Signs Preceding the End of the World

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. In her village, Makina runs the switchboard. This puts her in an important position as a mediator.

• In what ways does Makina translate language and culture for those around her? (topic sentence)
• Find 2-3 examples in the text where Makina serves as a mediator for Translation and Communication between people.
• How does her role as a mediator and translator impact the way she navigates the world?

2. Many aspects of the past intrude upon the present in Herrera’s novel. To what extent does the novel function as a palimpsest? (topic sentence)

• Identify 2-3 examples in the text where the past and present intersect.
• What does Herrera suggest about the future of the societies that the novel examines? How does this argument link to the theme of History as a Palimpsest?

3. As a woman navigating both the North and South, Makina is aware of both her gender as well as the vulnerabilities that it poses to her journey. In which ways do Makina’s actions depart from the traditional understanding of gender roles? (topic sentence)

• Find 2-3 examples to support your argument.
• How does Makina’s response to the “male gaze” speak to the broader theme of Violence and Racism in the Borderlands, particularly in the case of violence against women?

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by textual details, and a conclusion.

1. Makina’s monologue in the penultimate chapter concludes with the phrase, “We the barbarians” (100). What is the significance of this statement in the context of the novel as a whole? What does her monologue reveal about her perception of the treatment of immigrants in the United States?

Write an essay in which you analyze the significance of the statement in the novel. Connect it to the theme of History as a Palimpsest as it relates to Western society. Support your assertions with evidence from the text, and be sure to cite any quoted material.

2. Makina fears she might change if she stays in the North too long. From where do these fears arise? To what extent are they dispelled or justified by the end of the novel?

Write an essay analyzing the roots of Makina’s fears and the ways in which they do and do not come true. Support your analysis with textual evidence, citing any quoted material.

3.Signs Preceding the End of the World is structured based on the levels of the Aztec underworld, Mictlān, which is explained in this resource. Describe the similarities between the Aztec myth and Makina’s journey. How does this myth shape the plot of the novel? What might have been Herrera’s motive in choosing it as the structure for his plot?

Write an essay that compares the Aztec myth and Makina’s journey and explains both how the myth shapes the novel’s plot and why Herrera might have chosen it to structure the plot. Support your comparison and explanations with evidence drawn from throughout the text, being sure to cite any quoted material.