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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 long has the stranger been swimming?

2. What does the captain mention after his meeting with the officers on board the ship?

3. How does Legatt try to defend himself when he is accused of murder?

4. Where does the captain go at the very end of Part I?

5. What is the name of the ship approaching dangerously close to the crew's ship at the beginning of the story?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does the mysterious stranger see himself being tried by a judge and jury something of an absurdity?

2. What difference does Legatt point out between his story and the skipper's story about what happened on the Sephora when the man was murdered?

3. What happened to Legatt as a result of the murder he is accused of committing? Does the author give any indication that this is out of the ordinary? Why or why not?

4. How does the unnamed captain comport himself towards the Sephora's skipper?

5. How does the stranger report his former companions treating him after the murder?

6. What is the significance of the statement of the stranger that, "It's not so easy for a swimmer like me to commit suicide by drowning"?

7. What is signified by the stranger's speech after he hears the plight of the newly-made captain?

8. The author gives the reader one example of the captain's determination and ability to stand his ground when making a decision. What is it?

9. How does the mysterious man characterize the victim of his murderous anger?

10. After being unable to pull the rope ladder over the edge of the ship, the captain impatiently looks over the side to see what the problem is. What does the captain discover? What does he believe he sees at first?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Oftentimes, a character given limited attention in the text of a fictional work nonetheless plays a vital role to the plot and meaning of a story, such as Captain Archbold in The Secret Sharer. Compose an essay examining the significance of the Sephora's skipper, as he is presented through the unnamed captain's narration. What are the primary motivations of Archbold, generally speaking? How does he perceive right and wrong? How does he comport himself as a leader? What role does he play in the overall significance of the text?

Essay Topic 2

The captain literally risks it all to protect Legatt, a man he hardly knows. What risks does he take? Specify the details of the actions/risks the captain takes and explain why he would take those risks for someone he barely knows.

Essay Topic 3

It's clear that "The Secret Sharer" focuses on the consequences of secrets. What lesson does the author share with the reader on both keeping secrets and sharing them? Give examples from the text to support your answer.

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