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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 day is it when Sharpe has secured the convent?

2. What is wrong physically with General Nairn at the beginning of the book?

3. How does Farthingdale feel about Sharpe's inability to bring back Lady Farthingdale?

4. What does Sharpe urge to Farthingdale?

5. What does Sharpe do with the convent?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Spain at war with and how is the country divided?

2. Where and at what time is the Prologue set?

3. What does Sharpe first do when he takes over his new command and to what conclusions does he come?

4. What does Lady Farthingdale do when she sees Sharpe?

5. What does Sharpe do with the prisoners and what bothers him the most about the prisoners as far as who he wanted to capture?

6. What does Sharpe urge Farthingdale to do and what does he do? What do the defenders do?

7. How does Farthingdale act towards Sharpe when he returns without the woman?

8. What does Sharpe and Harper do when they first arrive at Andrados?

9. How important is Andrados, where it is situated and what types of protections are in place around it?

10. Why is Lady Farthingdale at Andrados, who is with her and what happens to them?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Sharpe and Dubreton present their gold to Pot-au-Fea and Hakeswill the men take the gold but refuse to release the woman. There is some inconsistency in this situation as Sharpe and Hakeswill's last confrontation in another book would definitely preclude Hakeswill inviting Sharpe to join them. Also, the fact that Pot-au-Fea and Hakeswill allow the four men to leave is inconsistent with their characterization. These two items are necessary for the plot but they are more of a narrative contrivance than believable.

1. With research, define narrative contrivance and how it is used in several places in Sharpe's Enemy. Do you think the plot could have been satisfied without it? Why or why not? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

2. Do you think narrative contrivances detract from Sharpe's Enemy by placing too much reliance on readers' gullibility? Why or why not? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

3. When you read of the two contrivances above, did it stop you and make you pause in your reading to consider Hakeswill allowing Sharpe, his sworn enemy to leave? What do you think, in real life would have happened to Sharpe? Why?

Essay Topic 2

The military way of life is in and of itself similar to a distinct culture. Understanding how the military is organized, how it operates, and its basic rules of conduct will make any novel that centers on the military more understandable and enjoyable. Discuss one of the following:

1. Describe and analyze the military structure during the time of Sharpe's Enemy. What is rank? What is the difference between officers and enlisted men? How serious is it to disobey an order? What happens if one decides he does not like being in the military and walks away? How are men conscripted? Does the infantry have a similar means of augmenting their ranks as the maritime action called "impressments"?

2. Compare the infantry of Sharpe's Enemy to that in modern times in for the United States, England or France. What are the similarities? The differences? Are the changes from those times improvements? Why or why not? (This question will require some research).

3. Discuss why you think the military has the following: Uniforms, a rank structure of Officers and Enlisted, Strict Discipline, Training for New Recruits, Court Martial, and Different types of companies (i.e., rifle, Cavalry, artillery, etc). Discuss why you think men (and nowadays women) choose to become professional soldiers.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze one major theme of Sharpe's Enemy. Consider the following: How does one character's actions portray the theme you are analyzing? How does the setting contribute to that theme? Is the theme one that you would call a "universal theme"? If so, what other book or novel that you have read also includes this theme. If not, why don't you think it is a "universal" theme?

2. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of Sharpe's Enemy. How does one character's actions portray the themes you are analyzing? How does the setting contribute to those themes? Is each theme one that you would call a "universal theme"? If so, what other book or novel that you have read also includes this theme. If not, why don't you think it is a "universal" theme?

3. What benefit is there in discussing and analyzing the themes of a work of fiction? Do you think most authors consciously develop themes in their works? Why or why not? Can there be accidental themes? What do you think is one possible "accidental" theme in Sharpe's Enemy? Which theme in Sharpe's Enemy speaks to you the most in your life? Why?

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