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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 Osugi address Otsu?

2. What does Matahachi search Oko's possessions for?

3. What does Otsu say she is searching for?

4. What is the name of the military captain's commander?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. What advice does Nikkan give to Musashi?

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

3. What does Akemi feel about stealing from corpses?

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

5. How has Matahachi's life changed for the worse at the beginning of Book III?

6. How does Akemi try to kill herself?

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

8. How does Musashi feel about his talk with Nikkan?

9. How do the villagers punish Takuan?

10. How does Takuan scare Takezo away from Otsu?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the author's writing style. How would you describe the author's prose style? What kind of vocabulary does he use? What meaning does the author's style give to the story?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss elements of the narrative structure: exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the book's themes?

Essay Topic 3

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

1. Style.

2. Structure.

3. Themes.

(see the answer keys)

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