View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who helps Sharpe and Frederickson with their plan?

2. What kind of celebration does Henri have in Chapter 8?

3. What is Château Lassan?

4. What does Sharpe give Jane before she leaves for England?

5. Why do Nairn's forces voluntarily reposition themselves when fighting at Toulouse?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do the three friends discuss in Chapter 1 and for what does Fredrickson ridicule Sharpe and the other friend?

2. Who has set up the charges against Sharpe and Frederickson and what do the British authorities know?

3. With whom does Sharpe duel and why?

4. What are the British organizing to do in the beginning of this book and what has occurred in their military campaign that motivates this?

5. What is Jane doing in London while Sharpe is still in France? What happens to her because of this?

6. How does Sharpe respond to Jane's demands in the Prologue?

7. What does Henri Lassan do after the war?

8. What does Sharpe and his friends do after the battle of Toulouse?

9. What does Lassan's mother want him to do and how does he feel about it?

10. Describe Henri Lassan's sister.

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 John Rossendale, Henri Lassan, Napoleon, and General Calvet. 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 do 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

Choose two of the following and compare and contrast the two people. Include in the discussion their type of leadership, their personality, their morals and whether you would like to serve under them.

1. Sharpe and Ducos.

2. Harper and Fredrickson.

3. Calvet and Ducos.

Essay Topic 3

Frederickson develops unrequitec feelings for Lucille and continues to rehabilitate her estate. On Sharpe's suggestion, Frederickson finally proposes marriage and is gently but firmly rebuffed. He thereafter departs to pursue Ducos on his own.

1. In psychology, there is a cliche called the "geographic cure" which means that for some people the best way to get over a bad love affair or some other negative circumstances is to move. Discuss how this relates to Frederickson leaving Lucille's house. Use examples from the book to support your answer.

2. Do you think it is better to face a problem head on or to just go away without solving a problem? Why or why not?

3. Write about an incident in your life or in the life of someone you know where the "geographic cure" was used.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 911 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample