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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. Reading his family tree, young Akira realize his ancestors included whom?

2. How did the new art teacher at Kurosawa's school respond to his art work?

3. Whose help did Akira Kurosawa eventually employ to convince his father to let him quit calligraphy lessons?

4. Which of the following is not a daily appointment Kurosawa had to keep in childhood?

5. What great act of devotion did Uekusa make regarding a girl as a child?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Honor and Revere, how did Akira improve his math skills?

2. In Whirlwind, what sort of decline did Akira's older brother have?

3. Why did Akira Kurosawa not fight in the military?

4. How was Kurosawa nearly killed on the way to school in this section?

5. How did the earthquake provide an opportunity for violence in Tokyo?

6. How did young Akira put is Kendo into practice in self-defense?

7. Who is Mr. Tachikawa?

8. Describe young Akira Kurosawa' daily schedule.

9. Why was Akira sent to Toyokawa Village by his father?

10. Describe the memory of the dog in Babyhood?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay about the dynamic that existed in Kurosawa's parent's household. What appearance do both his mother try to create, and how does this outward appearance conform to societal expectations? What is the reality behind Kurosawa's father's stoicism? What tenderness and passion exists there, and how does the father pass it onto his son? What does his mother's calm conceal? Is she really as subservient as she appears?

Essay Topic 2

When Akira Kurosawa began to establish himself in the film industry, the War was still going on and a group of Japanese censors were reviewing his films. Write an essay about his conflicts with the censors. What specific issues do the censors have with his early pictures? How does he respond to these issues? Discuss the way Kurosawa describes the censors int he text. How did the conflict between the censors and Kurosawa end with the War?

Essay Topic 3

Throughout much of the book, young Akira has difficulty choosing to take a stand, leading to his being called a crybaby, a coward, and a weakling. Write an essay about inaction in Something Like and Autobiography. How does Akira fail to stand up to a tyrannical teacher in his school when given the chance? Discuss how the War affords him many opportunities not to act. How, as a result of his brother's suicide, does Kurosawa nearly choose not to get into film.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,137 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample