City of Thieves

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. As the novel progresses, 17-year-old Lev undergoes a transformation as he grapples with the transition from boyhood to adulthood.

• How does the novel show Lev’s transition into adulthood? (topic sentence)
• Explain what the novel describes as the nature of manhood and the events in the novel that point to Lev developing into a man.
• In your concluding sentences, explain how Lev’s development reflects the author’s viewpoints on what it means to be a man.

2. After Lev meets Vika, she serves as a catalyst for change in his character.

• How does Lev’s behavior begin to change after he meets Vika? (topic sentence)
• Explain why Lev is attracted to Vika despite her lack of traditional feminine qualities, how Lev’s character changes once he meets her, and why Vika inspired this change in Lev.
• In your concluding sentences, explain why you think the author chose to use love as a catalyst for change in sharp contrast to the hatred the characters experience in the novel.

3. A large part of the novel describes the development of the friendship between Lev and Kolya as the two contrasting personalities learn to value one another despite their differences.

• How does the relationship between Lev and Kolya evolve in the novel? (topic sentence)
• Explain Lev’s initial dislike of Kolya, the turning point for their relationship, and how Kolya serves as a foil to Lev.
• In your concluding sentences, explain whether you believe Kolya was ultimately a good friend for Lev in spite of their differences.

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. Discuss the character of Lev as a flawed and fallible hero. Do you find yourself more able to identify with him because of his weaknesses and fears? In what ways does Lev come off as a more believable character than Kolya? Does Lev ultimately conquer his weaknesses and fears, or does he find something greater than them? How does the character of Kolya compare with that of Lev? What aspects of their characters are different? Are the differences due to age, experience, or personality?

2. How does the novel show us the real human experience behind political and historical events? What is the benefit of confronting the depravity of war through the eyes of fictional characters? How does the author’s depiction of cannibalism, anti-tank dogs, and wartime cruelty help the reader to experience things they otherwise could not conceive of?

3. The novel includes many incidents that illustrate war’s corrosive effect on humanity. Select three scenes you find most effective in demonstrating the effects of violence on humanity, and explain why you believe they are the most effective in depicting the human condition under great distress. What do you think drives the people in the novel to commit acts of depravity? Do you think they would have committed these acts if there had been no war?