Portnoy's Complaint 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. Who does the main character think all of his teachers are in disguise? Why?

2. What are the protagonist's principle memories of his father from early childhood?

3. How does the narrator describe his sister in their early years?

4. What were the narrator's father's ambitions for him growing up?

5. How did the narrator's father feel about his job? How did he express his feelings to his family?

6. Where does the narrator's father work? What line of business is he in?...
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