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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. What did Komura's wife write in her note to him?

2. Where did Yoshiya's mother go?

3. What is the perspective of this short story?

4. What item is Miyake afraid of?

5. What was Yoshiya's last utterance in "all god's children can dance"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the story about the UFO that the women tell Komura?

2. Why did Miyake never stock up on groceries?

3. Describe Yoshiya's relationship with his mother.

4. Describe Komura's wife.

5. What does Mr. Tabata say about Yoshiya's mother's pregnancy?

6. Why does Yoshiya still live with his mother?

7. How is Miyake able to paint?

8. Why did Yoshiya not believe he was the child of God?

9. What does the note Komura's wife left behind say?

10. How was Miyake connected to the Kobe earthquake?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write about the theme of emptiness, comparing and contrasting at least two stories from the collection. What does emptiness represent? How does Murakami represent emptiness?

Essay Topic 2

Consider the ways four different characters in this book cope with trauma. How does Murakami portray trauma?

Essay Topic 3

How does Murakami use music and literature as tools for characterization and theme exploration?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 536 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample