Here are some possible essay questions/prompts. 
1.    How does Tolstoy explore the idea of heroism in The Raid?  How does
he make use of the various definitions of his oft-lauded virtue in the story? 
How do characters live up to, or fail to live up to, their definitions of heroism?  To what ends?
2.    How does Turgenev explore the idea of love in First Love?  How might
the novella be said to explore and interrogate different views, as well as
experiences, of love?  To what ends?  How does age affect these views and experiences?  How might love, for all of its supposed joys, be so problematic?  To what ends?
3.    How does Turgenev explore themes of youth and age, as well as innocence
and experience, in First Love?  How does the style of narration affect this exploration?  You might consider contrasts between young and old characters, as well as between the narrator when young and when old, in order to tackle this question.  Another possibility would be to explore the argument that the story, as much as it is about love, is also about death and the fleetingness of life. 
4.    How does Chekhov explore issues of faithfulness and unfaithfulness, as
well as fidelity and infidelity, in The Lady with the Dog?  How is the
affair treated in the story?  What are we to make of the storys unresolved conflict?  What might it suggest about the issues being raised?  To what ends?
5.    Compare and contrast the three deaths in Three Deaths?  Having
compared and contrasted them, what are we to make of the contrasts?  To what ends?  What was Tolstoy trying to suggest about death in this story?  What was he trying to suggest about life?
6.    How does Tolstoy explore issues of action repercussion in The Forged
Coupon?  How might our actions, in ways that we cannot possibly conceive or appreciate, impact those around us?  What are the repercussions of our evil actions, as well as of our noble ones?  In what ways does the novellas plot and structure resemble a game of dominos?  To what ends?   
7.    How does Tolstoy explore issues of guilt and redemption in The Forged
Coupon?  While the novella was written after Tolstoys excommunication from the Russian Orthodox Church, some critics have considered it to be his most spiritual story.  How might this be the case?  In what ways does the story manage to cast aspersions on the supposed hypocrisies of organized religion while remaining a deeply religious work?  To what ends?

Choose one.  Bear in mind that you need not answer all of the questions raised for a particular topic; these are really prompts to help get you started. Essays should be around three to four pages in 12-point font, double-spaced (not including the bibliography).
Your essay should have a title that reflects not only your topic but your argument about that topic; an introductory paragraph that introduces your topic, suggests how it will be approached in regards to the text, and closes with a clear and specific thesis statement; supporting paragraphs organized around points that support your thesis and that open with a strong topic sentence; specific evidence from the primary text itself; a sense of sound and logical transition from supporting point to supporting point; and a strong conclusion that reinforces your thesis and suggests something about its wider implications. Be specific, be organized, and be sure to make good use of the text when making your case.  When it comes to quoting from the text, be sure to comment on the quotes you use and incorporate them into your larger argument.