Why does Mitsuko feel driven to find Ōtsu?

What does reincarnation mean, ultimately, in the novel, for both the characters and the author?

What does Numada hope to achieve by setting free the myna bird in the nature preserve?

What is the role of sacrifice in the novel? What does sacrifice mean to each of the main characters?

What separates the characters who love India and those who dislike it, like Mrs. Sanjō?

What does Kiguchi hope to gain from his trip to India? Does he achieve it?

What does Isobe gain and lose during his trip to India?