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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. How does Aubrey change his plan for taking Diane after the battle is over?

2. Why does Maturin want news about Diana?

3. How is Maturin's laudanum being weakened?

4. How did the event Joseph organized turn out?

5. What do the men do in the bay?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Aubrey do about the crew's response in question #32?

2. How does Babbington respond to Aubrey's request?

3. What does Surprise do after her encounter with Spartan and what do Martin and Maturin do?

4. What does Aubrey find has transpired on the Surprise while he was ashore?

5. Following Surprises first shakedown cruise when Maturin visits Sir Joseph, what does he find out about Wray and Ledward?

6. What happens while the crew struggle to free Diane? How is Aubrey injured?

7. What is the final outcome about the incident in question #31?

8. Maturin and Martin discuss literature and what? What does Maturin insist about tragedy?

9. What does Maturin ask about Diana and what does Sir Joseph tell him?

10. What does Maturin tell Sir Joseph about Aubrey's circumstances and what Aubrey hopes?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Letter of Marque, like many, and perhaps a majority, of novels ends on a happy note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many (most?) people want what they perceive as a happy ending to a novel? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why? not?

2. What are three reasons to read fiction? Discuss each one in light of THE LETTER OF MARQUE and whether or not it fulfills all three, two or one of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why THE LETTER OF MARQUE is or is not successful in fulfilling the reasons you discuss.

3. State what you think are three characteristics of a successful novel and whether or not THE LETTER OF MARQUE in your opinion is a successful novel.

Essay Topic 2

O'Brian's female characters are almost always peripheral to the story line of any of his novels. Discuss one of the following in view of O'Brian's female characters in THE LETTER OF MARQUE.

1. What type of reader demographics do you think THE LETTER OF MARQUE might appeal to given the limited scope of O'Brian's female characters. Use examples from THE LETTER OF MARQUE or other O'Brian books you have read to support your answer.

2. Do you think O'Brian's books would be better with more in depth female characters? Why or why not? Use examples from THE LETTER OF MARQUE or other O'Brian books you have read to support your answer.

3. Do you think the O'Brian's paucity of female characters reflects history in our reality? Discuss why it might be possible that females played more significant roles in history but were ignored by the primarily male historians through the ages.

Essay Topic 3

Patrick O'Brian tries as much as possible to use historical events and facts around which to weave his work of fiction. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think THE LETTER OF MARQUE qualifies as an historical fiction? Why or why not?

2. If much of the events in THE LETTER OF MARQUE are historical, what surprises you about the way the events play out?

3. Do you think the culture of that era is more or less advanced than you imagined? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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