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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. When Sakura leaves for work in the morning, what does the note that she leaves for Kafka say?

2. What is the name of the shy man who helps Nakata onto the train and gets him headed in the right direction?

3. What did the elementary school teacher use to wipe away her blood while out with the children in the woods?

4. What activity is Kafka partaking in when Oshima finally returns to take him away from the cottage?

5. On the day the children collapsed in the woods, how did the teacher describe her emotional state?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Kafka wakes from a blackout at a religious shrine?

2. What happened to all of Nakata's money after he lost his job?

3. What realization does the white cat, Otsuka, make about Nakata?

4. What happened to the man that Mrs. Saeki fell in love with as a teenager?

5. What trade did Nakata learn when he was in elementary school?

6. How does Kafka react when Sakura begins telling him about her boyfriend, who lives in Tokyo?

7. In what situation is it possible for a body and soul to become separated without the body dying?

8. How does the police officer on duty react to Nakata's confession of stabbing a man to death?

9. How does Crow react to Kafka's fear when he is alone in the cabin in the woods?

10. Who is Adolf Eichmann, and what note did Oshima scribble in the margins of his book?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Johnny Walker is a malevolent character who seeks entrance to the afterlife. First, describe the character of Johnny Walker and the way that he meets Nakata. Then, explain the way that Johnny Walker has been living and through what means he steals the souls of living creatures. Finally, explain why Nakata was given no choice but to kill Johnny Walker.

Essay Topic 2

Both Kafka and Nakata are inexplicably drawn to Southern Japan in search of healing. First, describe the circumstances that draws each man away from his home. Then, compare / contrast the relief each man finds upon finally reaching his destination.

Essay Topic 3

As a boy, Tamura decides that he would like to change his name to Kafka. First, describe how Tamura chose this name for himself. Then, compare / contrast the character of Kafka from the novel with the man whose name he borrowed, Franz Kafka. What is the same about these men? What is different? Finally, explain whether or not you think Kafka is an appropriate name for the protagonist of this novel, and why.

(see the answer keys)

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