View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Of what ingredient is laudanum primarily composed?

2. Why is Maturin concerned about the person he spotted on the ship in question #32?

3. What nickname did the men call Aubrey?

4. What does Maturin say when Martin asks him about the laudanum?

5. What is the second lieutenant's nickname?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who owns the Surprise and what kind of work does the owner do?

2. What ship is Aubrey in command of at the beginning of the book?

3. What does Standish ask for at Lisbon and how does Aubrey respond?

4. What happens to the Surprise with Aubrey's new orders and what do Pullings and Aubrey arrange?

5. What is Aubrey and Pullings' relationship and how are they similar?

6. Who reinstates Aubrey and under what conditions?

7. Why is the man in question #2 on the Surprise?

8. What ship does Surprise see shortly after leaving England and what does Aubrey do?

9. What new orders are Aubrey given in Lisbon?

10. What does Maturin think about as they sail along the coast of Ireland?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Often in O'Brian's series involving Jack Aubrey, his ship and/or life is saved by extraordinary means. Discuss the following:

1. Research and define the literary term "narrative contrivance."

2. Identify and analyze a time in the book when O'Brian makes free use of the technique of narrative contrivance to save Aubrey and his ship or to set up a subplot in Thirteen Gun Salute.

3. Does the use of narrative contrivance diminish the impact of the plot? The believability of the storyline?

4. Is there any other way O'Brian could have a mixture of suspense and action while at the same time making certain the main characters are not killed?

Essay Topic 2

There are a number of instances of foreshadowing in Thirteen Gun Salute. Many of these instances, readers will recognize as probable foreshadowing; others, the readers may not be aware until the event which is foreshadowed occurs. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term foreshadow. Why do you think authors foreshadow a future event? What might be a reader's reaction to a sudden tragic or wonderful event if there were no hints whatsoever that it might occur?

2. Find four events that are foreshadowed in and pair up the foreshadowing text with the event. Analyze each event to include the following: What is foreshadowed? Is the method O'Brian uses to foreshadow effective? Did you guess when a particular text was foreshadowing a future event? Did you guess what the event is?

3. Along with foreshadowing, symbolism usually plays a role in most works of fiction? How extensive is the use of symbolism in Thirteen Gun Salute? Is there enough symbolism to add depth to the writing? Interest to the writing? Explain your statements with examples.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Thoroughly analyze how the setting informs the plot.

2. Trace and analyze one major theme of Thirteen Gun Salute.

3. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of Thirteen Gun Salute.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 778 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample