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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. Whose house does Joncour buy?

2. Which way do Joncour and the boy travel after the boy finds Joncour at the village of Hara Kei on the fourth trip?

3. What day does Joncour leave for his fourth trip to Japan?

4. On the way home on the third trip, how long does it take Joncour to arrive home?

5. What activities do Helene and Joncour do while staying at the villa?

Short Essay Questions

1. On the fourth trip to Japan, describe the young boy that Joncour follows? What is he playing? Why would he play music as they wander through the villages?

2. Why does the author describe the train trip so vividly returning from Japan on the fourth trip? What is the significance of the heat that Joncour sees on the fields and with the other passengers? What is he watching happening?

3. When the young boy is hanged, why does Hara Kei say the boy was the message of love? What does he mean by that? Does this have anything to do with the boy's happy disposition? What?

4. What does Joncour know about the Englishman they meet at the Riviera at the baron's birthday party? What is he wearing? Why is he upset when he looks at his wife and the Englishman?

5. When Joncour's wife asks about the aviary, what does he say to her? What do you think she is thinking about her husband's actions? Do you think she is aware that something is going on?

6. Why do Joncour and Helene name a daughter Agnes? What is this referring to? Who is this a tribute to?

7. The envelope that Joncour receives is mailed from Ostend, which is in Belgium. Who do you think sent the letters knowing this information?

8. Why does Joncour fire his gun on the way out of town and startle the birds? What is he saying, and to whom? Who will get his message?

9. What does Joncour mean when he says to the Englishman, "We are all marvelous, and we are all revolting"?

10. Why do you think Madame Blanche wants to forget about her native language? Why does she make Joncour promise to never return to her for a translation?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Joncour's character transform when he sees the boy, hanging? What actions does he take next that indicate that he finally, at long last, gets it? What changes in his behavior that makes him a redeeming character? Later in the story, how does he almost lose it all again?

Essay Topic 2

Which of the characters have attributes? What is something that would connect to each character? For example, ash for Hara Kei. Try to come up with an attribute for each character in the novel. Explain you answer.

Essay Topic 3

How does Hara Kei forgive Joncour his rude behavior? He does it several times in the novel. Does he react the same way each time, or differently? Why does he endure Joncour's lack of knowledge about Japan?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,475 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample