The Gulag Archipelago, 1918-1956 | 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 - Part 1, Chapter 1

1. What is the typical reaction most prisoners had during the first 24 hours after their arrest and imprisonment in Gulag?

2. How did families typically react when they saw a family member arrested?

3. What happened in the Gulag prison camps in 1945-1946?

4. Where was Solzhenitsyn arrested, and what was his reaction?

Short Essay Question - Part 1, Chapter 2

5. What was the Cadet Party?

6. What was the hygienic purge?

7. What was the Voikov...
(read more)