The Adoration of Jenna Fox

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. Compare and contrast the characters of Dane and Ethan.

• How are Dane and Ethan similar, and how are they different? (topic sentence)
• Give one example of how Dane and Ethan are alike and two examples of how they are different.
• In your concluding sentences, explain what Ethan and Dane teach Jenna through their characters.

2. Explain how Jenna changes throughout The Adoration of Jenna Fox.

• How does Jenna Fox change physically and emotionally during the novel? (topic sentence)
• Describe in detail one physical change and two emotional changes in Jenna.
• In your concluding sentences, explain how the changes in Jenna inspire others to change as well.

3. Explain how Jenna’s use of dictionary definitions is important in the novel.

• Why does Jenna use dictionary definitions? (topic sentence)
• Give one example of a dictionary definition Jenna uses and two examples of how her use of words evolves in the novel.
• In your concluding sentences, explain why it is important that Jenna’s use of dictionary definitions changes in the novel.

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. Imagine you are a member of the FSEB presented with Jenna’s case. Would you argue for or against Bio Gel? What are the possible risks Bio Gel presents to other patients? Do the risks outweigh the benefits? Would you vote in favor of a long life like Jenna’s and Allys’s? Why or why not? How does the FSEB connect to the theme of Nature, Man’s Relationship to Nature, and Survival? Use examples from the novel to explain your thinking.

2. Is Jenna’s decision to destroy Kara’s and Locke’s backups a moral and ethical decision? Did they deserve a chance to continue living, like Jenna and Allys? Why do you think Jenna made the decision she did despite being glad she had a second chance at life? Do you think Jenna would have made a different decision had she known about Allys beforehand? Use examples from the novel to explain your thinking. How does Jenna’s decision connect to the theme of Choices (Can vs. Should)?

3. Many characters in The Adoration of Jenna Fox struggle with the idea of choice and whether they had one when they made a difficult decision. Do we always have a choice, or are there some instances in which there really is no alternative? Which characters in the novel had choices, and which did not? What were the attitudes of the characters who did not have a choice? Would they have made different decisions if they could have? How do some of the choices made in the novel connect to Parent-Child Relationships?