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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. Bird remains awake all night imagining that _____________________.

2. Why does Bird decide to go to the meeting with the person in #126?

3. What does Himiko run into a store to purchase for the baby?

4. What does Himiko want to do after the baby dies?

5. When Bird meets with Delchef, Delchef tells him that _______________________.

Short Essay Questions

1. What instruction does Bird give the doctor regarding the baby's dwindling condition?

2. How is Bird's burden somehow lightened when he finally accepts responsibility for his son?

3. What is the significance of Bird scratching behind his ear after his tiny son does the same thing?

4. What is Delchef's opinion on how Bird is handling the situation regarding the baby?

5. What is the content of the letter which Bird received at his job?

6. What do Bird and Himiko do when told that the baby is nearly strong enough for the operation?

7. What is the significance of the name, Kikuhiko, to Bird and to the story?

8. What is the symbolism of Himiko's repeatedly getting lost on the way to the clinic?

9. Who is Kikuhiko and how is he introduced to the story?

10. How have Himiko's feelings about Bird evolved over the last few days?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Abandonment seems to be almost an unnamed character in the book. How pervasive is the sense of abandonment? Why does it have such a prevalent place in the lives of the characters? Explain how an inanimate object or characteristic can be a character.

Essay Topic 2

A PERSONAL MATTER is a classic story of loss and renewal. What does that classification entail? Why does this novel fit into this category? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Describe the role of the family in A PERSONAL MATTER. What does it mean for each of the main characters? How does the family evolve in its support of each other? How typical is this family to most Japanese families living during the 1960s?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,258 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample