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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 did Yokoso-no-Ura used to be?

2. What new town does Rodrigues travel to in this chapter?

3. Where does the caravan stop?

4. What does the Samurai tell Rodrigues?

5. Who waits for Rodrigues in another room?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Rodrigues and Inoue discuss in Chapter 7?

2. What happens to the elderly man in Chapter 6?

3. What routine does Rodrigues settle into in Chapter 6?

4. Where do the guards take Rodrigues in Chapter 5?

5. Describe the reappearance of Kichijiro in Chapter 6.

6. What does Rodrigues realize in Chapter 7?

7. What will happen to the villagers in Chapter 7 if Rodrigues does not apostatize?

8. Why is Rodrigues transported in a covered caravan?

9. Why did Ferreira decide to apostatize?

10. How does Rodrigues contradict his own advice during his captivity?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the values of 17th century Japan.

1) How different was Japanese culture from European culture in the 17th century?

2) Why did the Japanese see Christianity as a threat to their culture?

3) Does modern Japanese society share any values with 17th century Japan?

Essay Topic 2

The novel is set mostly in Japan.

1) What meaning does Japan bring to the novel? What would you automatically presume about a novel that was set in Japan?

2) How different do you think today's Japan is to the Japan in the novel? How do you think the novel's meaning would change if it were set in today's Japan?

3) How do you think the Japanese settings contribute to the novel's spiritual meaning?

Essay Topic 3

Examine Endo's writing style. How would you describe Endo's prose style? What kind of vocabulary does he use? Does he use any specific writing techniques? What meaning does Endo's style give to the story?

(see the answer keys)

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