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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. What is "Billy in the Darbies"?

2. Where is John Claggart buried?

3. Which two characters are Claggart's messmates?

4. How does Billy die?

5. How does Billy respond to Claggart's accusation?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is unusual about Billy's death?

2. Why isn't the chaplain worried about Billy's impending judgment?

3. How does Captain Vere explain Billy's execution to the crew?

4. What accusation does Claggart bring against Billy?

5. Why does Billy refuse to believe that Claggart is orchestrating the events that are plaguing him?

6. What is the significance of Captain Vere's last words?

7. How does Melville compare religion to righteous living?

8. How does Melville compare Billy's death to Jesus' crucifixion?

9. What is ironic about Billy's impending trial?

10. How does Claggart's expression begin to betray his feelings in chapter 17?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast Captain Vere, Captain Bligh and Admiral Nelson. How does each man's command style affect his crew? How does each man's personality affect his relationship with his crew, and how does that relationship affect the morale of the crew?

Essay Topic 2

What is a "cat's paw" and which characters represent this analogy? Why does Claggart choose to use a "cat's paw" instead of dealing with Billy himself? How does the use of the "cat's paw" backfire on Claggart?

Essay Topic 3

Provide a brief description of the following literary elements the novel: Introduction, rising action, climax, falling action and denouement (resolution). How does emotion affect the progression of each element?

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