Prince Caspian

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 below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Consider the various examples of heroism that Prince Caspian offers.

• What traits does the novel suggest make a person heroic? (Topic sentence)
• Provide at least 3 examples of heroism from across the novel, explaining how and why the character’s/characters’ actions qualify.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, connect the novel’s exploration of heroism to its depiction of The Triumph of Faith and Courage.

2. Consider how different characters seek forgiveness and learn from their mistakes.

• What sorts of mistakes does Prince Caspian depict its characters making? (Topic sentence)
• Explore at least 2 examples of characters learning from their mistakes and seeking forgiveness. How do these lessons help them become better people? Who forgives them, and why?
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain what message Lewis might be sending about The Process of Sin, Forgiveness, and Redemption.

3. Consider Lewis’s characterization of the Pevensie siblings.

• How is Lucy different from Peter, Susan, and Edmund? (Topic sentence)
• Identify at least 3 events or conversations in the story that demonstrate Lucy’s differences from her siblings and discuss what they reveal about her. Consider her abilities, personality, interests, and traits.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, consider how Lucy’s unique personality and actions influence the plot.

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. How is Prince Caspian different from his Telmarine ancestors and his uncle, King Miraz? Identify 2-3 instances of dialogue or action that demonstrate Caspian’s personality traits and values. How do these moments show that Caspian is not like his family? What does Lewis suggest might account for his differences? How does Caspian’s difference influence the novel’s plot or support its themes?

2. Consider the theme of Spirituality and Humanity’s Relationship to Nature. How does Lewis develop this theme over the course of the novel? What sorts of responses do various characters have toward nature, and why are those responses significant? Is nature itself a character? What does this tell us about the novel’s worldview?

3. Who are the novel’s villains or antagonists, and what techniques does the author use to make them unlikeable? Which of their values or actions reveal their evil nature? Does Lewis ever rely on cues unrelated to morality (e.g., beauty, or the lack thereof) to signal characters’ status as heroes or villains?