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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 is attributed to will power in chapter 26?

2. In which article are the events on the Bellipotent published?

3. Who is allowed to communicate with Billy in chapter 23?

4. In chapter 16, what does Billy refuse to believe?

5. What item from the Bellipotent becomes sacred to the crew?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Captain Vere feel it necessary to deliver the court's verdict to Billy personally?

2. What explanation does Billy give for being called to the captain's cabin in chapter 19?

3. Why isn't the chaplain worried about Billy's impending judgment?

4. What is ironic about Billy's impending trial?

5. How does Melville explain the trusting nature of most sailors?

6. How does Billy react to Claggart's accusation?

7. How does Captain Vere view Billy before the foretopman is confronted with the accusation of mutiny?

8. Why does Captain Vere insist that the drumhead court render judgment according to the Mutiny Act?

9. Why doesn't Billy confront the afterguardsman or Claggart about any of the incidents that occurs?

10. Why are the events on the Bellipotent distorted in the naval chronicle?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What role does fate play in the novel? Which characters accept their proposed fates and which characters appear to struggle against fate? How does fate affect justice?

Essay Topic 2

What role does the social community on board the Bellipotent play in the novel? How are the characters affected by the extended amount of time they spend living and working together in a relatively small area? How are conflicts resolved among crew members? How do unresolved conflicts affect the characters in the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Provide a brief description of the following literary elements the novel: Introduction, rising action, climax, falling action and denouement (resolution). How does emotion affect the progression of each element?

(see the answer keys)

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