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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 Shige ask Kazu to do with him the next day when they were in Shige's hut?

2. Kazu overhears one women tell another that their friend has not gotten out of bed since what happened?

3. What artist's work is on exhibit at the Ueno Royal Art Museum?

4. What do the two businessmen Kazu observes walking toward the Shimizu Kannon Temple discuss on their walk?

5. What was the first sign something is unusual the morning Kazu woke up after the 49th day mourning ceremony?

Short Essay Questions

1. What gift from Yoko and Setsuko did Kazu still wear while homeless? Why did he think about removing it when he considered dying?

2. What does Kazu say teenagers had been doing to the homeless around when the homeless former realtor had died?

3. Describe the conversation Kazu overhears between two homeless men, one of whom had worked in real estate.

4. Describe the conversation Kazu overhears between two women at the art exhibit.

5. After Kazu discusses his return home when he was 60, he describes Setsuko's life all the years he was away. What does he say she did?

6. What was particularly difficult about the day Kazu saw a notice on his hut that he needed to remove all of his belongs by 8:30 the next morning in November of 2006?

7. Describe the night Shige invited Kazu to his hut for sake.

8. What did Kazu think would happen to him after he died? What happened instead?

9. What does Kazu see in Ueno Park just about 30 minutes after the homeless were to have all their things out?

10. Why is it interesting that Kazu's parents died not long after he returned home?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss elements of the narrative structure in Tokyo Ueno Station: Exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the novel's themes?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Yu Miri's focus on the theme of death and the afterlife as presented in the novel.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay examining the symbolic significance of the various monuments and shrines in Tokyo Ueno Station. In what scenes do monuments appear? What is the context? What do they symbolize and how do they develop the narrative?

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This section contains 925 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample