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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 Kurosawa's father insist he do if he is to take Kendo lessons?

2. In The Fragrance of Meiji, the Sounds of Taisho, Kurosawa recalls the smells and sounds of what year in Japan?

3. What great act of devotion did Uekusa make regarding a girl as a child?

4. In The Gleam of Fireflies, what grade was young Akira graduating from?

5. What did Kurosawa lose in his duel with the gang of students that attack him in Murasaki and Shonagon?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did Akira Kurosawa dislike his calligraphy tutor?

2. What was Forgotten Children, and how did it affect Kurosawa?

3. What importance does Kurosawa place on mentors in Honor and Revere?

4. What was Kurosawa's experience at Morimura Gakuen?

5. Years later, what does Kurosawa think about his brother's insistence that they explore the carnage?

6. Describe the memory of the dog in Babyhood?

7. How was Kuosawa's new art teacher different from Mr. Tachikawa?

8. What ethical dilemma did Kurosawa face at his graduation?

9. In Whirlwind, what sort of decline did Akira's older brother have?

10. How does Kurosawa compare his parents' personalities in Kendo?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay about the dynamic that existed in Kurosawa's parent's household. What appearance do both his mother try to create, and how does this outward appearance conform to societal expectations? What is the reality behind Kurosawa's father's stoicism? What tenderness and passion exists there, and how does the father pass it onto his son? What does his mother's calm conceal? Is she really as subservient as she appears?

Essay Topic 2

In the opening chapters of the book, Akira discusses the long days of school and activities he had as a pre-adolescent. Each of these extracurricular activities explains something about Akira's passions and attitudes toward the world. Write a three-part essay about these activities:

Part 1) How did Akira get involved in the kendo class? To what extent was his inclusion in the class something of a victory, one that refuted the assertion that he was a weakling? What other duties came with kendo? How did Akira eventually find his training put to good use?

Part 2) What was Akira's attitude toward his calligraphy lessons? Discuss why Akira's father was so insistent that his son take them. What about the calligraphy tutor was subpar or unhelpful, and how did the author deal with these classes? How did he eventually get out of them?

Part 3) Why was Mr. Tachikawa's house the last stop on Akira's itinerary every day? What was the significance of this visit, and why was it something that the author looked forward to all day? What function did Mr. Tachikawa serve in Akira's life?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay about the relationship Akira has with his older brother. When the author is young and considered a crybaby, what pointed differences exist between him and his brother? How does his brother toughen him up at this age, and what other tactics does his brother use to make him tougher over the years that follow? how does the relationship develop in the years leading to Akira's brother's suicide? What similarities between them become clear only after the brother's death?

(see the answer keys)

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