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. For what does the Surprise ready?

2. What does Martin accept from Maturin?

3. What does the crew catch?

4. Where is Aubrey's vessel headed now?

5. What British interests or laws are being threatened?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are Surprises orders?

2. What do Aubrey and the crew do to Surprise every morning and why?

3. What ship closes to Surprises and what is its purpose?

4. What does the lookout spot as they are leaving the area of Norfolk Island and what does Aubrey decide to do about it?

5. How did the young Clarissa come to live with a distant relative who assumed guardianship of her?

6. Describe William Oakes.

7. Where do Surprise and Trulove sail and what passes between Maturin and Clarissa as they are sailing?

8. What does Aubrey host on the way to Moahu and what is his and Maturin's estimation of Clarissa?

9. What would the officers normally do to celebrate a wedding and how do they finally manage to do so?

10. About what does Maturin talk to two of his patients in sick bay and what is his response to the conversations?

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 Truelove, 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 THE TRUELOVE? Why or why not.

4. Identfiy two major conflicts in THE TRUELOVE. Are the conflicts completely resolved by the end of THE TRUELOVE? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Surprise sails for Moahu and Aubrey orders punishment, including a rare bout of flogging for those most insubordinate. In those days, and even now, the captain of a ship is almost "godlike." Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think a captain's authority on board a ship is so absolute?

2. Do you think Aubrey abuses his authority as a captain? Why or why not?

3. Do you think many captains possibly abuse their authority during this era? Why or why not?

4. What recourse do you think sailors had against an abusive captain? Do you think they have more recourse today? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Clarissa Harville (later Oakes) is the only woman on board the Truelove, although there are 2 young girls on board the ship, due to some unusual circumstances. Discuss the following:

1. Research the superstition related to having a woman on board a ship. Do you think the superstition has a basis in logic? What?

2. How did the superstition about a women on board give rise to the bare-chested figure of a woman often found on the prow of a ship?

3. Discuss three other superstitions that are peculiar to sailors of that time. Which of them might have some basis in reality? What is the reality that may be behind each superstition?

4. Is there any reason to pay attention to a superstition, whether on land or at sea? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,175 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample