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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 does Ono view Shintaro's childlike attitude about the war?

2. What does Shintaro want to disclaim?

3. Who is Ichiro actually pretending to be when he imagines himself on horseback?

4. How does Setsuko make up to Ono for Noriko's excluding him from the outing?

5. What does Shintaro paint now that the war is over?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Ono persuade the authorities that the Migi-Hidari should be built in the pleasure district?

2. How does the Bridge of Hesitation get its name?

3. How does Saito regard the demonstrations in the streets?

4. What does Shintaro ask Ono to do for him?

5. What is the likely reason for Miyake's sudden withdrawal from the marriage negotiations?

6. Suichi says that American heroes are better role models for his son that Japanese heroes. Why would that be?

7. What does Ono see as the result of his confession during the miai?

8. What is the difference in Noriko's behavior between her first and second miai?

9. Why didn't Ono object to Noriko's marriage into a family that was below their station?

10. Why does Ono decide to watch Mitsuo during the miai?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Naguchi is a character we never meet directly. Ono explains the musician's suicide to his grandson, Ichiro. There are some differences between this conversation and the opinions Ono expresses when Miyake tells Ono that his employer committed suicide and that Miyake finds the action admirable. Has Ono changed? If so, what has changed him?

Essay Topic 2

Ono expresses the belief that his confession of guilt about his war activities rescued the miai from discomfort, and made relaxed social interaction possible. Do you think other characters would have the same opinion? Would things look different from another perspective? Tell the story of the miai from Noriko's point of view.

Essay Topic 3

At the miai, Saito suggests that boys should not be confined, but should be allowed to run free even when they hurt themselves. He uses this as an argument in support of the street demonstrations which he views as legitimate use of freedom of speech. The maturation of boys to men is a significant theme in this story. The men, from Matsuda arguing with his caregiver, Suzuki, to Ono's arguments with his daughters about Ichiro seeing a scary movie and drinking sake, argue for freedom and the women urge restraint and greater care. Using examples from the text, select one character and write about their maturation process. Ichiro, Kenji, Kuroda, or Ono himself would be good possibilities. Are these developing men symbols of their country as a whole? is it, as Taro Saito suggests, a baby democracy learning how to govern itself?

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