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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. Who is Dr. McAdam?

2. Where does Aubrey send the two captured French ships?

3. Who is Colonel Keating?

4. What have the French been doing on the ocean that is a problem?

5. What kind of relationship develops between Aubrey and Colonel Keating?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who does Maturin meet up with accidentally and what does that person tell him?

2. Why are England and France at war?

3. What do Maturin and McAdam do at Cape Town?

4. What does Maturin say is the reason he has come to see Aubrey?

5. What do the men see during the voyage on Clonfert's ship and what does McAdams call it?

6. What is the final conversation between Maturin and McAdam about, what worries Maturin and what does McAdam say?

7. What ultimately happens to Clonfert's and Pym's joint venture?

8. What has happened to Corbett?

9. What does Pullings arrive in to help Aubrey and how does that turn out?

10. What do the three men say about the captains of the other ships?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Aubrey chooses to wreck one of the ships in his fleet in order to provide a favorable landing situation. This is considered an "acceptable loss." Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think Aubrey believes the loss of the ship is acceptable? Explain with examples.

2. Many wars are fought under the assumption of "acceptable losses." Usually it is the common foot soldier who is doing most of the dying. In fact, the term "cannon fodder," is often used to describe infantry who are killed by the hundreds gaining small hills or bits of land, sometimes to lose the same piece of "real estate" several times with continuing loss of life. Is this truly acceptable?

3. Sometimes some will say that wars would be few and far between if those who decided to go to war had to be in the front lines. Do you think that would make a difference?

Essay Topic 2

Some discussion takes place throughout the novel about various Captains and their command style. Discuss the following:

1. Whose command style seems most effective? Why? Give examples.

2. Whose command style seems least effective? Why? Give examples.

3. During the battle for Mauritius, sailors kill Caption Corbett and then fight as instructed under his second in command. Do you think these men were justified in their actions? Why or why not. Give examples.

4. Is mutiny ever justifiable? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

McAdam, Maturin and Aubrey at various times discuss one of the captains, Clonfert, Maturin even to suggesting at one point that perhaps Clonfert is homosexual. Discuss one of the following:

1. Compare/contrast the attitude towards homosexuality in British culture of the early 1800's with today.

2. Clonfert is said to be well-loved by his men, though he is effeminate. Do you think the military should recruit and/or draft openly-professing homosexuals? Explain with examples.

3. The strictures against homosexuality in the Western world is based upon the Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition from the Torah, Bible and Koran. In countries where there is a separation of religion from the State, does it make sense to base laws about homosexuality or any victimless behavior based on religious rather than psychological views? Take a stance and discuss fully.

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