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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 member of the band does Musashi become enthralled by at the dance?

2. How did Matahachi expect the officials to punish him?

3. What does Myoshu smell on Musashi?

4. What is Matahachi trying to find?

5. Why does Musashi say he eventually left the village?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Musashi attack Denshichiro and his followers on the mountain?

2. What has happened in the fight between Seijuro and Musashi?

3. What does Musashi learn about Kosuke?

4. What does Musashi tell Otsu before leaving to fight?

5. What revelation does Musashi have when watching the drummer?

6. Why does Ichinomiya want to kill Matahachi?

7. Why is Matahachi happy with his punishment?

8. How does Musashi know that Kojiro is in town?

9. Why does Musashi agree to stay with Yoshino at her teahouse?

10. What does Jo admit under questioning from Takuan?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

Why is honor such an important theme in the book? What does the theme of honor say about Japanese culture?

Essay Topic 3

Compare one of the characters to the person he or she was at the beginning of the book to the person he or she is at the end.

1. What did he or she hope to achieve at the beginning of the book?

2. What events changes his or her ideas about life?

3. How has the character changed by the end of the book?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 613 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample