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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. Who wonders why God had chosen to take Stonewall Jackson?

2. What does Lee see the Southern resistance in the Civil War as representative of?

3. After the draw battle in the Wilderness, where does Lee race south to set up the defenses?

4. If the South won the Civil War, what might disintegrate as a result?

5. Who knows that once engaged with Grant, the man will not back down?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the fight in the Wilderness initially go from in the favor of the Confederates to defeat?

2. What does Shaara offer immediately to the reader in the introduction that foreshadows the conflicts to come?

3. Where does the novel commence?

4. Who is General Sedgwick and how does he die?

5. Why does Shaara offer an Introduction to "The Last Full Measure"?

6. Why is Lee unable to enjoy Christmas in Richmond?

7. Why does Grant fight in the Civil War?

8. After the failed Hancock attack, what does Lee think about God and believe will happen to Longstreet?

9. How does Shaara powerfully build up to Stuart's death, reinforcing a good versus evil theme?

10. How does Shaara describe the interaction of foreign dignitaries with Grant and Meade?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe some of the settings for "The Last Full Measure". What is the overall setting? How do the Confederate states like Virginia change over time? How is Washington D.C. different from the depiction of surrounding areas? Be sure to include geography, time period and any pertinent popular culture events. Why did the author choose to use these places in "The Last Full Measure"?

Essay Topic 2

Shaara uses more than one instance of irony in the novel. Cite at least two examples you can identify in the book and note why they are examples of irony.

Essay Topic 3

In "The Last Full Measure", Shaara's Civil War society shows a conscious selectivity about technology. What do you think of the technology employed by the Federal Army as compared to that of the Confederate soldiers? Which aspects do you find more or less appealing? How is technology associated with power and rebellion?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 923 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample