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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 causes El Matarife and the Partisans to run?

2. Who shaves Sharpe at the beginning of Chapter 17?

3. Why does Sharpe remain a guarded prisoner?

4. Why does Joseph Bonaparte need this victory?

5. What does La Marquesa do when French gunfire begins?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Sharpe call for a bath and what does Helene ask of him?

2. How does Sharpe escape from Verigny?

3. What do the British cavalry do at Vitoria and how does Jourdan respond? What does Jourdan think of the French prospects at Vitoria?

4. How do the French feel before the battle of Vitoria?

5. What happens after Sharpe enters Burgos?

6. What does La Marquesa do after it is obvious the British have won and what happens to her?

7. What does the Fifth Division do in the battle of Vitoria and what happens to Leroy?

8. What does Hogan learn about the explosion, what does he think and what is the Spanish family doing with him?

9. Where is Sharpe taken in Burgos and what is the place like?

10. In what shape is Sharpe at the beginning of Chapter Sixteen and what does he think about?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

At the conclusion of a novel, most readers either consciously or unconsciously engage in processing the book 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 Honor a "good" book? Why or why not? Use examples to illustrate your stance.

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

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

Essay Topic 2

In chapter three, the reader learns through Patrick Harper that Sharpe is bored and gets into trouble when he is bored. Sharpe accepts the challenge of the duel not only because he is bored, but because he feels he needs to redeem himself somehow. Cornwell often uses characters around Sharpe to examine Sharpe's inner workings. This paints a picture of the mysterious, tough character by not requiring an explanation from Sharpe himself. It also gives insight about the characters around Sharpe, as only the people really close to him are allowed to examine his feelings.

1. Explain how boredom has caused many people, especially teenagers, to participate in behaviors that are harmful or illegal. Use examples from the book and your own experience to support your answer.

2. Discuss why a person might become bored and how boredom can be relieved with beneficial activities. What are some ways to relieve boredom? What are some ways to avoid boredom? Use examples from the book and your own experience to support your answer.

3. Do you think Cornwell's technique of using the characters around Sharpe to present Sharpe's inner workings to be effective? Why or why not? Why do you think the author would chose to make Sharpe known in this manner? Use examples from the book and your own experience to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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