Final answer:
The most effective journal prompt for developing students' literary response skills would be option C: "What do you think is the main idea or theme of the novel? Relate specific events in this chapter to the theme you suggest."
Step-by-step explanation:
The most effective journal prompt for developing students' literary response skills would be option C: "What do you think is the main idea or theme of the novel? Relate specific events in this chapter to the theme you suggest." This prompt encourages students to think critically about the central message or lesson of the story and analyze how specific events in the chapter support that theme.