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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. How does Lucille know Sharpe is playing a game with the men?

2. What does Challon put under his arm?

3. Whom does Father Defoy embarrass publicly?

4. What does Sharpe learn about as the enemy are collecting their death and wounded?

5. Who is sitting opposite Lucille when Sharpe enters the kitchen?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Picard doing while Gudin and Sharpe talk?

2. What does Lucille hope about Sharpe, and how does she feel about leaving her home?

3. What does Sharpe say about the villagers, especially Malan? What is Lucille's response?

4. What does Sharpe offer Gudin and what is Gudin's reply?

5. What happens between Challon and Lucille in the kitchen, and what is Lorcet's response?

6. What does Malan say to Sharpe's request? What is Sharpe's response?

7. Why is Sharpe in Normandy, and what does he think about when he holds his rifle?

8. Where does Sharpe go on the morning of Christmas Eve?

9. Why does Malan agree to help Sharpe?

10. What does Lucille do when Challon pushes on the bed, and what is Challon's response?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose two of the following and compare and contrast the two people. Include in the discussion their type of leadership, their personality, their morals and whether you would like to serve under them.

1. Sharpe and Picard .

2. Harper and Sharpe.

3. Caillou and Gudin.

Essay Topic 2

Sharpe says repeatedly in the first short story that Christmas is no time for killing. Traditionally, throughout the history of war since the advent of Christianity a truce for Christmas has been enacted between two "Christian" nations who are at war and in fact, there are many incidences of enemies eating or drinking together on Christmas day then shooting at each other the day after.

1. Discuss the incongruous of enacting a truce for one day then reverting to killing in a mere 24 hours. Use examples from your life and the text to support your answer.

2. What do you think are the necessary psychological change for a person to eat Christmas dinner with another who will be attempting to kill that person the next day? Use examples from your life and the text to support your answer.

3. Discuss the implications for hope of an end to war if enemies can be civil on Christmas Day. Use examples from your life and the text to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Richard Sharpe is in some ways a larger-than-life hero. Despite incredible odds, he usually comes out on top, in Sharpe's Christmas and in the others in the series. Discuss the following:

1. Does having a larger-than-life hero make that person less of a hero? In other words, which is more admirable--a hero who ultimately always "lands on his feet," or one who strives against impossible odds and doesn't always succeed?

2. Does a character have to be successful in order to be a hero? Explain your answer.

3. Choose one other character besides Sharpe who you might call a hero/heroine and explain why you choose that person. Illustrate your statements with examples from the text.

4. Does every work of fiction have to have a hero? Explain your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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