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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 do the three men come to realize?

2. What disguise do the three men don?

3. About what does Hornblower continue to worry?

4. Why do the men have to man the sweeps?

5. How does Hornblower gather a crew?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Bush and Brown do to prepare for a spring escape and how does Hornblower feel about it?

2. What happens to Bush upon their return to England and what does Hornblower still fret about?

3. How has the relationship between the three men changed since being on board ship?

4. What was a major development with Hornblower's wife and how might that have changed his affair with Marie?

5. What does Hornblower reflect upon about his wife?

6. How might their escape from the French be viewed and what additional bonus did they bring with their escape?

7. What is Hornblower's status at the end of Chapter 17 and how does he view his possible future?

8. What would you say is the purpose of Chapters 11 and 12?

9. What happens as the weeks pass with Bush and how does Brown help him?

10. How do you think the plan to steal the Witch of Endor could be viewed and why was it an excellent one? Who helped Hornblower and the others with taking her?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Though this novel is probably more action driven rather than character driven, obviously there are several characters who make the novel what it is. Discuss one of the following:

1. Compare/contrast Hornblower to Bush.

2. Compare/contrast Brown to Bush.

3. Compare/contrast Hornblower to Brown.

Essay Topic 2

Forester 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 this book 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.

Essay Topic 3

In Chapter 6, over the next days the travel continues as Bush recovers; Hornblower marvels at Bush's incredible constitution. Discuss one of the following:

1. Why do you think some people survive a physical and/or emotional trauma while others with a similar experience do not?

2. Discuss and analyze the traits that would be most helpful in any severe survival situation. Discuss how each of the three men possess some or all of those traits.

3. Compare/contrast yourself to Bush as far as how you would handle the type of situation he is in up through the time of his being granted command of the Witch of Endor.

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