The Screaming Staircase

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. Lucy strongly dislikes George when she meets him, and George seems to feel the same way about Lucy. Identify at least three separate stages of their relationship and use examples from the text to illustrate your discussion.

• How does the friendship between Lucy and George evolve throughout the novel, and what events lead to the changes that occur between them? (topic sentence)
• In the body of your essay, examine Lucy and George’s relationship and interactions when they first meet, any conflicts that arise along the way, and how these two supposed opposites learn to create a friendship. Be sure to include at least two direct quotes.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, discuss any predictions you have for how George and Lucy’s friendship will continue to evolve.

2. Stroud often juxtaposes light and dark imagery throughout the novel.

• How does Stroud utilize this motif, and what does it represent for the novel’s setting, themes, and characters? (topic sentence)
• Identify at least three different symbolic interpretations for light and three for dark as employed throughout the novel. Explore how these examples affect setting, theme, characters, and plot.
• In your conclusion, comment on the effectiveness of Stroud’s employment of this motif as it relates to the horror genre.

3. The Screaming Staircase achieves a sense of terror and suspense while also frequently making use of dry and sarcastic humor.

• How does Jonathan Stroud create an ongoing sense of eeriness and suspense throughout the novel, and why does he choose to weave humor throughout the horror? (topic sentence)
• In the body of your essay, detail at least three examples of suspense in the novel, the effectiveness of the suspense, and how humor is used to break tension.
• In the conclusion of your essay, explore the possible reasons why children and young adults might be drawn to horror, the macabre, and the supernatural.

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. Is The Screaming Staircase a post-apocalyptic novel? Why or why not? Choose an established post-apocalyptic novel from popular literature and compare and contrast its main elements with that of Stroud’s novel to support your opinion. You will also want to introduce your essay by explaining what makes a post-apocalyptic novel to lay a foundation for your argument. Your essay should include at least three examples of setting, atmosphere, or mood that support your opinion and one example that refutes your opinion.

2. Lockwood’s home is the setting for many of the novel’s key events, and setting is a powerful mechanism for imagery, mood, and characterization. How does 35 Portland Row act as an extension of Lockwood’s personality? Utilize at least three examples of how this is so and explore how the vivid descriptions of its many secrets and fascinations add to the mood and imagery of the story. Select and analyze at least three to four quotes from the text to prove your point.

3. While it has always been common for children’s stories to feature depictions of horror and the macabre, it has also always been a source of controversy. What is your opinion on the usage of gore and horror in children’s and young adult fiction? What makes horror aimed at young people different, and why might some children and adults find it problematic? Your essay should focus on drawing examples from The Screaming Staircase to support your argument, but you are also encouraged to include examples from other works of literature or film as well as your own personal experience.