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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 tells Aubrey of Mustapha's rebellion?

2. How does Aubrey combat his loneliness when Maturin is gone?

3. What ship is Aubrey given command of when Thornton heads for home?

4. What shatters the internal structure of the Worcester?

5. How many warships does Mustapha have?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Thornton turn his command over to Harte?

2. Why is it so surprising that Aubrey is able to defeat Mustapha?

3. What does Mustapha do when he hears Aubrey has aligned himself with Sciahan?

4. Why does Aubrey refuse to fire on the French ship anchored in the harbor?

5. What daring move does Aubrey make to defeat Mustapha at the end of the book?

6. Why is Aubrey so disappointed when the leaves the harbor where the French Consort was anchored?

7. Why is Aubrey not able to do what he wanted at Mahon?

8. What does Maturin do at the clandestine meeting, and why?

9. How does Aubrey feel when the Worcester is declared as unseawothy?

10. How are the French able to break through the blockade?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the setting of a ship affect the tone and action of the book?

Essay Topic 2

Patrick O'Brian presents the idea that there are two sides to every man. Choose three of the characters from the book and write about their dual natures and how this duality affected the characters around them.

Essay Topic 3

Symbolism is a very prevalent literary device used by Patrick O'Brian. What are some of these symbols, and how does their presence affect the course of the plot?

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