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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. Where will Bird get the money to pay the hospital bills?

2. What does Bird learn about his son when he sees him in the hospital?

3. Himiko carries Bird to ________________ so he can sleep.

4. What puts Bird in a good mood?

5. The older man who comes to Himiko's is a/an ___________________.

Short Essay Questions

1. What do the giggling doctor and the one-eyed doctor symbolize in the story?

2. What is the significance of the students in Bird's class and what do they represent after his in-class vomiting incident?

3. Describe the altercation Bird has with a student in his class after Bird vomits.

4. At what stage is Bird in his journey of personal transformation at this point?

5. Describe the nature of Bird's brief encounter with the transvestite on the street.

6. Who are the people who Bird encounters when he gets to the maternity hospital?

7. What is the significance of Himiko's character in the story?

8. How is sex and sexuality a means for Bird to avoid responsibility?

9. What does Bird learn about the child's birth when he calls his mother-in-law?

10. What does the glass-eyed doctor tell Bird they will know more about the baby's condition?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the role of women in 1960s Japan when the women in the novel are living their lives. What precedents do they feel compelled to follow? What restrictions do they have? What freedoms did they have that 21st century women do not have?

Essay Topic 2

Project into the future ten years after the end of the novel and write a brief synopsis for Bird's life. What is his relationship with his son? What is his relationship with his wife? Have his dreams of going to Africa been completely squelched? What is Bird's state of mind? How does Bird feel about himself now?

Essay Topic 3

Create a character study of Himiko. What are her physical characteristics? What are her motivations? What are her fears? What are her dreams? What else can you say about Himiko?

(see the answer keys)

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