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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 about Sharpe enables him to be successful in his plans at Foulness?

2. Why does Lawford feel an obligation to Sharpe?

3. What happens to Girdwood after the assault?

4. How does Sharpe feel about what Anne tells him?

5. What does Fenner tell his servant to do with the accounting books?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Anne tell Sharpe about her and Fenner's relationship?

2. What happens with Anne and Fenner after Lawford leaves?

3. What do Sharpe and Harper hear about when they return to London?

4. What does Jane estimate is the kind of money the schemers are making off the recruits?

5. What does Havercamp tell Sharpe when questioned about his involvement in the recruiting scheme and what does he promise?

6. What does Sharpe do with the men at Foulness after he sets up the new command structure?

7. What does Lawford with his information?

8. What does Anne tell Sharpe about him wanting to take Fenner and Simmerson down?

9. What does Sharpe do when he reaches London in order to get something done about Simmerson and Fenner?

10. What does Jane tell Sharpe about her personally?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Cornwell is masterful in his description of battles and life in general in for a soldier during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1820s. 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 the novel 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, Lawford, and Windham. 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/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?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze one major theme of Sharpe's Regiment. 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 Regiment. 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 Regiment? Which theme in Sharpe's Regiment speaks to you the most in your life? Why?

Essay Topic 3

Though this novel is probably more action driven rather than character driven, obviously there are several characters who make the novel what it is. Discuss one of the following:

1. Compare/contrast the characters of Sharpe and Girdwood. Include their goals, sense of honor, abilities and social skills.

2. Compare/contrast the characters of Harper and Simmerson.

3. Thoroughly analyze the character of Richard Sharpe, discussing both his strong and weak points and how both affect the outcome of the plot.

(see the answer keys)

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