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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 does Eiji's grandfather pretend to be when he meets Eiji?

2. In Chapter Seven, where is Suga going to take a new job?

3. When Buntaro visits Eiji in Chatper Five, who does he say has been looking for Eiji?

4. When his mother phones him, what does Eiji say to her?

5. Who meets Eiji when he is expecting to meet his grandfather instead?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Eiji's dream about John Lennon and Lennon's song "#9 Dream".

2. How does Eiji's relationship with Ai Imajo change in Chapter Five?

3. Describe Eiji's dream about Mr. Aoyama.

4. Why does Suga get drunk and how does his failure to succeed in his quest parallel Eiji's?

5. Why is Eiji's grandfather disappointed in Eiji's father?

6. What secrets does Ai Imajo reveal about herself in Chapter Six, and what do her revelations indicate about her changing relationship with Eiji?

7. Who is Subaru Tsukiyama and what is his relationship to Eiji?

8. How do Mrs. Sasaki and Buntaro become a substitute family for Eiji in Chapter Five?

9. How does Eiji's grandfather show that he approves of Eiji?

10. In Chapter Five, from whom does Eiji receive a postcard, and how does the card indicate a shift in the writer's attitude toward Eiji?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Number Nine Dream is set in Japan, and the Japanese characters are affected by Japan's experience in World War II, geishas and concubines, and other aspects of traditional Japanese culture. Discuss how the geographical and cultural setting affect the story and how the characters and story might differ if David Mitchell had set the novel in the United States or England instead of Japan.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Eiji's relationship with Anju. What is the relationship like during Anju's life and what is it like once she is dead? What helps Eiji finally accept her death?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss symbolism and metaphor in Number Nine Dream. Give three examples of symbolism in the novel and discuss what the symbols are used to convey.

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