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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 does Hornblower invite Meadows to receive the ship's papers?

2. What does Hotspur's new commander look like?

3. Who is better informed than Hornblower?

4. What is the verdict against Meadows?

5. What enables Princess to regain her position within the fleet?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the lookout spy and what becomes obvious to those aboard the Princess?

2. What are Hornblower's thoughts about the Hotspur as the Princess pulls away from the other vessel?

3. Describe the new commander of the Hotspur, Captain Meadows.

4. What are Hornblower's quarters like aboard the Princess?

5. Who arrives at the Princess within a few hours after Baddlestone announces the results and why are they there?

6. Why doesn't the Princess set sail immediately for England and how do the naval officers respond?

7. How is Hornblower feeling and why is that surprising to him?

8. What turns out to be a real challenge for Hornblower in leaving the Hotspur and what does he do?

9. How does Hornblower learn that Baddlestone overcharged him tremendously for passage aboard the Princess?

10. What does Hornblower wonder about the court martial and who answers his question?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Loyalty is demonstrated in a number of ways, as is the lack of loyalty. Discuss the following:

1. How do you define loyalty? Is the ability and desire to be loyal an admirable trait in humans? Why or why not? What are the advantages and disadvantages of being loyal to a person? Cause? Country? Idea? What of those who are loyal to something no matter what they learn about that person, thing, ideal, country, etc... -in other words, blind loyalty.

2. Discuss and analyze Hornblower's tendency to be loyal. Is it always warranted? Wise? Earned? What situation in HORNBLOWER DURING THE CRISIS shows Hornblower's loyalty at its most ideal? Do you feel that Hornblower is a loyal British subject? What about in "Hornblower's Temptation"? Friend? Husband? Comrade? Discuss each situation.

3. Do you think McCool is truly loyal to Ireland? Why do you think he would go from the military service of one country (England) to that of military service with a country at war with the first country (France). Does McCool not feel any loyalty to his oath of service? Does he think loyalty to his oath is invalid since he is from Ireland?

4. Why do you think even as young as he is, Hornblower is able to elicit loyalty from the men on board the Princess to go fight a difficult and dangerous battle with the sailors of the French brig?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the following:

1. What do you think are the characteristics of a successful novel?

2. Analyze and discuss HORNBLOWER DURING THE CRISIS based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if it is a successful novel. Explain your rationale with specific examples.

3. Do you think the fact that HORNBLOWER DURING THE CRISIS falls within the genre of historical fiction changes the criteria upon which its success should be judged? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Characters are an integral and important part of almost all novels. Discuss one of the following:

1. Compare/contrast the characters of Meadows and Baddleston. How are they alike? How are they different? Do you think Hornblower is more sympathetic towards one or the other? Why? Be specific and give examples.

2. Compare/contrast the characters of Lieutenant Bush to that of Hornblower. How do their personalities/abilities compare? Who seems more likely to climb the ranks within the navy. Why? With whom would you rather work? Be specific and give examples.

3. Thoroughly analyze how three of the secondary characters help drive the plot and what their contribution is to the storyline. Are any of the secondary characters unnecessary? Indispensable? Which of the secondary characters are likable? Which are either unlikable or even despicable? Be specific and give examples. (Consider Meadows, Baddlestone, Marsden, Bower, and Claudius in the novel. Consider McCool in Hornblower's Temptation. Consider Brown, Barbara and Napoleon III in The Last Encounter.)

(see the answer keys)

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