The Sun Also Rises

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. 

Scaffolded/Short-Answer Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the novel over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. The title of the novel is the first part of the text we experience. In this case, “the sun also rises” is from a Bible verse which reads: One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth forever. The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.

• What is the meaning of the title? (topic sentence)
• What particular moments, scenes, or lines of dialogue from the novel directly connect with the title? Identify at least three instances when this occurs.
• In your concluding sentences, describe how the title relates to modernism and the lost generation.

2. The friendship and enmity between Jake and Cohn drives much of the tension in the novel.

• Is Jake or Cohn the more sympathetic character? (topic sentence)
• How are Cohn and Jake alike, and how are they different? Identify at least two significant character traits for each man and compare the characters, focusing on the traits you have identified.