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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Hornblower find stressful?

2. What is Hornblower ordered when he finds Collingwood's fleet?

3. With what does the Prince arrive on the Atropos?

4. What do the three Sinhalese divers do?

5. What will carry the dignitaries during the procession?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Hornblower know something is amiss on the Amelia Jane and what does he do?

2. Why is the Atropos anchored and what does Hornblower do with the time?

3. Describe Hornblower's encounter with the Prince of Seitz-Bunau.

4. What happens when the Prince and his retinue come on board the Atropos?

5. What fascinates Hornblower about the boat on which he is riding?

6. What is recovered from the sea and what does Hornblower figure out from the object?

7. Why does Hornblower change the original plans for the docking and offloading of the coffin?

8. What does Hornblower do when he hears a shot in the foggy distance?

9. What are Hornblower's orders that await him on the Atropos and what does he do?

10. What do the Hornblowers board after the canal board and where does that take them?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the following:

1. What do you think are the characteristics of a successful novel?

2. Analyze and discuss Hornblower and the Atropos based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if it is a successful novel. Explain your rationale with specific examples.

3. Do you think the fact that Hornblower and the Atropos falls within the genre of historical fiction changes the criteria upon which its success should be judged? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Though the book Hornblower and the Atropos is presented as a cohesive whole, it is written almost as three stories, and hence has several different plots with individual characteristics of exposition, inciting force, conflict, rising action, crises, climax and denouement. Discuss one of the following:

1. Define the major elements of a plot structure and show how those elements exist in the section about Hornblower and Lord Nelson's funeral in chapters 3-4.

2. Define the major elements of a plot structure and show how those elements exist in the section about the recovery of the treasure from the Speedwell.

3. Define the major elements of a plot structure and show how those elements exist in the section about Hornblower and the Spanish ship Castilla

4. Show how these three stories are connected.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze one major theme of Hornblower and the Atropos. Consider the following: How does one character's actions portray the theme you are analyzing? How does the setting contribute to that theme? Is the theme one that you would call a "universal theme?" If so, what other book or novel that you have read also includes this theme. If not, why don't you think it is a "universal" theme?

2. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of Hornblower and the Atropos. How does one character's actions portray the themes you are analyzing? How does the setting contribute to that theme? Is the theme one that you would call a "universal theme?" If so, what other book or novel that you have read also includes this theme. If not, why don't you think it is a "universal" theme?

3. What benefit is there in discussing and analyzing the themes of a work of fiction? Do you think most authors consciously develop themes in their works? Why or why not? Can there be accidental themes? What do you think is one possible "accidental" theme in Hornblower and the Atropos. Which theme in Hornblower and the Atropos speaks to you the most in your life? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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