Two Old Women

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. Throughout the story, the text is interwoven with illustrations.

• What is the purpose of the imagery in Two Old Women? (topic sentence)
• Describe the purpose of imagery in the story and why it is important in providing information to the reader.
• In your concluding sentences, explain whether you believe the imagery adds to the story or simply reflects it.

2. The backstories of the two women are introduced later in the story, after they have been abandoned by their tribe.

• Why does the author wait to introduce the two old women’s backstories? (topic sentence)
• Explain the relationship of the women prior to being abandoned, why the author chose to reveal their backstory later, and how the stories create a connection between the women.
• In your concluding sentences, explain why the backstories are important for the reader to understand the growing partnership between the women.

3. The beginning of the story is told by a narrator who is gathered with her family in a tent beside the Porcupine River.

• What is the importance of the narrator in relation to the story? (topic sentence)
• Explain why the narrator’s introduction is important to the story and why the narrator is absent following the introduction.
• In your concluding sentences, explain the connection the narrator feels to the tale of the Two Old Women.

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. Ch’idzigyaak is abandoned by her tribe and family members. Describe whether it is easier or more difficult for Ch’idzigyaak to survive after her family members leave her. What emotion does she associate her family with? Is Sa’ more resilient because she doesn’t have a surviving family?

2. Consider the implications of aging in the text. Why is old age considered dangerous to the tribe? What do the tribe members associate old age with? How does the resilience of the women change stereotypical views on age in the tribe? What can be learned from the story of Two Old Women?

3. Compare the characters of Sa’ and Ch’idzigyaak. How are the two women alike in their life experiences? How do the differences in their backstories reveal themselves in their personality traits? In what ways do the women view their circumstances differently?