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. As he reflects on Anju's death and what gives his life meaning, what does Eiji begin to think about his search for his father?

2. Who does Eiji's grandfather pretend to be when he meets Eiji?

3. What does Eiji's grandfather loan Eiji?

4. Who is Pithecanthropus?

5. At the beginning of Chapter Six, where does Eiji go to meet his grandfather?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter Seven, what plans does Eiji make with his mother?

2. Why does Suga get drunk and how does his failure to succeed in his quest parallel Eiji's?

3. Is the earthquake in Tokyo at the end of Number Nine Dream real or fantasy?

4. In Chapter Five, from whom does Eiji receive a postcard, and how does the card indicate a shift in the writer's attitude toward Eiji?

5. How does Eiji finally get to meet his father, and how does he feel after the meeting?

6. How does Eiji's relationship with Ai Imajo change in Chapter Five?

7. How do Mrs. Sasaki and Buntaro become a substitute family for Eiji in Chapter Five?

8. As he learns about Subaru Tsukiyama's life, what insights does Eiji begin to get about his own life?

9. How does Eiji's grandfather show that he approves of Eiji?

10. Who is Takara Tsukiyama, and how might he lead Eiji to Eiji's father?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast Eiji's relationships with his three male friends: Suga, Daimon, and Buntaro. Also, discuss how he meets each of these friends, how they help him and whether he helps any of them, what his relationship with each of them is like, and whether any of the relationships change over the course of the novel.

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

At the beginning of the novel, Eiji is a procrastinator and daydreamer, and spends more time in fantasy and illusion than in reality. Discuss Eiji's character growth over the course of the novel, how he differs at the end of the novel from how he is at the beginning, and what helps facilitate any change in him.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,157 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample