A Personal Matter | Short Essay Assignments

Short Essay Questions

The 60 short essay questions listed in this section require a one to two sentence answer. They ask students to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the text. Students must describe what they've read, rather than just recall it.

Short Essay Question - Chapter 1

1. What is Bird doing at the beginning of A PERSONAL MATTER? What is going on with Bird's wife and how does Bird think his life will soon change?

2. Describe the nature of Bird's brief encounter with the transvestite on the street.

3. What does Bird think about after he leaves the shop and how does he avoid learning about the birth of his child?

4. What is Bird's state of mind at the beginning of the book and what does the first chapter signify for his life?