End-of-Unit Analytical Essay
Write an analytical essay that uses evidence from the novel to develop a clear interpretation.
Task
Choose one prompt and write an analytical essay of 500-700 words.
| Prompt | What you need to do |
|---|---|
| 1. How does Gaiman use one symbol or motif to develop a theme in Coraline? | Choose a symbol such as eyes, doors, hands, the well, or the other flat. Track it across the novel and explain what it suggests. |
| 2. How does Coraline change, and what does her change reveal about courage? | Explain what she is like early in the novel, what forces her to change, and what her choices show about courage. |
| 3. How does the Other World tempt Coraline, and what does the novel suggest about home? | Explain the appeal of the Other World, the cost of accepting it, and what Coraline learns about her real home. |
Planning frame
| Part | My plan |
|---|---|
| Thesis What is my answer? | |
| Body 1 First idea + evidence + technique + effect | |
| Body 2 Second idea + evidence + technique + effect | |
| Body 3 Third idea or counter-argument | |
| Conclusion What does the novel suggest? |
Evidence bank
Find your own quotations from the novel. Use these prompts to locate evidence.
| Motif or scene | Where to look | What it can support |
|---|---|---|
| Button eyes | The Other Mother and Other Father; the offer to Coraline | Control, unnatural imitation, the loss of a real self. |
| The door | The drawing room, the brick wall, the crossings | Thresholds, choice, danger, the desire for something more. |
| The other flat | Coraline's first visits and the changing rooms | Appearance versus reality, temptation, the false home. |
| The cat | Coraline's conversations in the Other World | Truth, independence, a guide who does not solve the problem. |
| The well | The ending and the hand | Buried danger, control, the cost of courage. |
| The stone with a hole | The gift from Miss Spink and Miss Forcible | Seeing clearly, protection, the limits of magic. |
| The ghost children | Coraline's discovery of the trapped children | The Other Mother's history, empathy, the stakes of the rescue. |
| The Other Mother's hand | The final sequence | Danger that survives, Coraline's resourcefulness, the cost of escape. |
Structure
- Introduction: name the novel and author, state your thesis, and preview your main points.
- Body 1: first idea, evidence, technique, effect, link to thesis.
- Body 2: second idea, evidence, technique, effect, link to thesis.
- Body 3: third idea, a counter-argument, or the strongest example.
- Conclusion: return to the thesis, say what the novel suggests, and explain why it matters.
Success criteria
- My thesis answers the prompt and makes a claim.
- Each paragraph has a clear topic sentence.
- I use evidence from more than one part of the novel.
- I explain the technique and its effect on the reader.
- I explain how each quotation supports my claim.
- My conclusion returns to the thesis, not just the plot.
- I have proofread for spelling, punctuation, and tense.
- I have used Australian spelling.
Submission checklist
- I have chosen one prompt.
- I have completed the planning frame.
- I have written a draft.
- I have used the analytical essay rubric to check my draft.
- I have read my essay aloud or used a peer check.
- I have submitted the final copy with my planning notes.
Teacher notes
Use the model analytical paragraph before this task. Students should see the difference between retelling and analysis.
Provide access to the novel during planning if the assessment is not a closed-book task. If it is closed-book, give students a short evidence bank with chapter references.
Support: allow three paragraphs and provide sentence starters. Extension: require a counter-argument and an evaluation of two interpretations.
Do not provide a completed essay. Provide models of the moves, then remove them during drafting.