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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 was Richard Sharpe's role in "real" history?

2. What did the French not expect?

3. What does Cox say should be done with the gold?

4. About what does Sharpe ask at the telegraph office?

5. What does Sharpe tell Hogan about the explosion?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the scene between Cox and Sharpe about the gold and Sharpe's men.

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

3. Describe Teresa and Sharpe's conversation while they are in bed?

4. What is written about the historical Almeida?

5. Why is Kearsey angry with Sharpe and what is Sharpe's response?

6. How does Sharpe shock both his men and the Partisans?

7. How does Sharpe discover that the French are nearby when Sharpe's company approaches the Coa River?

8. Describe what happens in the explosion attempt.

9. What are the losses and who lives after the explosion?

10. Describe the fight between Sharpe and El Catolico.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the world of academe, historical fiction is often considered an inferior form of the novel compared to "classic" literature. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think historical fiction might be considered second-rate compared to the classics?

2. Do you think historical fiction has the same elements as the classics? Why or why not?

3. What are the purposes do you think for people reading "the classics"? What are the purposes for people reading historical fiction? Is one purpose better than another? Explain your response.

4. Would you read historical fiction even outside an educational setting? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Sharpe, despite his background, is an officer and a gentleman and is therefore accorded more respect and trust even in enemy territory than the common soldier. It is assumed that he will return with the gold intact.

1. Does it seem likely that officers are usually more respectable than enlisted men back then? What about today? Why or why not.

2. Sharpe has begun an affair with Teresa, a woman he ostensibly is holding as a hostage. Do you think this is how an officer and gentleman comports himself? Why or why not.

3. In the present military in the United States, both officers and enlisted can be held for court martial for adultery or having sexual relations with someone of inferior rank. Why do you think this is so? Do you agree with the policy?

(see the answer keys)

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