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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 Stephen tell his mother about his father's affair?

2. Why does Stephen go to Tarumi?

3. What is a shime-nawa?

4. How does Stephen describe the houses in the village of Yamaguchi?

5. What best describes Kenzo and Matsu in their youth?

Short Essay Questions

1. What conflicting accounts of the war does Stephen hear?

2. How did Tomoko's death bring Sachi and Matsu closer?

3. How is Setsbun celebrated?

4. What does Stephen think about the impact of the war?

5. How does Stephen feel about traveling to Tarumi?

6. Why is the painting of the garden of importance to Stephen?

7. How does Stephen feel about making friends with people once he is settled in the beach house?

8. Describe a daruma doll.

9. How does the storm impact Stephen's relationship with Sachi and Matsu?

10. What does Stephen's father reveal about Matsu's history?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Celebrations play a role in the telling of this story.

1) Choose one celebration and explain why it made a difference to Stephen's growth, perceptions, or daily life.

2) Describe how a different celebration reminds you of a western celebration or one you have participated in. Explain how your or a character in the story found meaning in the celebration mentioned.

3) Write a narrative of a celebration from the point of view of a character who attended it.

Essay Topic 2

Blame and shame are recurring themes in the novel, although they sometimes are related to honor and loyalty. Choose one of these four themes (blame, shame, honor, or loyalty) that you think most shapes the tone of the story.

1) Give at least three examples to support your statement.

2) Explain if or how that theme is related to the other three listed above.

Essay Topic 3

The act of suicide is an ongoing theme in this story. Tomoko, Kenzo, and many lepers chose to take their own lives. Sachi did not, although her own father wanted her to in order to restore family honor. Compare and contrast the suicides of Tomoko and Kenzo and other people's responses to them. What were the benefits and drawbacks of their decisions? What were the benefits and drawbacks of Sachi's decision not to take her own life to both her self and the people closest to her?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 936 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample