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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. What does Standish ask when Surprise makes her first port?

2. What do Aubrey and Maturin do after Maturin enlists Ahmed?

3. What country will the Surprise circumvent first?

4. What does Edward Fox ask Aubrey about in Chapter 4?

5. What is Aubrey's primary goal in captaining the Surprise?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What kind of journey did Sir Joseph have from Corunna and why has he come to Lisbon?

3. Who shows up right before departure to join the crew and in what position?

4. What does Maturin think about in relation to Padeen?

5. Who reinstates Aubrey and under what conditions?

6. What does Maturin think about doing about the ship they saw and what does he decide?

7. How does the captain of the Diane feel about being replaced and on what day does Aubrey take command?

8. Who does Maturin see on the ship and what does he think about it?

9. What is the crew of the Surprise like?

10. What will complicate Aubrey's new mission?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Patrick O'Brian has tried 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 Thirteen Gun Salute qualifies as an historical fiction? Why or why not?

2. If much of the events in the book 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.

Essay Topic 2

During this era in which Thirteen Gun Salute is set, there are strongly-adhered-to class distinctions. Aubrey and Maturin are both gentlemen. Discuss one of the following:

1. How do the divisions of class tend to make divisions among men? What are the advantages and disadvantages of a class-based society? What evidence is there of those advantages and disadvantages in Thirteen Gun Salute?

2. In the English military of that era, nobles and gentlemen generally were the officers and very few of the working or peasant class could cross the line and become officers. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of such a system?

3. Do you think there is a class system in the United States? Does it carry over to the military? Why or why not? (Some research may be required.)

Essay Topic 3

Most protagonists are a mixture of admirable traits and character flaws, and Jack Aubrey is no exception. Aubrey's insight and a nearly infallible instinct tends to carry him through the various perils he encounters, yet he is also plagued with doubts and is not above an occasional act of adultery.

1. Trace and analyze situations when Aubrey demonstrates his instinct for handling problems at sea. Give specific examples to illustrate your analysis.

2. Trace and analyze Aubrey's character flaws, especially his ineptness on land, with business ventures and wandering eye as far as women are concerned.

3. Discuss how you think Aubrey's admirable traits helped his career in the Navy? How does Aubrey hide his character flaws so they have not impeded his career. Do any of those under his command seem to notice these flaws? Who? How does the reader know this?

(see the answer keys)

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