1. Paulsen lived through or saw the results of important historical events.

Choose one of the following events of World War II and report on it: a) internment of Japanese-Americans in 1942; b) the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, especially the Bataan Death March; c) the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, d) the American attack on Okinawa.

2. Paulsen never explicitly mentions the title. Evaluate Eastern Sun, Winter Moon as a description of the events of the book as well as its mood or atmosphere.

3. J. G. Ballard wrote a fictionalized memoir, Empire of the Sun, of his childhood spent under Japanese occupation in Singapore. Compare and contrast his experiences with Paulsen's. Compare and contrast the style of his book with Paulsen's.

4. Samuel Johnson wrote a famous essay, Idler #5, explaining the appeal of biography and autobiography to readers. Apply the principles of...