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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 does Gudin mention that prompts Sharpe to ask for more information?

2. What does Sharpe use to repair the farmhouse?

3. Lorcet says that Lucille had better pray for ______________.

4. What does Sharpe haul up from the cellar?

5. Who does Lucille say will want to come in for food and wine?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What does the man in the kitchen tell Sharpe about Ducos?

3. What does Sharpe think would be the best thing to do when he returns home? Why doesn't he do it? What does he find when he enters the kitchen?

4. What does Sharpe tell Lorcet when Lorcet calls upstairs to Challon?

5. What does Father Defoy announce in church? How does the widow Malan feel about the announcement?

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

7. What does Sharpe think after he kills the fox and he does not see the six men continue to the village?

8. Who pushes their way into the house while Sharpe is gone, and what do they do and say?

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

10. What does Sharpe do when he hears of Nicholls' death?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

At the conclusion of a story, most readers either consciously or unconsciously engage in processing the story and usually come to a conclusion as to whether they like the book or not. Discuss one of the following:

1. Would you consider Sharpe's Christmas a "good" story? Why or why not? Use examples to illustrate your stance.

2. What do you think are the elements of an outstanding story? Analyze one of your favorite stories to see if those elements are present.

3. What are some reasons you might consider a story a failure? Analyze a story you think is a failure and see if those elements are in that novel.

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

Often titles reveal much about one or more aspects of a novel. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think is the purpose of a title? How closely related to a major theme(s) of a book do you think a title should be? Or should it be?

2. Sharpe's Christmas suggests these short stories might be different from Sharpe in a war situation. Discuss this title and the theme behind it.

3. If you were the writer of Sharpe's Christmas and your editor says the title must be changed, what would you choose? Why?

4. Discuss the titles of the two short stories and their meanings in the context of the story. Evaluate the effectiveness of the title.

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