A Virtuous Woman Papers & Assignment Topics

Essay Topics/Writing Assignments

These 20 essay questions can be used as essay questions on a test, or as stand-alone essay topics for a take-home or in-class writing assignment. Students should have a full understanding of the text in order to answer these questions. They ask for a thorough analysis of the text.

1. Explore the theme of death that occurs throughout the novel. How does death affect the various characters? How do some deaths, such as that of Burr's father, compare and contrast to Ruby's in how it affects their loved ones?

2. Explore the theme of grief in its various forms as it appears throughout the story, e.g. Ruby's grief over the inability to have children, Jack's grief over the loss of his parents, Ruby's grief for leaving her family for John Woodrow, etc.

3. Discuss the appearances of religion, including spirituality, within the text. How is...
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