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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 is the mood of Moriyama's paintings?

2. How was Moriyama supporting himself after his painting was devalued and his school closed?

3. How does Setsuko think Saito felt about Ono?

4. How does Ono find his old friend upon his second visit?

5. How does Matsuda describe the contribution he and Ono made?

Short Essay Questions

1. The reader learns some news about Noriko at the same time Matsuda does. What is the news?

2. When does Ono achieve his greatest feeling of triumph?

3. What European influences distinguished Moriyama's work from Utamaro's?

4. Why is Ono irritated at Setsuko's insistence that Saito never heard of Ono until the miai?

5. What does Matsuda say about his own perspective now that he is old and ill?

6. What effect did Moriyama try to create in his paintings?

7. How does Ono believe a teacher should regard his students diverging from his teachings?

8. Why did Moriyama's students never comment directly to him about his paintings?

9. After re-establishing contact with Matsuda during Noriko's marriage negotiations, what contact have Ono and Matsuda had before Matsuda dies?

10. How has Ichiro changed in the year since Ono last saw him?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Moriyama said that the floating world disappears with dawn and sobriety. His work was to try to capture and validate the beauty of that world. But the phrase "floating world" means more. What else does the phrase represent? Why do you think Ishiguro chose it for the title?

Essay Topic 2

First, Shintaro calls Ono a traitor. Second, we learn about the artwork that has made him call his friend a traitor. Third, we learn of Matsuda's persuasive conversation that induced Ono to change his painting style, and fourth, we learn that the work resulted in his expulsion from Moriyama's tutelage. Analyze the way the clarity of the story is affected by this type of organization. Why do you think Ishiguro chose not to tell is story in simple chronological order? What effect does dealing with time in this way have on you as a reader?

Essay Topic 3

Many questions in this story are left unanswered or answered only by implication. Did Ono's father burn his paintings? Did Moriyama burn his paintings? Why did the Miyakes withdraw from the marriage negotiations? Discuss such subtleties and ambiguities as a stylistic device for you as a reader. Do you find it intriguing? Frustrating? Both? Neither? For instance, how would the story have been different if the author had simply said, "The Miyakes withdrew abruptly from the marriage negotiations when they talked to Kuroda and learned that Ono had turned him in to the patriotism committee," or "My father tried to teach me that art was an unacceptable career choice by burning my paintings."

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This section contains 772 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample