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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. Who is the one officer in the Real Compañía Irlandesa that Sharpe respects?

2. How does de Elia feel towards Loup?

3. What does Sharpe do as Loup is leaving?

4. How many men desert from the Real Compañía Irlandesa the first night?

5. What is El Castrador's response to Sharpe's question?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Sharpe suggest Donaju do about the problem with the troops?

2. What are called the keys to Spain by the French and who holds them?

3. What is Juanita's job with the Real Compañía Irlandesa?

4. What is in the letter from the Spanish king to General Wellington that upsets him?

5. How does Sharpe deal with the problem of desertion?

6. Why is Sharpe frustrated at the beginning of the book, what does Harper do about it and how does Sharpe respond to Harper?

7. What kind of problem do Sarsfield and Donaju bring to Sharpe and what is his response?

8. What is happening with the Real Compañía Irlandesa that worries Sharpe?

9. What does Sharpe see when they arrive at the village where Loup is supposed to be and what does Sharpe do there?

10. What happens to the Real Compañía Irlandesa officers in Loup's attack?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sharpe's Battle, like many, and perhaps a majority, of novels ends on a happy note. 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 Sharpe's Battleand whether or not it fulfills all three, two or one of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why Sharpe's Battleis 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 2

Sharpe's Battle is one book in a series of novels involving Richard Sharpe. Discuss the following.

1. What are two advantages of writing a series of novels about the same characters? Illustrate your statements with details from the text.

2. What is a disadvantage of writing a series of novels about the same characters? Illustrate your statements with details from the text.

3. Do you prefer to read a standalone book, or a series of books with the same main characters? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze one major theme of Sharpe's Battle. Consider the following: How does one character's actions portray the theme you are analyzing? How does the setting contribute to that theme? Is the theme one that you would call a "universal theme"? If so, what other book or novel that you have read also includes this theme. If not, why don't you think it is a "universal" theme?

2. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of Sharpe's Battle. How does one character's actions portray the themes you are analyzing? How does the setting contribute to those themes? Is each theme one that you would call a "universal theme"? If so, what other book or novel that you have read also includes this theme. If not, why don't you think it is a "universal" theme?

3. What benefit is there in discussing and analyzing the themes of a work of fiction? Do you think most authors consciously develop themes in their works? Why or why not? Can there be accidental themes? What do you think is one possible "accidental" theme in Sharpe's Battle? Which theme in Sharpe's Battlespeaks to you the most in your life? Why?

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