Harbor Me

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. Haley and Holly are best friends, but they have distinct personalities.

• What makes Holly and Haley unique individuals? (topic sentence)
• Describe the characteristics that make Holly and Haley unique. Then explain how their friendship encourages positive growth.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain why the author chose to include Holly in Haley’s narrative.

2. Ms. Laverne plays a small but significant role in Harbor Me.

• What is Ms. Laverne’s role in the novel? (topic sentence)
• Describe Ms. Laverne’s character, the role she plays in the novel, and why she created the ARTT sessions.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain what Ms. Laverne saw in her students that motivated her to form the ARTT sessions.

3. Harbor Me is structured to alternate between discussion with the ARTT group and Haley’s internal reflections.

• What was Woodson’s reasoning for using this structure in her novel? (topic sentence)
• Explain what the narrative shift reveals about the individual characters and how Holly’s narrative provides a unique insight on events in the novel.
• In your concluding sentences, explain why Woodson might have chosen to narrate her novel with these viewpoints.

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 children in the ARTT group can tell the stories that make each member distinct. At the same time, they form a strong bond and collective identity. What unique contributions do Haley, Holly, Amari, Esteban, Ashton, and Tiago bring to the group? What is their shared identity? What about the group causes them to develop a strong bond?

2. The ARTT group models thoughtful, respectful discussion. Use examples from the novel to describe how the group creates a supportive, safe space even when they disagree. In what instances in the novel are some of the characters unkind to one another? How do the characters extend forgiveness? In what ways do the characters offer support in difficult circumstances? What damaging or hurtful behaviors do the group members avoid?

3. The timeline of Harbor Me is like a circle that follows the cycle of the seasons and the academic year. This structure is emphasized in the way the novel begins with its ending. How does this structure relate to the novel’s themes of Maturation and Childhood, Storytelling and Personal Identity, and Discovering a Sense of Belonging? Why is the passage of time important for emphasizing the themes of the novel? How does the cyclical nature of the novel emphasize growth?