Ahab's Wife, or, the Star-gazer: A Novel 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 - Chapters 1-11

1. Describe Una's childhood and introduction to the sea.

2. Who does Una marry? What is famous about Una's husband?

3. Discuss Aunt Agatha's influence on Una regarding pacifism and women's rights.

4. How are foreshadowing and flashback used in this first section?

Short Essay Question - Chapters 12 - 21

5. Nantucket is an island that often depends on outside sources in order to function as an independent town/region. Explain how the area functions with limited supplies and resources.

6. Examine Una's connection with...
(read more)