View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What will calling Sharpe to task do?

2. What message is sent to Massena from the French dragoons?

3. Who is Sir William Erskine?

4. What does Loup tell Juanita to do when they reach Fuentes de Onoro?

5. What will Runciman be doing when he leaves Spain?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Sharpe and Donaju talk about while Sharpe is cutting his own hair?

2. How does the second large battle for Fuentes de Onoro start and which British troops are involved?

3. What does Hogan say to Sharpe about letting Juanita go free?

4. Why is Wellington enraged with Erkins?

5. How does Hogan set up confronting Father Sarsfield?

6. What does Sharpe do when he hears Loup shouting out commands in the battle and what do the soldiers around them do?

7. How are the southern British troops threatened and what do they do about it?

8. What do Sharpe and Hogan agree on after Sharpe shoots Sarsfield and what do they do?

9. What do the French do at the church in Nave de Haver?

10. How does Massena react to the southern troops joining the northern ones and what does Wellington do after the army is reunited?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sharpe, despite his background, is an officer and a gentleman and is therefore accorded more respect and trust even in enemy territory than the common soldier. Discuss the following:

1. Does it seem likely that officers are usually more respectable than enlisted men back then? What about today? Why or why not.

2. Sharpe executes two prisoners of war without a trial. Do you think this is how an officer and gentleman comports himself? Why or why not.

3. In the present military in the United States, both officers and enlisted can be held for court martial for doing a number of things that Sharpe has done. Why do you think this is so? Do you agree with the policy?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Cornwell has tried as much as possible to use historical events and facts around which to weave his work of fiction. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think Sharpe's Battle qualifies as an historical fiction? Why or why not?

2. If much of the events in Sharpe's Battle are historical, what surprises you about the way the events play out?

3. Do you think the culture of that era is more or less advanced than you imagined? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,209 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample