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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 happens when Eiji finally goes to Akiko Kato's office to confront her?

2. In Eiji's fantasy about Akiko Kato in Chapter One, with what does he escape her building?

3. What birthday does Eiji celebrate at the beginning of Chapter Three?

4. In what guise does Eiji fantasize that he sneaks into Akiko Kato's building?

5. Which of the following does not describe what happens to Daimon after the yakuza release him?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Morino trick Eiji with his father's photo in Chapter Four?

2. Who kidnaps Eiji in Chapter Four and why is Eiji kidnapped?

3. Why does Eiji decapitate the statue of the thunder god in his village shrine?

4. How does the video game Virtua Sapiens relate to Eiji's quest for his father?

5. Who is Cat and what does Eiji's relationship with her indicate?

6. Who is Buntaro and what is Eiji's relationship with him like?

7. How successful are Eiji's initial attempts to contact Akiko Kato?

8. How does Eiji escape death at the end of Chapter Four?

9. What is the significance of the third person viewpoint in the scenes describing Eiji's first drug experience and his experience with Velvet?

10. How does Eiji's defense in Chapter Three of Ai Imajo, the waitress with the perfect neck at the Jupiter Cafe, affect his developing relationship with Ai?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Pick any three of Eiji's dreams from Number Nine Dream and analyze them. Discuss any symbolism the dreams contain, if and how the dreams help Eiji accept his twin sister's death, and any foreshadowing the dreams contain.

Essay Topic 2

Number Nine Dream is set in Japan, and the Japanese characters are affected by Japan's experience in World War II, geishas and concubines, and other aspects of traditional Japanese culture. Discuss how the geographical and cultural setting affect the story and how the characters and story might differ if David Mitchell had set the novel in the United States or England instead of Japan.

Essay Topic 3

Two suicides and one contemplated suicide occur in Number Nine Dream. Discuss Mr. Aoyama's suicide, Subaru Tsukiyama's suicide, and Monkfish's contemplation of suicide. What motivates each of them and what theme(s) or lesson(s) do you think the author is trying to convey through these incidents? Cite examples from the text to support your arguments.

(see the answer keys)

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