The Sign of the Beaver

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers (that build literary analysis skills by requiring textual references).

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, graphic organizers, sentence starters, group work, or oral responses may prove useful.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the outlines below. Cite details from the text to support your work.

1. Saknis takes an interest in Matt as a neighbor.

• Why does Saknis believe Matt might become a friend to the Beaver clan? (topic sentence)
• Cite three traits that Matt exhibits in the story that suggest he might become a friend to the Beaver clan.
• How can Matt’s decision to stay with his family still benefit the Beaver clan?

2. The Beaver clan boys test Matt and find him worthy.

• What does Matt do to earn the other boys’ respect? (topic sentence)
• Cite three ways in which Matt meets the boys’ challenges.
• Had Matt decided to join the village at their winter camp, would the boys have accepted him or subjected him to more tests?

3. Matt gifts his pocket watch to Attean.

• Why does Matt give away an heirloom he promised to protect to someone outside his family who probably won’t use it? (topic sentence)
• Cite three reasons why Attean deserved such a gift.
• Is Matt’s gift a wise decision? Will Matt’s father understand his reasoning? Will Matt remain satisfied that he made the right choice?

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured, well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by the text, and a conclusion.

1. Ben tells Matt that the Penobscot people “[n]ever got it through their heads they don’t still own this land” (15). How does the Beaver clan feel about land ownership? How does this mindset differ from that of the European colonists? Use quotes from Attean’s speech about land ownership in Chapter 22 to support your points.

2. How do Grandmother’s feelings about colonists affect her judgment of Matt? How does Attean’s dog Aremus influence her judgment of Matt? In what ways does her struggle represent that of Beaver clan as a whole?

3. Matt enjoys Attean’s company but fears the latter will eventually reject him as a friend. Why does he feel this way? How does Attean feel about their relationship? How does Saknis view their relationship?