Half of a Yellow Sun

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. Discuss the motifs Adichie employs in the novel to symbolize The Horrors of War.

• Identify two symbols or ideas that Adichie incorporated throughout the novel to signify The Horrors of War the characters experienced. (topic sentence)
• Describe how the characters react to their experiences with the two concepts you have identified.
• In your conclusion, discuss how the motifs shaped the view of The Horrors of War or the statement being made about them through the story.

2. Richard and Susan have markedly different beliefs about the Igbo people.

• What stance does each character take toward the Igbo people? (topic sentence)
• Compare and contrast specific examples of what each character has said about the Igbo people and culture. Explain what this reveals about each character’s personality.