in which this character’s intense love of their country is evident.
• Finally, in your concluding sentence or sentences, summarize the way(s) in which this character’s patriotism supplies motivation for their actions.

3. Power and ambition animate and motivate many of the villains in The False Prince (Veldergrath, for example), but power is also a corrupting force (as readers see with Tobias).

• What is the connection between power and truth in The False Prince? (topic sentence)
• Discuss 3 examples of instances in which secrets and information give a character power.
• Finally, in your concluding sentence or sentences, describe how the throne’s power is safeguarded by the ruler’s ability to control knowledge and information.

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. A plot twist is a literary device in which the main thrust of the plot takes a dramatically new direction. In Chapter 42, the start of The False Prince’s plot twist, the narration switches from Sage’s first-person perspective to third-person to tell the story of Prince Jaron from birth to age 10; he is then presumed dead after a pirate attack. This is Sage/Prince Jaron’s origin story, and it is the big “reveal” of the novel.

Examine Chapters 42-43 closely. Discuss how the shift in perspective shapes the overall story and affects how the reader receives the plot twist. What do we learn about Sage’s past that foreshadows events in his future? What do we learn about King Eckbert and Queen Erin that deepen the overarching themes of the novel of Identity and Power? In your essay, explain how the author crafted this twist, citing smaller moments throughout the novel that set the stage for the surprises contained Chapters 42 and 43.

2. Compare each of the 3 boys chosen by Conner to audition for the role of Prince Jaron. Specifically, think of each boy’s relationship to Identity, Power, and Patriotism. Where do their allegiances lie and what motivates them? Suppose either Tobias or Roden takes the throne instead of Sage. Use specific examples from the text to support your prediction as to what Carthya would look like under that individual’s rule.

3. In Chapter 54, when Sage is officially named King of Carthya, he says in anger to Conner: “Of all Carthyans, I am the least free.” Sage says he has no desire to be king and is taking the throne because only he can prevent the entire kingdom’s collapse. Conduct a line-by-line analysis of this moment, unpacking the meanings and connotations of individual words and phrases with regard to the themes of Identity and Patriotism. Also discuss if Sage becoming King Jaron means a shift in his personality. For example, is survivalism still his primary motivating force?