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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. When does Sharpe estimate the French will arrive?

2. Who is the Peer's Chief of Intelligence?

3. What has Sharpe found south of the village?

4. Who is Lucille Castineau?

5. What does Sharpe say is fitting for Christmas?

Short Essay Questions

1. What has Sharpe been doing for the past ten years? Whom does he command? Why? When do Sharpe and his men march? What does Sharpe ignore?

2. How did Cornwell feel about writing Sharpe's Christmas, and why did he feel that way?

3. What does Caillou object to with the leaving of the fort? How does he threaten Gudin? How does Gudin feel about Caillou's threat?

4. What does Sharpe and d'Alembord see through Sharpe's telescope?

5. With what types of troubles is Gudin plagued?

6. Why is General Picard upset? What pleases him about his men? Why does he think he is different from Gudin?

7. What does Cornwell briefly describe in the introduction?

8. What does Cornwell say about Sharpe's Christmas in the introduction?

9. What does Sharpe order when the French send in the voltiguers, and what does Sharpe's order tell the French?

10. Where does Sharpe send his skirmishers? What is the result?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss one of the following:

1. Thoroughly analyze how the setting informs the plot in Sharpe's Christmas.

2. Trace and analyze one major theme of Sharpe's Christmas. How is the theme represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

3. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of Sharpe's Christmas. How are the themes represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

Essay Topic 2

The military way of life is in and of itself similar to a distinct culture. Understanding how the military is organized, how it operates, and its basic rules of conduct will make any novel that centers on the military more understandable and enjoyable. Discuss one of the following:

1. Describe and analyze the military structure during the time of Sharpe's Christmas. What is rank? What is the difference between officers and enlisted men? How serious is it to disobey an order? What happens if one decides he does not like being in the military and walks away? How are men conscripted? Does the infantry have a similar means of augmenting their ranks as the maritime action called "impressments"?

2. Compare the infantry of Sharpe's Christmas to that in modern times in for the United States, England or France. What are the similarities? The differences? Are the changes from those times improvements? Why or why not? (This question will require some research).

3. Discuss why you think the military has the following: Uniforms, a rank structure of Officers and Enlisted, Strict Discipline, Training for New Recruits, Court Martial, and Different types of companies (i.e., rifle, Cavalry, artillery, etc). Discuss why you think men (and nowadays women) choose to become professional soldiers.

Essay Topic 3

Most protagonists are a mixture of admirable traits and character flaws, and Richard Sharpe is no exception. Sharpe's legendary powers of military strategy is juxtaposed with his reputation as a womanzier. Discuss the following:

1. Trace and analyze situations when Sharpe demonstrates his prodigious powers of military strategy. Give specific examples to illustrate your analysis.

2. Trace and analyze Sharpe's character flaws offering specific examples of these flaws in your discussion.

3. Discuss how you think Sharpe's admirable traits helped him obtain a high rank in the military despite his background as a child. Have his flaws impacted his career at all? Do any of those under his command seem to notice these flaws? Who? How does the reader know this?

(see the answer keys)

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