Furia

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. One important setting in Furia is El Buen Pastor.

• What does this setting’s history communicate about The Culture of Rosario, Argentina? (topic sentence)
• Give examples from at least three different places in the novel that support your interpretation of what the setting communicates.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, comment on how the ideas communicated through this setting support the novel’s larger meaning.

2. Diego and Pablo have a lot in common, but they also have important differences.

• How do Diego and Pablo function as foils for one another? (topic sentence)
• Explain at least three ways these characters are similar to one another.
• Explain how these similarities serve to highlight the important differences between Diego and Pablo.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, comment on how the differences between the two characters support the novel’s larger meaning.

3. The nickname “la Furia” is an important part of the novel’s characterization of Camila.

• What is the significance of this nickname to the characterization of Camila? (topic sentence)
• Give examples from at least three different parts of the novel that support your interpretation of the nickname’s significance.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain how this characterization of Camila contributes to the novel’s thematic concerns with Soccer as a Means of Advocating for Gender Equality and Changing Family Relationships.

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. The setting of Rosario, Argentina is central to the story of Furia. Could the plot of this story have taken place in another location? Why or why not? How does this setting contribute to Camila’s characterization? How does it contribute to the novel’s thematic interest in Soccer as a Means of Advocating for Gender Equality? Write an essay where you analyze the setting’s importance to plot, theme, and characterization in Furia. Support your assertions with evidence drawn from throughout the novel, making sure to cite any quoted material.

2. Camila is proud of her ancestry, which comes from many different places in the world. Her best friend is of Chinese descent, and Father Hugo is of Indian descent. What does this tell you about the setting and The Culture of Rosario, Argentina? How does Camila’s pride help characterize her? What point might the author be making about the importance—or lack of importance—of where a person lives and where their ancestors come from? Write an essay in which you analyze Méndez’s purpose in including so many characters whose ancestry comes from outside of Argentina. Support your assertions with evidence drawn from throughout the novel, making sure to cite any quoted material.

3. On page 31 of Chapter 5, Camila says “In my barrio, most of the people didn’t know my name or even that I existed. To them, I was only Pablo’s sister, or Andrés and the seamstress’s daughter—my mom, too, was nameless.” In what way is Camila’s mother “nameless” even to her own daughter? How much of the conflict between Camila and her mother is just a natural part of mother-daughter relationships, and how much of it is attributable to the way women are treated in Argentina? Why is getting to know Isabel better an important part of Camila’s growth as a person and as a feminist? Write an essay in which you analyze the significance of Camila’s growing interest in her mother as a person separate from her role as wife and mother. Comment on how this interest fits into the novel’s larger thematic concern with Changing Family Relationships. Support your assertions with evidence drawn from throughout the novel, making sure to cite any quoted material.