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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 kind of precautions do the troops take?

2. What does Sharpe hear right before the cazadores enter the town?

3. What do Sharpe and Louisa say to each other when he sees her after the battle?

4. What is the banner called that Vivar carries?

5. Where do the riflemen gather after fighting with some French from the palace?

Short Essay Questions

1. What kind of idea does Sharpe have and what is Vivar's response?

2. Why does Vivar come to Sharpe in the tavern, how does Sharpe act?

3. What does Vivar tell Sharpe to do in the chapel and what does Sharpe find?

4. What does Vivar tell Sharpe and what does he do?

5. What happens when Sharpe enters the palace?

6. What does Sharpe tell Vivar about capturing Santiago de Compostela and what does Vivar say about Sharpe's opinion?

7. What does Vivar want the riflemen to do and what does Sharpe do?

8. How do the townspeople react to the British and Spanish attacking?

9. What does the French colonel tell Sharpe and what is Sharpe's response?

10. How long do the troops march and what do the riflemen do to keep their movement a secret?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Honor is a very important concept in Sharpe's Rifles and in the life of those in the upper class during that era. Discuss the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of honor in Sharpe's Rifles. What do you think Sharpe would tell you is the definition of honor if you ask him? Do you think honor can be restored if it is lost?

2. Respond to the following statement using specific examples from the book and your own experience: Honor is one of the most important character traits for anyone in any social strata. First fully define the concept of honor, then discuss whether you believe the preceding statement is true with specific examples from Sharpe's Rifles and other books/films and other media that you have read or experienced.

3. During the era in which Sharpe lives, men could give their word on the basis of being a gentleman and it was assumed to be true. There was no such concept for a lady or anyone of lower social/economic groups. Fully discuss the implications in a society where only gentlemen are considered trustworthy enough to give their word unquestioned.

Essay Topic 2

At the conclusion of a novel, most readers either consciously or unconsciously engage in processing the book and usually come to a conclusion as to whether they like the book or not. Discuss one of the following:

1. Would you consider Sharpe's Rifles a "good" book? Why or why not? Use examples to illustrate your stance.

2. What do you think are the elements of an outstanding novel? Analyze one of your favorite novels to see if those elements are present.

3. What are some reasons you might consider a novel a failure? Analyze a novel you think is a failure and see if those elements are in that novel.

Essay Topic 3

Cornwell is masterful in his description of battles and life in general for a soldier during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800s. Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze Cornwells's descriptive passages about life as a soldier. How does he use descriptions of the five senses to make the reader feel s/he is there? Do you find his descriptions compelling? Seemingly accurate? How would the novel be different if Cornwell did not include such descriptive passages?

2. Analyze Cornwells's descriptive passages about the social structure of the times and discuss what you think it would be like to be a person of wealth and/or privilege such as Don Blas Vivar, Major Warren Dunnett, Colonel Pierre de l'Eclin, and the Count of Mouromorto. Contrast that to the lives of those who are in a lower social strata such as Sharpe and Harper or one in service to someone of wealth and/or privilege.

3. Describe and analyze Cornwell's descriptive passages about the topographical setting and the physical descriptions of the people. Does Cornwell do an adequate job of actually making the reader "see" the land/sea where the action is taking place? How about getting a visual image of the characters? How do the descriptions of the setting add to the novel? Do you like having an idea of how a character looks? How would the novel be different without such descriptions?

(see the answer keys)

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