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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. How does escape by river enhance their chance of success?

2. Why does Hornblower choose Brown instead of his actual steward to make the journey to Paris with him?

3. What offer by the Count does Hornblower decline?

4. What is the name of the ship Hornblower loses?

5. How many French ships do the English manage to destroy?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens in the first few hours after their escape? Why is the river being swift to their advantage?

2. How do the Spanish treat Hornblower and what can he see from where he is? What do you think it says about his character that they would do this?

3. What does Hornblower awaken to a few days after his capture? How does he respond? What does he see? What do you think he might have felt when he first saw the fight?

4. What happens to the coach that stops travel for a while?

5. How does Hornblower feel when preparing for bed with the other prisoners? How does he feel about his pending execution? Do you think he is a coward that he worries about his possible reaction at the time of the execution?

6. In what shape is Bush at the beginning of Chapter 5? What does the doctor tell Caillard? What does Hornblower say?

7. Who is the owner of the house where the escapees knock to ask for aid? How does he treat the prisoners initially?

8. How did Hornblower end up where he is at the beginning of the novel?

9. What does Hornblower say is the reason Bush should not be executed and what is Caillard's response? What does the response say to you about his character?

10. How does Hornblower appeal to Caillard's humanity and what is Caillard's response?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Hornblower throughout much of novel is emotionally involved with three different women. Discuss one following:

1. Compare/contrast Hornblower's feelings about Marie versus Maria.

2. Compare/contrast Hornblower's feelings about Marie versus Lady Leighton.

3. Compare/contrast Hornblower's feelings about Maria versus Lady Leighton.

Essay Topic 2

In addition to understanding the war in which Forester's novels are set, it is quite helpful to have a basic understanding of nautical terminology and the types of ships and their armaments that were used during the early 1800s. Discuss the following:

1. Define ten of the most commonly-used shipboard terms and discuss how those terms are used in FLYING COLOURS.

2. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the ships used in the early 1800s?

3. How is the British navy organized during this period (early 1800s) and how different do you think it is organized today (including how one rises in rank).

4. Compare/contrast one of the naval battles described in the novel with one from WWII.

Essay Topic 3

Along with treason, another detestable action is spying. Spies are not considered in the same vein as soldiers in uniform and are not protected by the customs and regulations that govern the treatment of soldiers who are in uniform when captured. Discuss one of the following:

1. Why do you think spies are not accorded any rights under many countries' laws and/or customs?

2. Even though all countries abhor spies, often even their own, they still spy, and men and women are still willing to be spies. Discuss why you think this is so.

3. Research and analyze the history of spying in either England, the United States or Russa.

(see the answer keys)

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