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. What does Calvet realize about extracting Ducos?

2. Why does Lucille write to Roland?

3. What almost happens to Harper when he goes by Jane's house?

4. What does Sharpe say to Calvet when Calvet has him surrounded?

5. What does Sharpe seek when he leaves Lucille's estate?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does d'Alembord urge Jane to do, what is her response and how does he feel about that response?

2. How does Sharpe capture Ducos and what is the cost of that capture?

3. How does Sharpe feel about his affair with Lucille in view of his marriage to Jane?

4. What does Frederickson do when he leaves the Lassan estate, what does Sharpe do after he leaves? What happens between Sharpe and Lucille?

5. What does Calvet do while Sharpe is implementing his plan and how does it all end?

6. What ruins Sharpe and Frederickson's friendship and what does Sharpe do at the end of the book?

7. Where does Frederickson go to find Ducos and how does that work out?

8. What does Sharpe do when Frederickson sends for him and what does Lucille reveal to her doctor and friends?

9. What does Calvet decide to do about Ducos based on local authorities' response to his request?

10. How do the maneuvers at Ducos' estate turn out as far as Ducos' men are concerned?

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 Revenge. 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 Revenge 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

Richard Sharpe is in some ways a larger-than-life hero. Despite incredible odds, he usually comes out on top, in Sharpe's Revenge and in the other novels in the series. Discuss the following:

1. Does having a larger-than-life hero make that person less of a hero? In other words, which is more admirable--a hero who ultimately always "lands on his feet," or one who strives against impossible odds and doesn't always succeed?

2. Does a character have to be successful in order to be a hero? Explain your answer.

3. Choose one other character besides Sharpe whom you might call a hero/heroine and explain why you choose that person. Illustrate your statements with examples from the text.

4. Does every work of fiction have to have a hero? Explain your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Most protagonists are a mixture of admirable traits and character flaws, and Richard Sharpe is no exception. Sharpe's legendary powers of military strategy are juxtaposed with his reputation as a womanizer and his hatred for his wife. Discuss the following:

1. Trace and analyze situations when Sharpe demonstrates his prodigious powers of military strategy. Give specific examples to illustrate your analysis.

2. Trace and analyze Sharpe's character flaws offering specific examples of these flaws in your discussion.

3. Discuss how you think Sharpe's admirable traits help him obtain a high rank in the military despite his background as a child. Have his flaws impacted his career at all? Do any of those under his command seem to notice these flaws? Who? How does the reader know this?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,083 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample