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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 is Caillou furious?

2. What does Cornwell say that characters sometimes do?

3. With whom is Richard Sharpe kneeling at the end of a field?

4. What does Sharpe say is fitting for Christmas?

5. Where are Sharpe's riflemen hidden?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. What is Gudin told about Maria and what is his response?

4. What does Sharpe say to d'Alembord about India?

5. Why did Cornwell think writing about a Christmas with Sharpe was odd?

6. With what types of troubles is Gudin plagued?

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

8. When does Sharpe think the French will arrive? What does he do for his men because of this?

9. What does Cornwell say about the people who helped him write Sharpe's Christmas? What else does he address in the introduction?

10. Why is Caillou angry at Gudin about the women, and why is Gudin walking?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A work of fiction is often organized around a structure called a plot. Discuss the following:

1. Define plot and its major parts (rising action, climax, falling action, resolution [or denouement]. Write a sentence or two synopsis of the major plot of the Sharpe's Christmas.

2. Identify where the parts of the plot seem to fall in Sharpe's Christmas. Explain using examples.

3. Define the literary term "subplot." Write a sentence or two synopsis of a subplot in Sharpe's Christmas.

4. Identify the major parts of the subplot you identified in task number 3.

5. Why do you think identifying the plot and elements of the plot is useful?

Essay Topic 2

In any book centered around the military, leadership of the troops is often crucial with the better leaders able to command the respect and loyalty of their men. The men's willingness to follow a particularly leader can have a decisive impact upon the success of a mission. Discuss the following:

1. Whose command style seems most effective? Analyze the elements of those effective leaders thoroughly and discuss the traits of the good leaders. What makes an excellent leader/commander? Give examples.

2. Whose command style seems most ineffective? Analyze the elements of those ineffective leaders thoroughly and discuss the traits of the poor leaders. What makes a poor leader/commander? Give examples.

3. Is disobeying a poor leader ever justifiable? Explain using details from the text, other books you have read and your personal experience. In times of war, disobeying an order can be punishable by death. Is this harsh sentence justifiable for such an act? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Though this novel is probably more action driven rather than character driven, obviously there are several characters who make the novel what it is. Discuss one of the following:

1. Compare/contrast the characters of Sharpe and Caillou. Include their goals, sense of honor, abilities and social skills. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Compare/contrast the characters of Gudin and Picard. Include their goals, sense of honor, abilities, and social skills. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Thoroughly analyze the character of Richard Sharpe discussing both his strong and weak points and how both affect the outcome of the plot. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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