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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 does Aubrey occasionally allow to come aboard the Diane?

2. What does Maturin think of the French presentation to the Sultan?

3. What type of port, politically, is Pulo Prabang?

4. How did Aubrey and Fox feel towards each other?

5. What was the sailing weather like for the Diane on her way to Pulo Prabang?

Short Essay Questions

1. What surprises the English about the Sultan and their offer and what does Maturin think about the Sultan's behavior?

2. What kind of scandal do Aubrey and Maturin learn about that is occurring in England and how does Aubrey feel about it?

3. How does the crew work on the Diane and what does Aubrey do with them?

4. What has caused the political riots occurring in Pulo Prabang when Maturin returns on leave?

5. How does Maturin and van Buren's relationship evolve?

6. What kind of daily observations does Aubrey take and why does he take them?

7. Why does Aubrey dislike Fox and how does the crew feel about Fox? What does that force on Fox?

8. What kind of arrangements does Maturin make in Batavia and why?

9. Where does Maturin go on a leave and how did he get there?

10. What does Maturin bring to van Buren's house and what do the two men do?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There are a number of literary elements that occur in many works of fiction. Irony is a means of increasing both the humor and the complexity of a story. O'Brien often includes irony in his Aubrey/Maturin series. Point of view is the way the story is narrated; all works of fiction have a point of view. Conflict is almost always present in a work of fiction. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary terms irony, point of view and conflict.

2. Identify two instances of irony in Thirteen Gun Salute, offering examples from the text.

3. Identify the point of view of the novel and discuss why you think O'Brien chooses to use that particular point of view. Does the point of view seem to be the best one for Thirteen Gun Salute? Why or why not?

4. Identify two major conflicts in Thirteen Gun Salute. Are the conflicts completely resolved by the end of Thirteen Gun Salute? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

A work of fiction is often organized around a structure called a plot. Discuss the following:

1. Define plot and its major parts (rising action, climax, falling action, resolution [or denouement]). Write a sentence or two synopsis of the major plot of the Thirteen Gun Salute.

2. Identify where the parts of the plot seem to fall in Thirteen Gun Salute. Explain using examples.

3. Define the literary term "subplot." Write a sentence or two synopsis of a subplot in Thirteen Gun Salute.

4. Identify the major parts of the subplot you identified in task number 3.

5. Why do you think identifying the plot and elements of the plot is useful?

Essay Topic 3

Aubrey is an officer and a gentleman and is therefore accorded more respect and trust even in enemy territory than the common sailor. Discuss the following:

1. Does it seem likely that officers are usually more trustworthy than enlisted men back then? What about today? Why or why not?

2. In the present military in the United States, both officers and enlisted can be held for court martial for consorting with a foreign national while in another country such as in the "bawdy-house" in Pulo Prabang. Why do you think this is so? Do you agree with the policy?

3. In the time in which Thirteen Gun Salute is set, an officer's word was assumed to always be good; whereas a non-officer was not considered trustworthy. What is the flaw in this standard? Do you think it affects the moral and/or morals of non-officers? How? What about the morale of each group?

(see the answer keys)

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