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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. Where is Surprise chasing Franklin?

2. What has risen from the sea in the region where Surprise is sailing?

3. In what did Martin show an interest after the woman left the ship?

4. Why does Maturin write the letter in question #59?

5. What does a shot from Franklin do to Surprise?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is happening in Martin and Maturin's relationship and what has Martin told Maturin?

2. What were the mortar rounds the Surprise crew thought were being sent at them?

3. How did Clarissa affect the crew of the Surprise?

4. How is Martin behaving and what does Maturin see Martin doing?

5. What are two promotions Aubrey makes from the forecastle to replace recent losses?

6. What does Maturin write to Diana about Martin and how does Martin and Maturin's friendship fare?

7. What do Maturin and Martin do on the Franklin?

8. How have the crew fared during the event at the beginning of Chapter 2?

9. How does Dutourd behave aboard the Surprise?

10. What does Vidal talk to Maturin about?

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 The Wine-dark Sea.

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 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 The Wine-dark Sea, 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 Wine-dark Sea? Why or why not.

4. Identfiy two major conflicts in The Wine-dark Sea. Are the conflicts completely resolved by the end of The Wine-dark Sea? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

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 The Wine-dark Sea 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.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 916 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample