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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. How does the police officer react when Nakata admits to Johnny Walker's murder?

2. Which of the following animals promises to lead Nakata to Goma?

3. Why does Crow make fun of Kafka while they are staying in Oshima's cottage?

4. Which of the following family members does Sakura share an apartment with?

5. In which Japanese city does Kafka live?

Short Essay Questions

1. What strange proposition does Johnny Walker make to Nakata?

2. What realization does the white cat, Otsuka, make about Nakata?

3. What are the themes of the song "Kafka on the Shore"?

4. What note does Sakura leave for Kafka when she leaves for work in the morning?

5. What does Kafka steal from his father before he runs away from home?

6. Who is Sakura?

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

8. How does the police officer on duty react to Nakata's confession of stabbing a man to death?

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

10. What does the elementary school teacher admit is the truth of what happened to Nakata in the woods?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

While at the cabin, Oshima gives Kafka an ominous warning about the soldiers who visited these woods during the war. According to history, what happened to these soldiers when they were in Oshima's woods? What is Oshima worried will happen to Kafka if he ventures too far away from the cabin?

Essay Topic 2

Throughout the novel, the repercussions of sleepwalking affect the characters. Choose at least two scenes in which a character commits a devious act while sleeping and compare / contrast the effects this action has on the character's life. Then, explain how the subconscious of the characters responds to the deepest desires of that character's soul.

Essay Topic 3

In the Prologue to this novel, Kafka warns his friend, Crow, that "Fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps changing directions." What did Kafka mean when he gave his friend this warning? Explain this quote and give at least two examples from the text that exemplify this theory.

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