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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 is Reiko most worried about while she is with the piano student on the bed?

2. How does Toru tell Hatsumi that Kizuki died?

3. What did Toru and Itoh drink at Itoh's apartment?

4. How did Naoko's uncle commit suicide?

5. Who taught Hatsumi to play pool?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened to precipitate Reiko's first mental breakdown?

2. How does Midori describe her father's funeral?

3. Describe Naoko's sister.

4. What is Naoko and Reiko's first morning job?

5. What is Midori's theory about Toru's girlfriend?

6. What happens in the middle of the night the first night Toru is in the women's apartment that is unusual?

7. What is Reiko's advice for Toru regarding Midori?

8. What have Midori and her sister decided to do with the bookstore?

9. What is Toru's answer to Hatsumi's question of why he sleeps with random girls when he doesn't find much pleasure in it?

10. What happened to Reiko's marriage?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In addition to the connection between the mind and the body, Murakami explores the difference between living totally in one's mind and living totally in the outside system of the world. Using at least two characters as examples, discuss the author's development of this idea throughout the novel.

Essay Topic 2

One of the motifs Murakami uses in his novel to represent the disconnect between society and individuals is unexplained suicide. Explain how he uses this motif to enhance the theme(s) of his novel.

Essay Topic 3

In what way does Reiko's story of her own life encompass all of the main themes of Murakami's novel into one tale-within-a-tale? Please be specific.

(see the answer keys)

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