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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 Sharpe's men do when he assembles them in the morning?

2. How is the person Sharpe meets dressed?

3. What does Sharpe do to a cavalry horse that reaches him?

4. What does Sharpe tell the Parkers to do when he sights French cavalry?

5. What does Sharpe order Williams to do at the beginning of Chapter 2?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Vivar tell Sharpe about leadership?

2. What does De l'Eclin tell Sharpe about surrender and what does he say about the French army? What does Sharpe think of De l'Eclin's assertion about the French army?

3. What does Vivar asks Sharpe and what does Sharpe decide to do after speaking with Vivar?

4. What does Murray tell Sharpe before Murray dies?

5. What does Mrs. Parker say about Santiago de Compostela and the British?

6. With whom does Sharpe dine the first night in the fortress and why do Vivar and Alzaga argue?

7. What does Sharpe tell the Parkers when they see French cavalry coming and what does he do with his riflemen? Who does he see within the French forces?

8. Why do Sharpe's men begin to call out enthusiastically when the Parkers come in front of the assembly and what does Mrs. Parker explain to Sharpe?

9. What is the fortress to which Vivar has brought Sharpe and the Spanish troops and what does Vivar say about Spain and the French?

10. What does Vivar tell Sharpe about Vivar's troops?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In any book centered around the military, leadership of the troops is often crucial with the better leaders able to command the respect and loyalty of their men. The men's willingness to follow a particular leader can have a decisive impact upon the success of a mission. Discuss the following:

1. Whose command style seems most effective? Analyze the elements of those effective leaders thoroughly and discuss the traits of the good leaders. What makes an excellent leader/commander? Give examples.

2. Whose command style seems most ineffective? Analyze the elements of those ineffective leaders thoroughly and discuss the traits of the poor leaders. What makes a poor leader/commander? Give examples.

3. Is disobeying a poor leader ever justifiable? Explain using details from the text, other books you have read and your personal experience. In times of war, disobeying an order can be punishable by death. Is this harsh sentence justifiable for such an act? Why or why not.

Essay Topic 2

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 the characters of Sharpe and Murray. Include their goals, sense of honor, abilities and social skills.

2. Compare/contrast the characters of Harper and Willams.

3. Thoroughly analyze the character of Richard Sharpe discussing both his strong and weak points and how both affect the outcome of the plot.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze one major theme of Sharpe's Rifles. Consider the following: How does one character's actions portray the theme you are analyzing? How does the setting contribute to that theme? Is the theme one that you would call a "universal theme"? If so, what other book or novel that you have read also includes this theme. If not, why don't you think it is a "universal" theme?

2. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of Sharpe's Rifles. How does one character's actions portray the themes you are analyzing? How does the setting contribute to those themes? Is each theme one that you would call a "universal theme"? If so, what other book or novel that you have read also includes this theme. If not, why don't you think it is a "universal" theme?

3. What benefit is there in discussing and analyzing the themes of a work of fiction? Do you think most authors consciously develop themes in their works? Why or why not? Can there be accidental themes? What do you think is one possible "accidental" theme in Sharpe's Rifles? Which theme in Sharpe's Rifles speaks to you the most in your life? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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