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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. Why does Misako get up early on most days?

2. What does Kaname say would make it much easier for him to leave Misako?

3. What is the name of the dog Takanatsu brings for Hiroshi?

4. What holiday does Misako take mental note of in Chapter 6?

5. What is Kaname worried about facing if he gets divorced at the wrong time?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Kaname think about the female puppet in the show? Who does the puppet remind him of and why?

2. What does Misako notice about her relationship with Kaname when Takanatsu is around? To what does she attribute this difference?

3. In chapter 3, what does Kaname consider he has always hated? What does Kaname admit Osaka reminds him of?

4. What does Kaname think about on the train ride to the puppet theater?

5. How does Kaname compare the portrayal of women in Hollywood films to their portrayal in Japanese art from the Edo period?

6. In Chapter 5, what personality trait do Kaname and Takanatsu acknowledge that Kaname and Misako share?

7. In Chapter 3, what is Kaname moved by in the puppet show? What does he think the show perfectly conveys?

8. What does Takanatsu encourage Kaname to do in Chapter 4?

9. What does Hiroshi worry about the trip Takanatsu invites him on to Tokyo?

10. What does Takanatsu think of Misako's plan to divorce Kaname and marry Aso?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the theme of East versus West in the novel "Some Prefer Nettles." What are some examples of Western influences in the novel? What does Kaname think of the Western influences? Which characters symbolize the East and which characters symbolize the West?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the theme of divorce in the novel "Some Prefer Nettles." Why do Kaname and Misako want to get a divorce? What is making the decision hard to make? How was divorce viewed by Japanese culture in the 1950's?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of traditional versus modernity in the novel "Some Prefer Nettles." What are some examples of the traditional way or life in the novel? What are some examples of the modern way of life? What does Kaname think of traditional living and modern living?

(see the answer keys)

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