Wait Till Helen Comes

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. 

Scaffolded/Short-Answer Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the play over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Molly and Heather are stepsisters, but for most of the novel, they do not get along.

• Describe how Molly feels about Heather at the beginning of the novel. Why does she feel this way? (topic sentence)
• Detail 3 ways in which Molly’s feelings towards Heather change over the course of the novel. Why do you think Molly’s feelings change? Use examples from the text to support your ideas.
• Finally, discuss how Molly comes to see Heather as “a real, true sister” (Chapter 15).

2. Wait Till Helen Comes is a ghost story.

• Think about 1 or 2 other ghost stories you have read and consider the ways in which they are similar to Wait Till Helen Comes. How do Wait Till Helen Comes and similar ghost stories make the reader feel? (topic sentence)
• Describe 3 literary devices that Mary Downing Hahn uses to create the novel’s spooky atmosphere. Give details from the text to illustrate each literary device.
• Lastly, evaluate Hahn’s effectiveness in creating a suspenseful, spooky story in comparison to other similar stories.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least 3 main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. Learning to Be a Family is an important theme in Wait Till Helen Comes. Describe some of the difficulties Molly’s family faces in becoming a united, loving unit. In what ways does each character cause conflicts in their relationships with each other? Explain how Molly reaches the understanding that they must “learn” to be a family. What does “learning to be a family” involve? Do you think Molly’s family will succeed? Why or why not?

2. Heather is like the other little girls who drowned in Harper Pond: friendless and lonely. Why does Heather reject Molly’s friendship? Why do you think Heather turns to Helen for friendship? In what ways is Helen a good friend to Heather? In what ways is she a bad friend? What events help Heather accept Molly as both a friend and sister? Connect at least 1 of your points to the theme of The Nature of True Friendship.