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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 does Sharpe find out the night after the battle with the French?

2. Who arrives at the farmhouse with extra cavalry?

3. Why is Sharpe worried about Louisa?

4. What do the British and Spanish troops discover when they enter a village?

5. What does Vivar say when Sharpe asks for explanations of what they are doing?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the fortress to which Vivar has brought Sharpe and the Spanish troops and what does Vivar say about Spain and the French?

2. Why do Sharpe's men begin to call out enthusiastically when the Parkers come in front of the assembly and what does Mrs. Parker explain to Sharpe?

3. What does Dunnet order the riflemen to do when the French are charging them and what is Sharpe's response?

4. With whom does Sharpe dine the first night in the fortress and why do Vivar and Alzaga argue?

5. What does Sharp worry about with Louisa, what does she tell him and what is her response when he tells her about the strongbox?

6. What does Vivar asks Sharpe and what does Sharpe decide to do after speaking with Vivar?

7. What does De l'Eclin tell Sharpe about surrender and what does he say about the French army? What does Sharpe think of De l'Eclin's assertion about the French army?

8. What happens as Sharpe is about to order his riflemen to flee the house and who joins him in the woods?

9. What does Sharpe ask about the strong box and what is Vivar's response? How does Sharpe respond to this?

10. Why does Sharpe withdraw his small force of riflemen he left in the woods?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Most of the entire series of novels concerning Richard Sharpe takes place during the Napoleonic Wars; therefore understanding the political and social situation during that time helps to a greater understanding and appreciation of this book and others in the series. Discuss one of the following:

1. Research and write an expository essay about how the Napoleonic Wars begin and end.

2. Research and write an expository essay about the battles that take place on land between Britain and France during the Napoleonic Wars.

3. Compare/Contrast the importance of the British infantry during the Napoleonic Wars to the importance of the British infantry during either WWI or WWII.

4. Write an expository essay on how the Napoleonic Wars affected the social culture of one of the following countries: Britian, France, or Germany.

Essay Topic 2

Cornwell is masterful in his description of battles and life in general 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 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 Don Blas Vivar, Major Warren Dunnett, Colonel Pierre de l'Eclin, and the Count of Mouromorto. 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 3

Mrs. Parker is treated poorly by Sharpe and Louisa seems to have to be with her uncle whether she wants to or not. Though the author Cornwell may or may not have such personal views on women, the way women are characterized in his series is often less than complimentary. Discuss one of the following:

1. Present and analyze the treatment of women in Sharpe's Rifles.

2. Cornwell is trying to be historically accurate, so is his treatment of women in his book(s) justified?

3. Is there any way Cornwell could have presented women in a more positive light and still stayed historically accurate? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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