View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the priest call the action of killing the men?

2. Who cuts Takezo down from the tree?

3. Whose family does Matahachi want to find?

4. Who resuscitates Akemi?

5. What does Takuan warn Otsu against?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Matahachi's mother's character?

2. Why is Musashi initially ridiculed?

3. How is Matahachi conned out of money in this section?

4. How does Oko prepare for Tsujikaze's visit?

5. What does Akemi feel about stealing from corpses?

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

7. Why do Osugi and Gon want to kill Musashi?

8. Why does the blacksmith want to kill Musashi?

9. How do the villagers punish Takuan?

10. How is Matahachi's mother rude to Takeo's family in this section?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Examine the book's reception in three different countries including the country in which the book was written. How do their opinions about the books differ? Was the book more influential in one country than another? If so, why?

Essay Topic 3

Choose one of the following and discuss how it affects the tone of the book and helps to express character and theme:

1. Setting

2. Point of view

3. Structure

4. Language

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 638 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample