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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 do the young boys surrounding Ichiro start to do to him outside of the gambling hall?

2. Who invites Ichiro into Freddie's apartment?

3. What kind of car does Kenji drive?

4. Where did Kenji and Ichiro go to find illegal gambling halls?

5. What does Ichiro have to show for going to prison?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Ichiro have to apologize to his father after Ichiro fought with his mother?

2. Who yells at Ichiro as he walks past the pool hall in the beginning of the novel and why?

3. Why does Ichiro get so upset with his mother in Chapter 1?

4. How long have Ichiro's parents been in the United States and do they plan on returning to Japan?

5. How is Freddie spending his time and why?

6. Why does Ichiro refuse to fight in the war?

7. Why does Bull first ignore, and then make fun of Ichiro?

8. How does Ichiro's father get him to leave the house after Ichiro fought with his mother?

9. Why does Ichiro call Taro a fool?

10. Where has Freddie been before he recently returned home five weeks ago?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does Ichiro's father feel a sense of relief when his wife drowns herself in the bathtub? Give at least three reasons to explain your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Describe how pain is used as a theme throughout the book. Which characters are moved and motivated by pain? What kind of pain are they suffering? How do they relate to each other?

Essay Topic 3

Describe how other characters influenced Ichiro throughout the book. Use specific examples of how at least three different characters influenced Ichiro in either a positive or negative manner. Give examples.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 534 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample