Timequake | 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 - Prologue, Chapters 1-5

1. Describe what the author details in the prologue.

2. What is a timequake?

3. Who is Kilgore Trout?

4. What does Vonnegut believe most people are interested in?

5. How does Vonnegut feel about the atomic bomb?

6. Discuss what the author did after World War II.

Short Essay Question - Chapters 6-10

7. What is Xanadu?

8. Who is Lily?

9. Describe Vonnegut's perception of Satan.