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What is a Response Essay?

In a response or reaction essay, you share your thoughts and feelings about something you've read. In other words, you analyze and give your opinion about the work.

Response essays can be long or short depending on your class requirement and can be quite open-ended. The goal of a response essay is to ease students into thinking more deeply about a work, without the pressure of structure. 

However, if you are overwhelmed and need some structure to get started, this guide suggests a beginner-friendly approach to structuring your response essay. 

What to write about

When writing this essay, you have four main things you can respond to:

  1. Theme:

    What do you think is the main message or idea?
    What do you think about it?
    Do you find that it resonates with you? 

  2. Topic:

    What do you think is the topic of the story/essay/article?
    Does it touch on any of the topics discussed in class?
    Do you already know about the topic? If not, were you able to understand it? How did you learn more about the topic through the story/essay/article and through external sources? 

  3. Characters and Events:

    How would you describe the characters or events discussed in the story/essay/article in one sentence?
    Did you have a connection with any of the characters or events discussed in the story/essay/article?

  4. Writing Style:

    What do you think about the way the story/essay/article etc. was written? |
    Can you point out anything that is similar or different from what you have previously learned about writing techniques or genre expectations in class? 

For each of these, consider:

  • What you liked or didn't like
  • How it made you feel
  • If it reminded you of anything in your own life
  • Why you think it's important or not important in today’s world

How to Structure Your Essay

Your essay should have three main parts:

1. Introduction

  • Mention the author and title of what you read
  • Briefly say what the story is about
  • Tell the reader which aspect(s) you're reacting to (theme, topic, characters, or writing style)
  • Give your overall opinion

2. Main Body paragraphs (however many is appropriate for your ideas)

  • Summarize the main points of what you read
  • Share your thoughts and feelings about the aspect(s) you chose to focus on
  • You can discuss all four aspects or just one or two that really struck you

3. Conclusion

  • Brings the reader back to your reaction
  • Restates your arguments
  • States the wider significance of this work, relating it to the larger theme and genre. 

Remember, the goal is to share your personal opinion on what you've read, whether it's about the theme, topic, characters, writing style, or a combination of these. There's no right or wrong answer - it's all about your reaction!

References

CNC Prince George Library. (2025). Response / Reaction essay. https://libguides.cnc.bc.ca/c.php?g=738618&p=5325427