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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 is Christopher Manvell?

2. Where do French skirmishers mount an attack?

3. What does Sharpe do to the pistol?

4. What impedes the French cavalry from overtaking the British?

5. Upon what does Rebecque give up?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What does Sharpe tell Rossendale during their encounter in the woods?

3. Describe the area where the retreating British army takes up a position in Chapter 10.

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

5. 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?

6. How does D'Alembord's premonition show courage?

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

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Cornwell is masterful in his description of battles and life in general 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, The Prince of Orange, The Duke of Wellington, and Simon Doggett. 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

At the conclusion of a novel, most readers either consciously or unconsciously engage in processing the book and usually come to a conclusion as to whether they like the book or not. Discuss one of the following:

1. Would you consider Sharpe's Waterloo a "good" book? Why or why not? Use examples to illustrate your stance.

2. What do you think are the elements of an outstanding novel? Analyze one of your favorite novels to see if those elements are present.

3. What are some reasons you might consider a novel a failure? Analyze a novel you think is a failure and see if those elements are in that novel.

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