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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 does Takanatsu assume when Kaname assures him that Aso's intentions are honorable?

2. Why does Takanatsu refuse to mediate between Kaname and Misako any longer in Chapter 8?

3. In Chapter 13, what does Misako wish she had not done?

4. In Chapter 14, what kind of woman does Kaname admit that he wants?

5. How did Misako deal with Kaname's neglect?

Short Essay Questions

1. What popular tradition among stylish gentlemen is explained in Chapter 9?

2. At the end of Chapter 14, what does Kaname realize he wants?

3. What does Kaname note about the village he is in in Chapter 10?

4. In Chapter 8, what does Kaname recall about the early stages of his marriage's breakdown?

5. Why do O-hisa and Misako's father have such difficulty tying her kimono sash?

6. Describe the puppet theater in Chapter 11.

7. What does Kaname think about the relationship between his father-in-law and O-hisa in Chapter 9?

8. What does Kaname look forward to seeing when he visits his father-in-law in Chapter 9? Why does Misako's father play the samisen with his eyes closed?

9. How does Kaname explain Misako has changed in Chapter 14?

10. In Chapter 13, what does Kaname find out from the letter from Takanatsu?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze and interpret the character Kaname. What are his defining character traits? What role does he have in the novel? Is he an influential character? Why or why not? What major events take place in his life during the narrative? How do these events impact his life?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the theme of fantasy versus reality in the novel "Some Prefer Nettles." What are some of the fantasies that Kaname imagines throughout the novel? Why might he have these fantasies? How does his real life compare to his fantasies?

Essay Topic 3

What are some of the archetypes found in the novel? Which female archetype would Misako and O-hisa be? What are the different types of women mentioned, and which does Kaname desire?

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