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This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the Foreign Legionnaire try to give to his comrade?

2. While they are on leave, what does Volpatte remind the rest of the squad of?

3. How do the narrator and the others find Bertrand's body?

4. What does Volpatte say about the state of France?

5. What does the German demand of God?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Functional equipment is discussed throughout the novel indirectly by the narrator and openly by members of the squad. The men live and sometimes die by the equipment that they carry, and so its nature, maintenance and quality is of utmost importance. The men use a variety of standard issue, irregular, and even improvised equipment.

Part 1) What do the men think of their standard-issue equipment and supplies from the government? Do they generally find that these things are adequate for their day-to-day needs and the demands of battle?

Part 2) How do the men supplement their government-issued equipment? How do they personalize and augment their clothing, weapons, and supplies?

Part 3) What are the men's priorities when selecting and dealing with their equipment? What factors seem most important, and which seem of little relevance to them?

Essay Topic 2

There are only a handful of times in the novel that the French and German soldiers come into peaceful contact, but these events are remarkable during war, and they stand out in the novel.

Part 1) Describe at least two scenes in the novel when French and German soldiers come into contact with one another without attempting to kill one another. Explain why the peaceful contact occurs.

Part 2) What do the French and German soldiers discuss when they are in contact? Are they still enemies? Why or or why not?

Part 3) Explain some of the themes of the novel elucidated by this type of contact.

Essay Topic 3

The equipment, appearance, and clothing of the poilus is discussed at length throughout the book. They are depicted as individuals, each with a unique look and personality. This individuality forms an important theme in the novel, demonstrating that the soldiers are normal people thrust into circumstances that they have difficulty adapting to and understanding. They maintain this individuality until the final chapter of the book, when the rain and mud make the men of both sides appear the same.

Part 1) Using examples from the book, explain how the author establishes the individuality of the soldiers on the basis of appearance.

Part 2) Discuss how this individuality reflects the soldier's unique backgrounds and temperaments.

Part 3) How does this individuality become an important theme in the novel? Why is it important that the author picks out and differentiates individuals among the masses of the French army? Explain how this theme is developed in the novel, starting with the introduction of the individual soldiers, and ending with the reflection near the end of the novel that war is made up of individuals, but that they fade into nothing in the grand scheme of the struggle.

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This section contains 612 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample