An open-ended question is a question that involves more than a simple yes, no, or one-word type answer. The question, more often than not, doesn't necessarily have a definitive answer, but it almost always requires the answer to support the initial response. Questions about themes or character are generally solid open ended questions.

For example, there is a consistent theme about money and greed in this book, so a good open-ended question can focus on that. Something like the following question would work well: "Who is the greediest character in the story?" This is a great open-ended question, because it allows for some basic character analysis, while also addressing a theme that is present.

Related to the theme of greed is the debate on good vs. evil which greed involves and the pearl, itself, encourages. I like asking students if the pearl, itself, as an object, is good, evil, or neither.

The previous question hints at the notion that the pearl might contain some kind of power that it can wield over people. Or, perhaps, the pearl gives characters power, so a good open-ended question might address the pearl's power: "Is Kino made more powerful because of the pearl, or does the pearl somehow take power away from him?"

An open-ended question asks for the answerer to provide information, so you are being asked to write questions about The Pearl that will require something like short essay answers. Your questions are apparently supposed to focus on the themes presented in the novel.

The themes in the novel are presented as contrasts between two extremes - good and evil, knowledge and ignorance, the individual and society as a whole. So, your questions need to be written to ask someone answering them to give information about something in the story that relates to one of these themes. Open-ended questions frequently start with words like what, why, or how because answering those types of questions demands the providing of information.

For example, one of your questions might ask "How does the music in Kino's mind help or hurt him?"