The Gospel Of Wealth

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. According to Carnegie, affluent individuals have a duty to give back to the public.

• What are some of the reasons that Carnegie uses to substantiate his point? (topic sentence)
• What could be a possible counterargument to Carnegie’s argument?
• How do these two contrasting viewpoints speak to the larger idea of Duty and Moral Responsibility?

2. Although he does not explicitly use the term “American Dream,” he makes references in his essay about this topic.

• What references does he make to the idea of the American Dream? (topic sentence)
• How do his references connect with the concept of the “self-made” man?
• Is Carnegie’s perspective on The American Dream still valid today? Why or why not?

3. Throughout the essay, Carnegie refers to the concepts of inequality among the masses.

• Does Carnegie see a correlation between Capitalism and Inequality? (topic sentence)
• Find 2-3 examples from the text to substantiate your point.
• How does Carnegie’s interpretation link with contemporary discussion of the correlation between Capitalism and Inequality?

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. Throughout his essay, Carnegie makes biblical references. In your opinion, do the overtly Christian overtones of the article strengthen or weaken Carnegie’s ideas? Consider the demographics of the late 19th century. What does the inclusion of biblical references imply about his intended audience? Why would adding a Christian element help bolster his argument in this particular time period?

2. Some critics of Carnegie’s arguments in “The Gospel of Wealth” describe his position as patriarchal. Do you believe this critique is valid? Why or why not? Research criticisms of “The Gospel of Wealth” when it was first published. What were the counterarguments? Rhetorically, do they hold weight against Carnegie’s argument?