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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 the aide to the Secretary of Defense?

2. As Tyson remembers back to the day of his injury, who was tending to him?

3. How many unnamed sources does the author of the book about Tyson's platoon cite as his sources of information?

4. When Marcy and Ben discuss where David should go to school, who does Ben want to send David to live with?

5. When Tyson goes home to tie up some loose ends, he calls Marcy. What does he tell Marcy he wants?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Tyson object to the radius in which Tyson's travel is restricted to while he lives on the military base?

2. Why was Tyson not reassigned in Vietnam like he was supposed to be?

3. How does the Lieutenant Colonel try to comfort Tyson when Tyson objects to the travel restriction?

4. As Tyson and his military attorney talk, what "true" battle story does Tyson share with his attorney?

5. Why does Tyson refuse to call for those members of his platoon who are still alive to come to his defense?

6. Why do the charges against Tyson make a distinction between Orientals and Caucasians?

7. Why is Ben Tyson afraid of following the advice given to him by his attorney just after Tyson learns of the book's existence?

8. According to the book about the events in Vietnam, why was an Australian killed?

9. According to what Picard tells Ben Tyson, why does Picard confide that he probably should not have used the chapter about the hospital massacre?

10. Why do Berg, Truscott, and Van Arken decide to go after Tyson instead of the enlisted men?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the political arguments regarding the ability to prosecute Tyson for the actions of the men under his command. Be sure to include in your discussion the issues surrounding the charges that were ultimately filed along with the charges that the government considered filing against Tyson. What affect did offering Tyson's platoon members immunity have on the court martial's outcome? Be sure to include whether or not you agree with the government's decision to file and prosecute Ben Tyson for the hospital massacre in Hue.

Essay Topic 2

The theme of loyalty is evident throughout the novel. Ben Tyson's loyalties, for instance, lie with himself, his family, and his platoon, and he refuses to divulge information regarding the hospital massacre because of that loyalty. Discuss how the theme of loyalty is portrayed through the eyes of Marcy Tyson, Andrew Picard, Richard Farley, and Vincent Corva. Support your observations.

Essay Topic 3

In many ways, the novel is a series of contrasts designed to heighten the reader's awareness and draw the reader deeper into the story and the intricacies of each of the story's characters. Identify at least three contrasts that are used in the novel. Describe these contrasts and determine how they impact the story's plot, as well as the reader's emotional involvement in the characters' lives. If these identified contrasts were not included in the story, what impact would their absence have on the storyline, the characters' development, and the readers' involvement?

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