The Stars Beneath Our Feet

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 below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Despite their dislike of each other, Rose and Lolly develop a relationship over time.

• How does the relationship between Lolly and Rose evolve? (topic sentence)
• Describe Rose and Lolly’s relationship when they first start building together. Explain how their relationship grows and how Rose encourages Lolly to become a better artist.
• In your concluding sentences, explain how Rose and Lolly help one another in other ways.

2. Most of the novel takes place in Harlem, New York, where Lolly lives.

• How does Lolly feel about Harlem? (topic sentence)
• Explain how Lolly describes Harlem and how he feels about living there.
• In your concluding sentences, explain where you believe Lolly will choose to live when he is an adult.

3. Lolly often draws parallels between his relationship with Vega and his brother’s relationship with Steve.

• How is Jermaine and Steve’s relationship similar to Lolly and Vega’s? (topic sentence)
• Describe the similarities between Steve and Jermaine and Lolly and Vega. Then explain how their relationships are different.
• In your concluding sentences, explain how the relationships between the four boys are connected to the novel’s theme of The Importance of Choice.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by textual details, and a conclusion.

1. The Stars Beneath Our Feet is written in a first-person perspective from Lolly’s point of view. Write an essay that explains why the first-person perspective is important to the story. Use these questions as a starting point for your analysis: Why do you believe Moore writes in Lolly’s perspective? What insights into Lolly’s world does the reader experience through Lolly’s thoughts and feelings? How does the first-person perspective change the way the reader views Lolly? What might have been misunderstood if the novel had been told from a different perspective?

2. Jermaine and Steve represent the two paths that Lolly and Vega could follow. Write a compare and contrast essay that evaluates the pros and cons of each path. What do Lolly and Vega determine about these paths? Do you agree with the choice the boys ultimately make? Why or why not? Cite evidence from the text to support your ideas.

3. The novel’s theme The Power of Creating is used throughout the novel in several characters’ lives. Write an essay that examines The Power of Creating in the lives of Rose, Lolly, Vega, or Steve. Keep the following questions in mind as you write: What role does creation play for your chosen character? How does creating a bridge help your character? How is it used to break free from physical difficulties in their lives? What might the author suggest about people in difficult circumstances who choose to create?