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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. The "Moroccan Division" is admired for what?

2. Cocon is described as being which of the following?

3. Cpl. Marchal has what relationship to the narrator?

4. In Chapter 3, how long do the soldiers have before they get sent back to the front?

5. How is Farfadet "saved"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the nature and duty of Cpl. Bertrand's squad?

2. How do Volpatte and Fouillade get lost?

3. What are some of the reasons that the men at the depot use to explain why they are not fighting?

4. What do the men believe about 77mm shells, despite evidence to the contrary?

5. Briefly summarize Cocon's description of the organization of the forces present near the railway station.

6. How does Paradis's mood change throughout Chapter 16?

7. What is Volpatte's opinion of the phrase, "If we do return"?

8. How do the invalids in the sanatorium learn of the war?

9. What is meant by the phrase that each poilu "carries his crowd along"?

10. What is Poterloo's mental state when he and the narrator discover the remains of Souchez?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Throughout the novel, and in particular in the chapter "Bombardment," it is shown that the men have an intimate knowledge of artillery weapons used by both sides. Although these weapons seem to intercede only occasionally, their effect is devastating and seemingly random. The men have a strange mixture of admiration, respect, and fear of these weapons, mixed in with a strange kind of superstition developed over the course of many months spent trying to avoid death at the hands of these random killers.

Part 1) Using information from the book, discuss some of the types of artillery employed by both sides. How effective and accurate are these weapons?

Part 2) Describe the level of knowledge that the soldiers seem to have of the various kinds of artillery employed against them. Explain some of their more rational beliefs and fears.

Part 3) Explain some of the soldiers more irrational beliefs and fears about the artillery. Speculate about why these almost superstitious fears and practices came into being.

Essay Topic 2

Trench warfare features heavily in the novel, and brutality of a frontal assault on a trench is shown in detail in the title chapter, "Under Fire."

Part 1) Based on information from the book, describe the basics of trench warfare. Why are trenches necessary? How is a trench defended and assaulted?

Part 2) Cite examples from the book to show how successful frontal assaults against trenches usually are. What dangers does an assaulting force face on their approach to the trench?

Part 3) Describe the overall effectiveness of this kind of warfare. Based on the events of the novel, does this kind of warfare appear decisive?

Essay Topic 3

The author makes it a point to center the narrative spotlight on a number of inexplicable or irrational actions on the part of the French army and its officers. The army does much that makes little sense, and this tends to reinforce the theme of hopeless and pointless waste.

Part 1) Describe some examples of actions on the part of the French army and its officers that seems to make little sense.

Part 2) Explain the reaction of the men of Bertrand's squad to this irrationality. Cite specific examples of these reactions and explain their significance.

Part 3) Speculate as to the reasoning behind some of these unexplained or mysterious actions. Could there be well-founded explanations for some of these behaviors? In the case of actions with no apparent explanation, speculate about how such an action became sanctioned and approved by the military.

(see the answer keys)

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