Your essay should:

• Introduce a clear, debatable thesis that takes a definitive position on how the found-family dynamic operates thematically throughout the novel.
• Analyze at least two characters (e.g., Kaz Brekker, Inej Ghafa, Jesper Fahey, Nina Zenik, Matthias Helvar, or Wylan Van Eck) and explore how their backgrounds and relationships within the Dregs complicate or redefine typical notions of trust and morality.
• Incorporate textual evidence (direct quotations or paraphrased scenes) to back up your claims.
• Address a counterargument: consider whether the crew's connections are truly familial or simply transactional, and refute or deepen that perspective.
• Conclude by linking your argument to a broader theme — such as survival, identity, or systemic inequality — that resonates beyond Ketterdam's world.

In your essay, be sure to:

• Develop a clear, debatable thesis that goes beyond just summarizing the plot.
• Use at least three specific pieces of textual evidence (such as scenes, dialogue, or decisions made by characters) to support your argument.
• Address a counterargument: think about how a reader might argue that the characters' moral ambiguity detracts from rather than redefines heroism.
• Analyze how Bardugo's narrative choices — including multiple POV chapters, the setting in Ketterdam's Barrel district, and the heist structure — bolster your claim.
• Conclude by linking your argument to a broader theme regarding justice, power, or identity in the novel.

Length

4–6 paragraphs (or as directed by your teacher)

Format

Standard literary essay with introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion