August: Osage County, study guide & Activities

August: Osage County
by Tracy Letts
About_
August: Osage County, by Tracy Letts, is a searing family drama set in Oklahoma, chronicling the unraveling of the
Weston family after patriarch Beverly’s disappearance and suicide. As matriarch Violet’s pill addiction and cutting
truths collide with her daughters’ own crises, long-buried secrets about betrayal, incest, and generational trauma
come violently to the surface. The play explores themes of family dysfunction, addiction, and the corrosive power
of hidden truths. This study guide contains 65 questions across 5 chapter sections (50 Factual + 15 Critical), 1
Crossword Puzzle (12 clues), and 1 Character Focus Activity.
What’s Included_
This study guide features 5 sets of 10 Factual Questions with an answer key (50 total), 5 sets of 3 Critical Analysis
Questions (15 total), 1 Crossword Puzzle (12 clues), and 1 Character Focus Activity (8 traits + evidence prompt +
critical thinking question).
Target Grades_
Grades 11-12 and College/AP Literature
Teacher Note_
This guide helps students track the complex family relationships and shocking revelations at the heart of August:
Osage County while building strong comprehension of plot and character motivation. The factual questions
reinforce recall of key events, while the critical questions encourage deeper discussion of addiction, trauma, and
family dynamics. We hope this resource saves you preparation time while sparking rich, thoughtful classroom
discussion!