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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. Why does Gudin not think the Sharpe he is about to encounter is the same one he met in India?

2. When does Sharpe estimate the French will arrive?

3. Picard thinks ____________ are on the slopes.

4. Whose garrison must Picard rescue?

5. What attack is the French army attempting to repel?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Sharpe give the French warning, and why does he warn them?

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

3. What do the French do about the remaining barrels, and what is Sharpe facing from the south?

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

5. Why is General Picard upset? What pleases him about his men? Why does he think he is different from Gudin?

6. What does Sharpe order when the French send in the voltiguers, and what does Sharpe's order tell the French?

7. How long is each story in Sharpe's Christmas, and why are they that length?

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

9. What does Hogan tell Sharpe will be his immediate assignment?

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

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 Christmas qualifies as an historical fiction? Why or why not?

2. If much of the events in Sharpe's Christmas 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.

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Any work of fiction has some similarities, yet the structure can engender differences. Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast how the structure of the short stories, Sharpe's Christmas and Sharpe's Ransom, informs the reading experience to how the structure of one of Cornwell's novels might do the same.

2. Many readers love novels and are indifferent to short stories, and vice versa. Discuss why you think some readers would enjoy one format over another.

3. Choose a short, one-act play and compare it to one of the short stories as far as how structure affects the reading experience.

(see the answer keys)

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