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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 many of Franklin's crew do about Surprise?

2. What type of religion does Vidal practice?

3. What does Maturin think about concerning his arrival in Peru?

4. How does Aubrey refer to Dutourd's ideas?

5. What type of conversations did Martin have with the woman on board the ship?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Aubrey handle the taking of the Franklin and what is the most pressing need for the ship?

2. What does Maturin write to Diana about Martin and how does Martin and Maturin's friendship fare?

3. Why is West on the Surprise and what does he hope to obtain from Aubrey?

4. How did Clarissa affect the crew of the Surprise?

5. How is Martin behaving and what does Maturin see Martin doing?

6. What means does Maturin use to think about Martin?

7. What does Aubrey demand of Dutourd about Franklin and how does the crew of the Surprise feel about it?

8. What does Franklin do to attempt to lose Surprise?

9. What do Maturin and Martin do on the Franklin?

10. What does Vidal talk to Maturin about?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A work of fiction is often organized around a structure called a plot. Discuss the following:

1. Define plot and its major parts (rising action, climax, falling action, resolution [or denouement]. Write a sentence or two synopsis of the major plot of the The Wine-dark Sea.

2. Identify where the parts of the plot seem to fall in The Wine-dark Sea. Explain using examples.

3. Define the literary term "subplot." Write a sentence or two synopsis of a subplot in The Wine-dark Sea.

4. Identify the major parts of the subplot you identified in task number 3.

5. Why do you think identifying the plot and elements of the plot is useful?

Essay Topic 2

Sailors are notoriously superstitious. Even Aubrey, though very bright in many ways, is somewhat superstitious, a trait common to many sailors. Discuss the following:

1. What is superstition? Can you name a few common superstitions? Do any of them seem to have any validity in logic?

2. Why do you think sailors have the reputation for being superstitious? Do you think it is true? What superstitions are mentioned in The Wine-dark Sea?

3. What are some of the superstitions you are familiar with that sailors seem to believe? Do you believe any of them? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

The Wine-dark Sea, like many, and perhaps a majority, of novels ends on a happy note in that the Surprise was saved by an English battleship.

1. Why do you think many (most?) people want what they perceive as a happy ending to a novel? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why not?

2. What are three reasons to read fiction? Discuss each one in light of The Wine-dark Sea and whether or not it fulfills all three, two or one of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why The Wine-dark Sea is or is not successful in fulfilling the reasons you discuss.

3. State what you think are three characteristics of a successful novel and whether or not The Wine-dark Sea in your opinion is a successful novel.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 951 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample