Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

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. Several characters in the play have experienced trauma. Albus feels crushed under the weight of the Potter name, Harry never received closure from his traumatic childhood, and even Ron and Hermione find it hard to separate themselves as individuals, beyond being a part of “The Golden Trio.”

• What is trauma? Does any character receive closure from the events and feelings they experienced? (topic sentence)
• Identify scenes from each act that show a character and their response to trauma.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, describe the ways your chosen character either resolves or neglects their trauma.

2. Albus and Scorpius respond in particular ways to the legacies of their fathers. Compare and contrast the two father-son relationships.

• How does The Impact of Fame and Legacy on the Parent-Child Relationship differ between Harry/Albus and Draco/Scorpius? (topic sentence)
• Using textual evidence, identify three key areas where The Impact of Fame and Legacy on the Parent-Child Relationship can be compared and contrasted between Harry/Albus and Draco/Scorpius.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, highlight the implications or consequences of the legacies between Harry/Albus and Draco/Scorpius.

3. What does the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry mean to the world of the play? How is the school used in the dramatic structure? What meanings does it hold for different characters?

• How does Hogwarts influence the characters in the play? (topic sentence)
• Find three examples of how Hogwarts influences the motivations of characters. Explain your reasoning using specific details from the text.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, emphasize the overall significance Hogwarts has in the Wizarding World.

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. Harry Potter’s parenting skills are under a microscope throughout the duration of the play. The relationship between Harry and Albus is often strained, and though the characters grow and develop, it is clear that Harry’s past has an impact on his present. How does Harry’s childhood and upbringing impact his role as a parent to Albus?

2. How does The Role of Friendship in Overcoming Crises impact the way the characters develop in the play? In what ways do Albus, Scorpius, and Delphini mirror or challenge the relationships between Harry, Hermione, and Ron? What lesson can readers take away from their experiences with each other?

3. What is the purpose of the lighthearted characterization of Ronald Weasley? Does it go beyond the surface? How does it negatively or positively influence the character dynamics and/or the dramatic structure of the play?