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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. How many troops were quickly rallied?

2. What were the Dutch and formerly Christian Japanese forced to do?

3. What did the rulers deliberately preserve in Japan?

4. What did the Japanese do with the first Englishman to arrive?

5. When did the Shogun end relations with the Spanish and Portuguese?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who were the lower classes in the cities and what was one advantage to their class?

2. What was Edo's first response to the messengers and why is it amazing?

3. Who commanded the American forces and why did they come to Japan?

4. Describe the scene as the ships steamed into the harbor.

5. Why did the Dutch submit to the rigid restrictions of the Japanese?

6. Describe the scene when the Susquehanna and Mississippi landed.

7. What did the native Japanese who served the Dutch have to do?

8. Where did messengers ride when the ships were spotted, and what was the consequence?

9. What happened on Friday, July 8th, 1853, at the opening of the book?

10. What was the Tokugawa period and some of its positive aspects?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the world of academe, historical fiction is often considered an inferior form of the novel compared to "classic" literature. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think historical fiction might be considered second-rate compared to the classics, such as books by an author such as Charles Dickens?

2. Do you think historical fiction has the same elements as the classics? Why or why not?

3. What are the purposes do you think for people reading "the classics"? What are the purposes for people reading historical fiction? Is one purpose better than another? Explain your response.

4. Would you read historical fiction even outside an educational setting? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Getting the most out of this novel requires some familiarity with the Japanese culture. Choose one of the following questions and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. How homogenized was the Japanese nation at time of Comodore Perry's visits to Japan? What are some of their common beliefs? How do the Japanese live in today's world? What is the predominant religion of Japan? Is there more than one major religion? Was the Japanese culture patriarchal at the time of Perry's visit? Is it now?

3. How does the Japanese culture inform the plot and actions of Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun? Give examples.

4. Compare and contrast the cultures of two Oriental countries either at the time of Perry's arrival or as they are in the current era.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. What is a plot? What are the most important elements of a plot and their definition? Do all novels have a plot? Why or why not?Can an historical fiction have a plot?

2. Write a brief synopsis of the plot of Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun, identifying where the various elements of the plot occur (Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement). Do you find it difficult to identify the plot? Why or why not? What about the various elements of the plot?

3. Identify the major sub-plots and their elements in Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun. (The subplots may not contain every element of a major plot). Do the sub-plots add to the main plot? Why or why not. Are the sub-plots interesting in and of themselves? Why or why not.

(see the answer keys)

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