Rifleman Dodd

Lord Wellington devises a scorched-earth policy as a defense against the invading French army. How does this plan work, and how does it affect both the French soldiers and Portuguese people?

What is Dodd’s goal, and how does that purpose affect his strategy and tactics as he works his way across Portugal?

Dodd is a man of action, and he’s relentless in carrying out his duty. Sometimes he does things that seem callous, such as leaving an ailing Portuguese boy to die. Using evidence from the novel, argue whether Dodd is right or wrong in abandoning the boy.

The novel uses two main points of view, that of Dodd and that of the French soldiers he harasses, each viewpoint taking a turn at explaining a given event. How does this technique improve the reader’s experience? Support your answer with examples from the novel.

After traveling briefly with an enthusiastic young boy, Dodd takes on an energetic but naive teenager as a guide. How does each character represent the situation in Portugal, and how does Dodd’s shift from one to the other represent a change in the mood of the story?

How do Sergeant Godinot’s attitude and beliefs constitute a symbol of the high ambition and slowly collapsing hopes of the French army in Portugal? 

Does Dodd’s work as a guerrilla and saboteur make any real difference to the war? Use examples from the novel to support your answer. 

Compare Sergeant Godinot to Rifleman Dodd: Is one a better soldier than the other? Why, or why not? Support your answer with evidence from the novel.