Lyddie

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 paragraphs) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the novel over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Explore how Lyddie and Charlie’s relationship changes over the course of the novel.

• How does their relationship look at the beginning of the novel versus how it looks at the end of the novel? (topic sentence)
• Draw upon examples from the text in which it appears that Lyddie and Charlie have stopped communicating the way they once did and have begun developing different sets of values.
• In your concluding sentences, connect these changes to how Lyddie and Charlie each change as individuals and how their time apart affects their connection with one another.

2. Triphena’s story about the frog in a butter churn is a comment on Lyddie’s character.

• What are some examples of ways in which Lyddie keeps “churning” in order to stay afloat? (topic sentence)
• What circumstances keep threatening to pull her under? Who in the novel churns butter, and who drowns?
• In your concluding sentence, summarize how this adage is reflected in Lyddie’s successes and how these successes are a product of her character.

3. Explore literacy throughout the novel and how this ability impacts those who possess it or who work to develop it.

• How does literacy empower the characters of the novel and change their perspectives on the world? (topic sentence)
• To what lengths does Lyddie go to become a more proficient reader? Who helps her? How does Lyddie share her newfound confidence with others, and whom does she help?
• In your concluding sentence, summarize how literacy has made a difference in Lyddie’s life and the life of at least one other character.

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. Although Lyddie’s father, mother, aunt Clarissa, and uncle Judah are poor role models, there are other adult characters in the novel who provide examples for her of how an honest, forthright, and “good” person behaves. Explore Lyddie’s positive relationships with at least three of the following adult and peer mentors and how they contribute to her growth and development: Jeremiah Stevens, Ezekial, Triphena, Diana, Mrs. Bedlow. Aspects to consider include: What sacrifices do they make to assist and show kindness to others? How are their actions shaped by their values? What lessons do they teach Lyddie through their wisdom and their gestures?

2. Throughout the novel, Lyddie demonstrates an intolerance for weakness, whether it be in lack of natural ability, unwillingness to take responsibility for one’s actions, shirking of duties, or lack of stamina in the face of increasing physical labor demands. How did Lyddie’s mother’s weaknesses bias her against people who are unable to be productive or self-sufficient? How does she find compassion for those whose perceived weaknesses she comes to find are complexities? When is Lyddie rendered weak, and how is she changed by the humility she must face as a result? By the end of the novel, what does Lyddie’s value system look like, and how would she define “moral turpitude“?

3. How would you characterize Lyddie’s father based on clues in the text, and what do you think might have happened to him? Paterson implies that Lyddie’s mother experienced postpartum depression after Agnes’s birth, and Lyddie’s father chose to leave anyway. It has been four years, and he hasn’t written or sent money to support his four children. Why does Lyddie hold out hope for so long that he will return to the farm? When does Lyddie begin to abandon that hope and accept that his return is less likely with each passing year? Do you believe what Lyddie’s uncle Judah says about her father having made provisions to dispose of the farm if necessary? How would Lyddie know? Why do you think Paterson chose to avoid giving Lyddie’s father a name?