Waiting for the Barbarians 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 I

1. Why is the magistrate nervous about leaving his position even as he is approaching retirement?

2. Why was Colonel Joll send to the area where the Magistrate is in charge at the start of the story?

3. What happens to the family that the Colonel wants to interrogate when they come into town?

4. What does the magistrate find when he goes to visit the family who has been tortured by the Colonel?

5. Why is the magistrate unable to remain uninvolved during the alleged barbarian uprising?