The Book of Negroes

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. The American title of the novel is Someone Knows My Name. How does this title influence your understanding of the novel?

• How does the theme The Importance of Names and Naming relate to the American title of the novel Someone Knows My Name? (topic sentence)
• What are at least three parts of the story where Aminata’s name is especially significant, and why?
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, consider how the American title of the novel might emphasize the theme The Importance of Names and Naming.

2. The character of Solomon Lindo is intended to embody the moral dilemma of the “well-meaning” enslaver. Aminata’s feelings towards her former enslaver are initially ones of trust and security until she discovers his involvement in the sale of her baby.