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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. Who rides with the British heavy cavalry?

2. Who is Christopher Manvell?

3. Who are the Voltiguers?

4. Where do French skirmishers mount an attack?

5. Upon what does the main French infantry advance?

Short Essay Questions

1. What person and his position, provide a good example of dealing with incompetent superiors?

2. What does the author's placement of Sharpe in Chapter 14 do as a narrative device?

3. How do Sharpe and other British officers react to the sight of Napoleon and what might be the intent of Napoleon in that regard?

4. What new weapon is used, who invented it and why did the description of it stand out among other action scenes?

5. What gross error in judgment and orders did the Prince of Orange make in Chapter 15?

6. What does John Rossendale tell his fellow officers about the condition of his sword and pistol in Chapter 10?

7. What happens to the British Heavy Cavalry unit with which John Rossendale is riding?

8. What is one of the most striking differences at the end of a battle and the disposition of the dead between that era and now?

9. What stops the French from pursuing the retreating British army?

10. What is it about the British muskets that proves the beginning of the French's downfall?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 helped 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?

Essay Topic 2

D'Alembord died of a leg wound. This was a fairly routine occurrence at that time. Choose one of the following to discuss:

1. Compare/contrast the medical remedies used in Sharpe's Waterloo to those which would be used in our modern world.

2. Many wars are partially, if not completely, determined by factors other than the actual fighting. One of those factors is disease. Research and discuss how epidemics/pandemics have influenced the outcome of three different wars throughout history.

3. Discuss why men died so readily of wounds that would be easily treated today.

Essay Topic 3

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 Waterloo. 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 "impressment"?

2. Compare the infantry of Sharpe's Waterloo to that of modern times in 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.

(see the answer keys)

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