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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. How does Isak arrive in Yeongdu from Pyongyang in Book One, Chapter 2?

2. How had Sunja been proud of her father's kindness as described in Book One, Chapter 9?

3. What does Koh Hansu tell Sunja to call him in Book One, Chapter 5?

4. Where does Goro-san offer to employ Mozasu in Book Two, Chapter 11?

5. Why does Sunja tell Isak that she can love his God in Book One, Chapter 9?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Mozasu becoming a "bad Korean"in Book Two, Chapter 10? What does he think about this?

2. From Book One, Chapter 8, what happens in the Book of Hosea in the Bible and why?

3. What parting advice does Yangjin give Sunja before she gets on the train in Book One, Chapter 10?

4. How do Hoonie's parents raise him in Book One, Chapter 1? Why do they not dote on him?

5. How does Sunja understand forgiveness differently than Pastor Shin means it in Book One, Chapter 10?

6. How does the novel describe Ikaino in Book One, Chapter 12?

7. Why does Hansu tell Sunja she must leave Osaka in Book Two, Chapter 6? What does he tell her she must do?

8. What things does Isak ask Sunja about marrying him in Book One, Chapter 9? Why does he ask these these?

9. What secrets does Noa keep to himself in Book Two, Chapter 4? Who does he keep these secrets from?

10. What is Kyunghee's dream she tells to Sunja in Book One, Chapter 15 and why can she not do it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The role of sex and the way romantic relationships are formed changes throughout Pachinko from beginning to end. What brings about these changes? Research some of the historical background and use at least three sources to support your essay. How did historical changes and modern inventions change the way relationships were formed and consummated? How is love a part or absent from romantic relationships at different times? Relate at least two characters, one from the beginning of the novel and one from the end, to show how the historical background relates to the novel.

Essay Topic 2

On Yangjin's deathbed, the following passage takes place:

"Go-saeng, Yangjin said out loud, "A woman's lot is to suffer."

"Yes, go-saeng," Kyunghee nodded, repeating the word for suffering.

All her life, Sunja had heard this sentiment from the other women, that they must suffer---suffer as a girl, suffer as a wife, suffer as a mother--die suffering. Go-saeng---the word made her sick. What else was there besides this. She had suffered to create a better life for Noa, and yet it was not enough. Should she have taught her son to suffer the humiliation that she'd drunk like water? In the end, he had refused to suffer the conditions of his birth. Did mother's fail by not telling their sons that suffering would come?" (420).

How in this passage and elsewhere is suffering different for women than it is from men? How are men allowed to live differently than women? And when Sunja thinks about teaching Noa to deal with suffering as she has, how is the way she has learned to handle the world different than the way he has learned? Analyze this passage, and then use two other examples in the text to support a claim.

Essay Topic 3

Jan the coalman says the aristocratic Koreans lost Korea for everyone else. Kim Changho leaves Japan to go to Korea and join the liberation movement. Phoebe is upset when in Japan, people ask her if she is chosenjin or kankokujin (441). Do outside research about the historical events happening in Korea over the length of the novel. Use at least three sources. Then use this research to explain in at least two sections what is happening in the novel at parts where political movements and terms are mentioned, but not fully explained. How does what a character says or think connect back to the larger historical events?

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