You will follow proper MLA essay format as well as formal paragraph structure/unity.  You can search the Purdue OWL for the format if you are unfamiliar with MLAyou should be, however.

https://owl.purdue.edu/writinglab/the_writing_lab_at_purdue.html

-DO NOT SUMMARIZE!  You are not retelling me the story.  You approach your essay knowing that I have read the novel.  You will offer, however, quotes to support your point of view/thesis claim(s).

-You will employ the five-paragraph essay structure (an intro, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion).

-You will provide a title that reflects the content of your essay and that grabs your readers’ attention.  I LOVE good titles, so I suggest that you do not overlook your title or take it lightly.

-You will write an introduction paragraph that contains an attention-getter, offers the title of the work and the authors name, that provides a four to five-sentence summary of the work, and that has a clear thesis statement (subject and claim-what you will prove/react to.

-You will build three body paragraphs that each contain a topic sentence (TS-a subject and claim for that paragraph), quotes from the novel that relates to your TS, a reaction and response to those quotes that again relates back to your TS and the quotes, and transition words or phrases that clearly show the movement from one group of ideas to the next.

-You will construct sentences that are primarily in the active voice and not the passive voice, that follows proper sentence punctuation patterns, limiting fragments and run-ons, and that word choices that meet the college level as well as the vocabulary of this course. 

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/punctuation/sentence_punctuation_patterns.html

-You will NOT begin sentences with the following words or expressions:

            It

            Another quote that

            This quote shows

            That

-You will offer a conclusion that does more than restate the thesis.  You will offer a call to action, prediction, suggestions for positive change, and so on.

-You will offer proper quotes with page citations and WILL NOT do research on the novel.  Do not borrow ideas of critics/reviewers and other online information on the novel; other than information that I have provided to you. 

-You will edit and proofread your essay prior to submitting it on-time.

More to consider:

  -How is the assigned work related to ideas and concerns discussed in the course for which you are preparing the paper? For example, what points made in the course discussions, or lectures are treated more fully in the work?

-Is the work related to problems in our present-day world?

-How is the material related to your life, experiences, feelings, and ideas? For instance, what emotions did the work arouse in you?

-Did the work increase your understanding of a particular issue? Did it change your perspective in any way?

And more to consider:

Apply the four basic standards of effective writing (unity, support, coherence, and clear, error-free sentences) when writing the essay.
Make sure each major paragraph presents and then develops a single main point. 
Support any general points you make or attitudes you express with specific reasons and details. Statements such as “I agree with this quote” or “I found this quote very interesting” are meaningless without specific evidence that shows why you feel as you do.
Review the essay closely to see how the main point or topic sentence of each paragraph is developed by specific supporting evidence and that it relates back to the thesis.
Organize your material and use transitions to make the relationships among ideas in the essay clear.
Edit the paper carefully for errors in grammar, mechanics, punctuation, word use, and spelling.  Write more in the active voice with strong constructions rather than the passive voice and weak constructions.
Lead into quoted material from the novel and then discuss its impact in relation to your topic sentence/thesis.
 

Choose your focal point

You will be writing in the first person, but you should not exaggerate using “I” statements.

In this response essay, there are several areas that could receive your attention.

the authors purpose in writing this particular work
a theme or themes that you identify
an element or elements of identity
the characterization
or a thesis that runs through a term(s) that offer deeper levels of critical thinking and reaction reflection