Desert Solitaire | 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 The First Morning

1. The author has arrived in Utah, having come from New Mexico. How different is the terrain in this new place from what he is accustomed to?

2. For what does the author seem to be searching by taking this job?

3. It is interesting that Abbey wants to "own" all of the grandeur he sees around him. What does this feeling actually mean in this context?

4. Explain Abbey's vague contempt for human beings that emerges in this chapter.

Short Essay Question -...
(read more)