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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. About what is Sharpe upset?

2. How is Lieutenant Price in early dawn?

3. What is part of the inferno raging in the fort that Sharpe could have used?

4. What does Sharp do in the place where he sneaks?

5. How is a barricade created to help the British?

Short Essay Questions

1. What strategy does Herault choose to fight Sharpe and his men?

2. How does MacKeon again "save the day"?

3. Describe how the tide changes for Sharpe and his men after the wine bottles have been broken on the bridge.

4. Describe the battle for the bridge and explain why Sharpe retreats.

5. What does Sharpe admit to Teresa about his jumpiness?

6. How is Sharpe feeling as dawn approaches, and how do the men respond?

7. Why does Pailleterie allow Tubbs to keep his sword?

8. How does Sharpe attempt to sabotage the fort?

9. What sets Teresa off running for her horse and why is she going for the horse?

10. How does Pailleterie threaten his men and what is there response?

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 1800s. Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze Cornwell'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 Cornwell'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 Major Tubbs or Ducos. 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

Many events that happen in "Sharpe's Skirmish" are foreshadowed by previous events and/or signs. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "foreshadowing."

2. Why would an author use foreshadowing? Do you think it adds or detracts from your experience as a reader? Explain.

3. Trace and analyze five instances of foreshadowing in "Sharpe's Skirmish". Match up what is mentioned earlier and what it foreshadows. Did you guess that each instance of foreshadowing was a "heads up" of something to come? Why or why not.

Essay Topic 3

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 War affects the social culture of one of the following countries: Britain, France, or Germany.

(see the answer keys)

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