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 new items does Kenji's father have in the house when Ichiro visits for the first time?

2. Who is Ichiro going to work with at the Christian Rehabilitation Center?

3. What is good about the church Tommy eventually goes to?

4. How many customers are in the Burnside Cafe when Ichiro walks through the door?

5. What is Ichiro's attitude about minorities in America at the end of the novel?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Tommy's memory stand out in Ichiro's mind?

2. Why is the violent ending to the book so significant?

3. What does finding a job represent to Ichiro?

4. What is Ichiro's father so impressed with at Ichiro's mother's funeral?

5. Describe Kenji's father's house.

6. How does Freddie die?

7. What news does Emi share with Ichiro after his mother's funeral?

8. What does Kenji's family do together that night?

9. What is the turning point in Ichiro's parent's marriage?

10. Why does Ichiro's mother drown herself?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Do you think Ichiro will be a happy man someday? Answer these questions in your response:

1) What will it take for him to be happy?

2) What will it take for him to get over his past?

3) Who is responsible for his happiness?

Essay Topic 2

Why do you think Ichiro's mother never wanted to introduce American customs to her family? Why was she adamant about maintaining only Japanese traditions in the household? How does her attitude toward America contribute to her unwillingness to believe Japan has lost the war?

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast Ichiro's family with Kenji's family. What are the major similarities and differences? How does Ichiro's decision not to go to war and Kenji's decision go to war play into the differences in the families? Explain the influence each family was to Ichiro and Kenji.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 572 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample