Stardust

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. Some walls and doors are more obvious than others.

• What role do boundaries and thresholds play in the arc of the story? (topic sentence)
• Consider how the wall may be a metaphor for other kinds of segregation in the novel and its period, the invisible thresholds of coming of age, the ways doors and openings are used in the story, and the significance of Yvaine’s transformation if she crosses the wall.
• Conclude with a thematic statement about what Stardust can teach us about boundaries in our own world.

2. The pursuit of youth is one of the driving forces in the novel.

• How does Stardust portray youth and old age? (topic sentence)
• Compare and contrast young and old figures in the novel, such as Yvaine and the aging witch-queen, or Primus and Septimus. What attitude do these characters have toward mortality? How is this reflected in their actions toward others?
• In your conclusion, summarize what these characters have learned (or failed to learn) from their experiences.

3. In fiction, pursuit of want often leads a character to what they need.

• How do the novel’s final chapters differentiate between want and need? (topic sentence)
• Examine the way “Heart’s Desire” drives each central character throughout the novel. Who achieves what they set out for by the end? Whose goals change by the time they reach the end? Select two to three characters and follow their trajectory.
• Conclude by stating the relationship between these characters’ wants and needs.

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. In what ways does Tristran’s adventure follow a traditional story archetype? Choose either Joseph Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey,” Christopher Booker’s “Quest,” or Booker’s “Voyage and Return” and illustrate how Stardust uses specific story beats to fill this archetype. Consider where the novel might deviate from the traditional structure and how these deviations support the story and its themes. Consider drawing parallels to other works of literature, in addition to moments from the text, to support your arguments. 

2. Consider the family dynamics presented in the novel, from the relationships between the Stormhold brothers, to Tristran’s relationship with his family in Wall, to the sisterhood of the Lilim. How is family a driving force within the story? How does the meaning of family change and evolve throughout the novel? Consider the similarities and differences between these families and how their values influence the choices of the characters.