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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. Where does Atropos go with the treasure?

2. How many guns has the Castilla?

3. About what does Jones become confused?

4. What does Hornblower have done to the man who fell overboard while climbing the rigging without permission?

5. What English ship does the Atropos finally encounter?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Hornblower's interaction with the Mudir.

2. What does Eisenbeis explain to Hornblower about McCullum's wound?

3. Where does Atropos head after Malta and what does Hornblower do during the voyage?

4. What does Hornblower tell Eisenbeiss concerning the duel and McCullum?

5. What does Hornblower see at Cartagena that surprises him, and what does he do?

6. Describe the next attempt at using explosives.

7. How does Hornblower continue his ruse concerning the Castilla?

8. Who wants to go with Hornblower and the Prince and why doesn't Hornblower allow him?

9. Who comes aboard on a visit to the Atropos and what do Hornblower and the visitor discuss?

10. Describe the first attempt at using an explosive device and what is decided as a result.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Forester is masterful in his description of battles, storms and life in general in the West Indies in the early 1820s. Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze Forester's descriptive passages about life at sea, particularly in times of stormy weather or difficult passages. How does he use descriptions of the five senses to make the reader feel s/he is there? Do you find his descriptions compelling? Seemingly accurate? How would the novel be different if he did not include such descriptive passages?

2. Analyze Forester's descriptive passages about the social structure of the times and discuss what you think it would be like to be a person of wealth and/or privilege such as Hornblower, The Prince, Admiral St. Vincent or any other characters of the gentleman or noble class. Contrast that to the lives of those who are in a lower social strata such as the Singalese divers or the drunk who is leading the horses in chapter one.

3. Describe and analyze Forester's descriptive passages about the topographical setting and the physical descriptions of the people. Does Forester do an adequate job of actually making the reader "see" the land/sea where the action is taking place? How about getting a visual image of the characters? How do the descriptions of the setting add to the novel? Do you like having an idea of how a character looks? How would the novel be different without such descriptions?

Essay Topic 2

Hornblower and the Atropos, like many, and perhaps a majority, of novels ends on a happy note (until he arrives back home). Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many (most) people want what they perceive as a happy or good ending to a novel? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why not?

2. What are three reasons to read fiction? Discuss each one in light of Hornblower and the Atropos and whether or not it fulfills all three, two or one of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why Hornblower and the Atropos is or is not successful in fulfilling the reasons you discuss.

3. Do you think reading solely for entertainment is as good a reason to read as any other? Why or why not? Can any work of fiction or non-fiction, no matter how poorly written, enlighten, teach, stimulate thought? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

McCullum and Eisenbeiss fight a duel in which McCullum is gravely injured. Discuss the following:

1. What is a duel? How is it conducted? Why is it conducted? When does the use of duels to settle matters of honor go out of use in England? The United States?

2. What other methods do you think could be used to settle a matter of honor or insult to one's reputation?

3. In England, dueling becomes illegal in the 19th century, yet men still engage in them and the winner often has to flee to escape punishment. Do you think dueling should have been made illegal? Why or why not?

4. Research dueling in Britain and discuss the typical reasons two men (and once a female couple) would engage in a duel. Do the reasons seem worth the potential costs?

5. If dueling were still legal, can you imagine engaging in one? Why or why not.

(see the answer keys)

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