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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. Why does Harper worry about Sharpe?

2. What do the Spanish think about Sharpe being sentenced to hanging?

3. Where did Patrick and Isabella meet?

4. What does Sharpe do as he runs past the Mother Superior deeper into the convent?

5. What does Sharpe do when they arrive at the convent?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is el Matarife doing with a prisoner when Sharpe meets him at the inn and what does Sharpe do about it?

2. What is Sharpe doing against the French in Chapter One?

3. What is d'Alembord doing to help Sharpe with his duel, what has he done in secret and how did Sharpe's last duel end?

4. Why can't Wellington execute Sharpe and what does Hogan tell Sharpe about his mission?

5. What is Sharpe observing in Chapter Ten and what does he think about his horse?

6. Why does Sharpe feel guilty in Chapter One?

7. What does the Mother Superior at the convent ask Sharpe and what does he tell her?

8. Why does Leroy confront Sharpe and what does he want Sharpe to do?

9. Describe what the Spanish see during Sharpe's supposed execution.

10. What does Sharpe do when he first arrives at the convent where Helene is being held?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 Honor. 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 Honor 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 2

There are three "villains" in Sharpe's Honor. Father Hacha is intelligent and clever with his cruelty, and El Matarife is completely savage; El Matarife is torturing a captive when the reader first meets him. Pierre Ducos is a greedy and self-serving character and brutally highlights hostilities between France and Spain.

1. Explain, with examples from the text, what you see are the main motivations behind Pierre Ducos's behavior. If he lived in America today with what crimes do you think he would be charged?

2. Father Hacha is a "villain" who does not seem to be motivated by self-interest. Discuss why or why not you believe this statement to be true. Use examples from Sharpe's Honor to support and illustrate your opinion.

3. Do you think crimes or immoral behavior motivated by good intentions is more pardonable than that motivated by self-interests? Why or why not? Use examples from Sharpe's Honor to support and illustrate your opinion.

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 Honor 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, or the Marques. Contrast that to the lives of those who are in a lower social strata such as Sharpe and Harper or one in service to someone of wealth and/or privilege.

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 or sea 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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