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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 kind of animal does Jo kill?

2. Who else in Akeni's family stole from corpses?

3. What does the priest think will gore out Takezo's eyes if the villagers tie him to a tree?

4. What does the sickle signify to the blacksmith?

5. What does Musashi say the talk with Nikkan makes him feel like?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Akemi try to kill herself?

2. What advice does Nikkan give to Musashi?

3. What are the reasons Seijuro cannot fight in this chapter?

4. How does Matahachi take advantage of Sasaki Kojiro's death?

5. Why does the blacksmith want to kill Musashi?

6. Describe Matahachi's reunion with his mother?

7. How does Jo's father show his torment in this section?

8. Who is Jotaro?

9. How does Jo's father react when Matahachi takes food from him?

10. What punishment so officials hand out to Takezo at the castle?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose one of Yoshikawa's previous books and contrast it with Musashi in terms of the following:

1. Style.

2. Structure.

3. Themes.

Essay Topic 2

How does Yoshikawa represent Japanese culture? How does it compare to other representations of Japanese culture?Does anyone criticize Yoshikaw's representation of Japanese culture?

Essay Topic 3

What are the main turning points of the book? How does Yoshikawa develop his story to get to each turning point? What happens to the story after a major turning point?

(see the answer keys)

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