Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

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. Hermione plays an important role in the novel as one of Harry’s closest friends.

• What are 2-3 traits Hermione displays throughout the story? (topic sentence)
• What are 2-4 examples from the story when Hermione displays these character traits? In other words, how does the reader know Hermione has these traits?
• As you conclude, how do these aspects of Hermione’s character help Harry accomplish the mission in the novel?

2. Home can have different meanings for different people.

• What does home mean to Harry, and where does he feel most at home? (topic sentence)
• Explain 2-3 examples from the story when Harry shows he feels at home in this particular place. Be sure to explain how and why Harry feels this is his home.
• What does finding this sense of home mean to Harry?

3. Magic drives the plot and affects the characters in the wizarding world but can also represent aspects of the real world. 

• How is magic viewed in the wizarding world, and what in our world could be viewed in a similar way? (topic sentence)
• Describe 2 or more ways magic is viewed in the novel. Include details to explain how these different views of magic are revealed. Consider specific characters or events in the plot to help you explain your points.
• Explain how something in our society (an idea or trait) is viewed in a similar way.

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. Choose a character from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. How would that character define the terms “good” and “evil”? How do their words and actions reveal their views on these definitions? Include clear points, quoted evidence for each point, and clear analysis of how the evidence from the text proves each point.

2. What is a key lesson about bravery that is developed in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone? How does the author use particular characters to develop this lesson in the story? Do any characters seem to reveal a different idea about bravery? Develop your points using clear quoted evidence and a detailed analysis to support each point.