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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 ruins can be seen today?

2. Who does Sharpe say he will slowly dismember?

3. Why do Sharpe, Teresa, and Harper get in the bread ovens?

4. What does Cox agree for Sharpe to do?

5. What does Sharpe notice as he leaves his sleeping quarters?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is written about the historical Almeida?

2. Who is causing Sharpe problems about moving the gold on to Wellington?

3. What happens before the telegraph can be sent?

4. What happens to Teresa?

5. What does it say about the cause of the explosion and who got in a bread oven?

6. Describe what happens in the explosion attempt.

7. What of the Lines of Torres Vedras?

8. Why does Sharpe think there is no hope for his company and who saves them?

9. What does Sharpe say to Hogan and what is Hogan's response?

10. Describe the interaction between Sharpe and Garrard.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sharpe accepts the challenge of the duel not only because he is bored, but because he feels he needs to redeem himself somehow. Perhaps by fighting the duel he can erase the mistakes of his past, honor his dead wife, and give himself some peace all at once.

1. Sharpe will participate in a dangerous duel because he feels guilty about his wife. How do you think guilt and reckless behavior are related? Use examples from the book and your own experience to support your answer.

2. Discuss some of the behaviors that teenagers in modern America might have because of feelings of guilt. How efficient do you think these behaviors are in erasing guilt?

3. Discuss constructive actions or behaviors a person might use or do in order to assuage guilt. Would any of these be available to Sharpe? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

There are a number of literary techniques evident in Sharpe's Gold. Discuss the following:

1. Look up and define the literary technique called "narrative contrivance." Where do you think narrative contrivance occurs? Why? Give two examples and analyze them to see if the author has to come up with something to "save the day."

2. Does the use of narrative contrivance diminish the impact of the plot? The believability of the storyline?

3. Is there any other way Cornwell could have a mixture of suspense and action while at the same time making certain the main characters are not killed?

Essay Topic 3

Cornwell is masterful in his description of battles and life in general in for a soldier during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800s. Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze Cornwells's descriptive passages about life as a soldier. How does he use descriptions of the five senses to make the reader feel s/he is there? Do you find his descriptions compelling? Seemingly accurate? How would Sharpe's Gold be different if Cornwell did not include such descriptive passages?

2. Analyze Cornwells's descriptive passages about the social structure of the times and discuss what you think it would be like to be a person of wealth and/or privilege such as Wellington? Contrast that to the lives of those who are in a lower social strata such as Sharpe and Harper or Teresa.

3. Describe and analyze Cornwell's descriptive passages about the topographical setting and the physical descriptions of the people. Does Cornwell do an adequate job of actually making the reader "see" the land where the action is taking place? How about getting a visual image of the characters? How does the descriptions of the setting add to the novel? Do you like having an idea of how a character looks? How would the novel be different without such descriptions?

(see the answer keys)

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