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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 opportunity will Sharpe offer the French?

2. For what does Caillou blame Gudin when they hear shots in the distance?

3. What has Sharpe found south of the village?

4. What does Cornwell say that characters sometimes do?

5. What does the bugler do under Sharpe's orders?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Gudin do after Caillou breaks the truce?

2. What are Sharpe and Harper attempting to do for Christmas at the beginning of the story? How is their task interrupted?

3. How did Cornwell feel about writing Sharpe's Christmas, and why did he feel that way?

4. What does Caillou object to with the leaving of the fort? How does he threaten Gudin? How does Gudin feel about Caillou's threat?

5. What does Sharpe and d'Alembord see through Sharpe's telescope?

6. Why does Sharpe have hope the garrison will surrender, and what does the garrison have that Sharpe would like to take?

7. What finally breaks up the French brigade's advance?

8. How does Gudin feel about leaving the fort at Ochagavia, and what is the group composed of who will be leaving the fort?

9. What does Cornwell say about Sharpe's Christmas in the introduction?

10. How do the French play into Sharpe's trick with wine barrels?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sharpe's Christmas, like many, and perhaps a majority, of stories ends on a happy note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think 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 Christmas and whether or not it fulfills all three, two or one of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why Sharpe's Christmas 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 2

Discuss one of the following:

1. Thoroughly analyze how the setting informs the plot in Sharpe's Christmas.

2. Trace and analyze one major theme of Sharpe's Christmas. How is the theme represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

3. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of Sharpe's Christmas. How are the themes represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

Essay Topic 3

There are a number of literary elements that occur in many works of fiction. Irony is a means of increasing both the humor and the complexity of a story. Cornwell often includes irony in his Richard Sharpe series. Point of view is the way the story is narrated; all works of fiction have a point of view. Conflict is almost always present in a work of fiction. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary terms irony, point of view and conflict.

2. Identify two instances of irony in Sharpe's Christmas, offering examples from the text.

3. Identify the point of view of the novel and discuss why you think Cornwell chooses to use that particular point of view. Does the point of view seem to be the best one for Sharpe's Christmas? Why or why not.

4. Identfiy two major conflicts in Sharpe's Christmas. Are the conflicts completely resolved by the end of Sharpe's Christmas? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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