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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 does the stranger think of the captain?

2. What was thoughtfully given to the ship by the provision merchant?

3. After focusing his eyes on the body at the end of the rope ladder, what does the captain notice?

4. Where has Legatt come from?

5. What does the captain tell his officers, upon first speaking with them in the story, that he saw above the ridge as the sun went down?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is indicated about the captain based upon his precautionary manner of proceeding in fetching clothes for the stranger?

2. What characterizes the attitudes of the crew as their captain evidently leads them towards an idiotic doom?

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

4. What does the captain believe his first mate would think were he to see him speaking with the stranger?

5. What characterizes the account of the stranger's escape from the Sephora to the unnamed ship?

6. What causes the captain to comment on Legatt's health and appearance? How does Legatt respond?

7. How is the second mate characterized in the beginning of the story?

8. When and why does the captain turn the ship to open sea?

9. Why does Leggatt say that it is wonderful the captain understands his plight and desires?

10. 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?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compose an analytical essay concerning the contrast between a coincidental order of events and a providential order of events, in regards to Leggatt's escape from the Sephora and achievement of a new destiny. How many positive events or occurrences are there not explicable by human action? Are these mere coincidences or part of something else? Should the events be analyzed individually or as a whole? What changes depending upon how they are analyzed? What argument can be made either for the coincidental or the providential order?

Essay Topic 2

The eminent theme of The Secret Sharer is the self-sacrificial nature of the captain on behalf of Leggatt. Compose an analytical essay examining the manner in which the captain offers himself up for the sake of another. What is a sacrifice? What characterizes a sacrificial action? What does the captain offer as a sacrifice for the sake of Leggatt? Why does the captain offer himself up as he does? What characterizes his willingness to serve the good of the other? Is his a perfect act? Why or why not? Is the goodness of the action effected at all by the fact that no consummation of sacrifice was made? What is the significance of the captain's intent as regards his willingness to self-sacrifice? What is it about this sacrifice that is inherently recognizable as noble and good?

Essay Topic 3

Why does the author make a point of identifying the possible sources of stress or tension between the crew and the captain? How does this shape the captain's relationship with his main officers and with Legatt?

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