A Conversation with My Father

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. Paley’s story discusses the process of creating fiction and how fiction has an impact on the writer and the audience.

• How does metafiction influence “A Conversation with My Father”? (topic sentence)
• Identify at least 2 instances in the story that seem self-referential to the writing process, to fiction, or to the writer.
• In your concluding statement or paragraph, explain how the concept of metafiction influences “A Conversation with My Father” and connect this to the theme of How Stories Are Told.

2. Grace Paley uses allusion throughout her story, including references to other works of literature and the Bible. 

• How do these allusions impact the narrative, the story-within-the-story, or both? (topic sentence)
• Identify 2-3 allusions that Paley makes in her story. How do these allusions affect the plot and characters?
• In your concluding statement or paragraph, explain the impact of the allusions on the narrative, the story-within-the-story, or both. Connect your explanation to the theme of How Stories Are Told.

3. The writer in the story creates the character of the mother in the narrative she tells her father. Both the writer and the mother have conflicts across generations and with tragedy.

• In what ways are the writer and the mother similar? In what ways are they different? (topic sentence)
• Describe at least 2 similarities and/or differences between the mother and the writer. Cite specific examples from the story.
• In your concluding statement or paragraph, explain how the characters are similar and different, why this matters, and how it connects to one of the following themes: Intergenerational Conflict, Coming to Terms With Tragedy, or How Stories Are Told.

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. “A Conversation with My Father” was published in 1972. Consider how the counterculture movement of the 1960s and 70s affects the theme of Intergenerational Conflict in the story. Complete your own research on the counterculture. Write an essay in which you connect your research to the theme of Intergenerational Conflict in “A Conversation with My Father.” Support your ideas with specific textual examples from the story and your research. Please remember to cite all direct quotes and paraphrased examples.

2. Tone refers to the author’s attitude towards their subject. How does Grace Paley create the tone of the story? Consider her word choice, the characters’ dialogue, and the characters’ attitudes towards the topics they discuss. Write a well-developed essay that includes an introduction with a thesis statement, several body paragraphs, and a clear conclusion. Support your ideas with specific textual examples from the story. Please remember to cite all direct quotes and paraphrased examples.

3. Throughout the story, the writer and her father spar over her writing and her view of life. Write a well-developed essay that includes an introduction with a thesis statement, several body paragraphs, and a clear conclusion that answers the following prompt: How does the conversation between the writer and her father reveal their opposing views on literature, life, and the intersection of the two? Consider connecting your analysis to the themes of Intergenerational Conflict, Coming to Terms with Tragedy, or How Stories are Told. Support your ideas with specific textual examples from the story. Please remember to cite all direct quotes and paraphrased examples.