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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 does the captain eat at breakfast?

2. What does the captain watch leave once on board the ship?

3. What does the stranger in the water ask of the captain before boarding the ship?

4. Where did the stranger first hide from those searching for him after he escaped the Sephora?

5. What was thoughtfully given to the ship by the provision merchant?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the chief mate of the unnamed ship refer discretely to his strange new captain, and for what reason?

2. Why does the captain choose to take Legatt to his quarters rather than the brig or the crew's quarters?

3. What difference does Legatt point out between his story and the skipper's story about what happened on the Sephora when the man was murdered?

4. Why is the captain's quarters comfortable enough for both grown men? Where do each of the men retire? What does this demonstrate?

5. What does the captain ask the skipper after he is finished telling the story of Legatt and the murder? How does the skipper react?

6. What does the captain do while on deck alone at night while the rest of the crew sleeps? What keeps him awake initially?

7. How is the captain's calm and peaceful night alone on the deck of the ship disturbed? Does this represent an important point in the story? Why or why not?

8. What induces a state of self-possession in the captain while he faces the mysterious man in the water?

9. Why does the captain remain emotionless and unexcitable throughout his and the skipper's conversation? Does it work?

10. What does the captain believe his first mate would think were he to see him speaking with the stranger?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the last sentence of the book, the captain narrates that Leggatt "had lowered himself into the water to take his punishment." Compose an essay which carefully examines the manner in which Leggatt is punished. The captain helps the other man - but to what end? Does it seem a fitting punishment for Leggatt to be marooned, stranded, and cast into another society? Is this punishment enough? Is it too much? What were the available alternatives of punishment that might have awaited him in England? What good will such a punishment do?

Essay Topic 2

When the captain is on deck giving orders for the first time to move the boat forward, he remarks about the sensations of a man who is feeling a ship move under his command for the very first time. He then remarks, "I was not wholly alone with my command; for there was that stranger in my cabin. Or rather, I was not completely and wholly with her. Part of me was absent. That mental feeling of being in two places at once affected me physically as if the mood of secrecy had penetrated my very soul." What does this comment mean? What sentiments is the author trying to portray?

Essay Topic 3

The ship almost running aground is a major source of symbolism in Part 2. Why? Give examples from the text to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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