Alternate Ending

This imaginative writing worksheet is designed for Grades 7-10 and invites students to rethink the conclusion of Don Quixote by crafting an original alternate ending to the novel. Students choose a creative direction-such as Don Quixote remaining delusional, achieving genuine heroism, or finally confronting the truth about Dulcinea-and write a 2-3 paragraph revised ending. The task encourages students to stay grounded in Cervantes’ characters and themes while exploring how changes to the ending affect meaning, character arcs, and the novel’s central tension between reality and illusion.

Learning Goals

• Creative Narrative Writing (Secondary ELA) – Compose a coherent, imaginative alternate ending with clear structure
• Character Interpretation – Analyze how Don Quixote and Sancho Panza would realistically respond to a changed outcome
• Theme Development – Explore how shifts in plot impact the theme of illusion vs. reality
• Extended Writing Skills – Develop ideas across multiple paragraphs with logical progression

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Aligned with middle and early high school writing and literature standards
• Choice-Based Creativity – Multiple ending paths encourage originality and student ownership
• Text-Grounded Imagination – Requires close understanding of characters and themes
• Deepens Literary Insight – Helps students see how endings shape a story’s message
• Flexible Use – Ideal for novel units, enrichment activities, creative assessments, or extension work
• Low Prep – Print-and-use worksheet with clear prompts and writing guidance

This alternate ending worksheet helps students engage deeply with Don Quixote by blending creativity with literary analysis. By reimagining the novel’s conclusion, learners consider how narrative choices influence character development and thematic meaning. Whether used as a culminating activity or a creative extension, this resource supports thoughtful writing, interpretive skill, and meaningful engagement with one of literature’s most enduring works.

This worksheet is part of our Don Quixote Worksheets collection.