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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 the elementary school teacher bring the children into the woods to pick on the day they passed out?

2. While sleeping at Oshima's cottage in the woods, where does Kafka sleep at night?

3. Which of the following characters coins the phrase "spirit projection" in regards to the trance-like children?

4. Which of the following activities is NOT a part of Kafka's daily routine?

5. How long is the first bus ride on the day that Kafka runs away from home?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Hoshino, and why does he decide to take Nakata on the road with him?

2. What confession does Oshima make when the stern women accuse him of being misogynistic?

3. What complaints do the two serious women make about the library where Oshima and Kafka work?

4. What trade did Nakata learn when he was in elementary school?

5. How does Kafka react when Sakura begins telling him about her boyfriend, who lives in Tokyo?

6. Who is Sakura?

7. What advice does Crow give to Kafka before they run away together?

8. In what state does Oshima find Kafka when he returns to the cabin to bring Kafka home?

9. What happens when Kafka wakes from a blackout at a religious shrine?

10. What does Johnny Walker keep stored in his walk-in freezer?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Nakata, like Kafka, is a man haunted by his past. First, describe the event that altered Nakata's life forever. Then, explain how this disastrous event affected Nakata's life into adulthood. What ailments continued to plague Nakata long after the event occurred?

Essay Topic 2

The face of evil took many different forms in this novel - Johnny Walker, Colonel Sanders, and the white salamander. First, describe how each of these creatures embodied the force of evil. Then, explain why each of these beings was so intent on opening the entrance stone.

Essay Topic 3

Johnny Walker is a malevolent character who seeks entrance to the afterlife. First, describe the character of Johnny Walker and the way that he meets Nakata. Then, explain the way that Johnny Walker has been living and through what means he steals the souls of living creatures. Finally, explain why Nakata was given no choice but to kill Johnny Walker.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 829 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample