Child of God | 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 - Section I, 1 - 25

1. Describe the scene created by McCarthy at the beginning of the novel.

2. Describe Lester Ballard.

3. How is Lester Ballard's neck injured?

4. What deal does Lester Ballard try to broker with Fred Kirby?

5. Describe Lester's new home.

6. What does Lester Ballard discover in a car outside his shack one night, and what happens?

7. Why does the unnamed man in Chapter 5 (pp. 17-18) decide he does not like Lester Ballard?