Global Literature Name: _________________________
The Samurai’s Garden
IMPORTANT: Make sure that you write the assignment number and letter on all of your assignments, and please do not forget to write your name on every paper you turn in.
All work should be neat and typed.
Assignments will be stamped on the day they are due. Late work will receive reduced credit.
Every assignment is worth 20 points. Students will receive individual grades.
If all work is in and on time, each group member will receive an additional 5 points.
Group members have the right to fire non-participating members from their group and may complete that student’s assignments for extra credit. The expelled student will need to complete his/her own work and turn it in independently, with a penalty of 5 points.
Assignment One: Samurai’s Garden pp. 1 – 53
____ A. Asian Poetry:
1. Find an Asian poem that expresses the theme of nature. Present the poem in an aesthetically pleasing way (typed, calligraphy, pictures, background or bordered paper etc.). Make sure that you include the date the poem was written, the author, and the country it is from.
2. Then, interpret the poem and discuss how it relates to The Samurai’s Garden . (one page typed minimum).
____ B. Garden Drawing /Japanese Gardens:
1. Research the elements of Japanese gardens including rock gardens.
2. Create a drawing of a Japanese garden (include green AND dry garden elements).
Pay close attention to the description of the garden in the novel. The drawing should be neat, on unlined paper, and we would appreciate it if it were colored.
3. Write a description of your garden as if you were strolling through it, explaining the different elements. Try to create a vivid image in the reader’s mind.
____ C. Leprosy:
1. Research leprosy. What is it? How is it contracted? Is it treatable? How were lepers treated in Japan, and specifically in Yamaguchi/Tarumi? How are they treated today? Where in the world is leprosy still endemic? Write an expository paper answering the above questions. Make sure to use your own words (one page typed minimum)
_____ D. Illustrated settings:
1. Create a scrapbook page for Tarumi and Yamaguchi. Find pictures, or create your own illustrations of the two villages.
2. Add descriptions and at least four quotations from the text to give an accurate portrayal of the setting and the role these two settings play in the lives of the characters. Remember, a setting can be multi-layered. Think of physical and emotional landscape (the emotional response to a place) when you design your pages.
Assignment Two: Samurai’s Garden pp. 54 – 95
______ A. Japanese festivals:
1. Research and write about these four festivals, one for each season. (Shobun No Hi, Ganjitsu, Setsuban, Obon) What are some of the typical customs related to this festival? When is it held? What is the reason for this festival?
2. Write a half page explaining how the festivals are part of the novel (for pg. 1 – 95 only).
_____ B. Loneliness, solitude, and longing:
.1. “It’s harder than I imagined to be alone. I suppose I might get used to it, like an empty canvas you slowly begin to fill” (The Samurai’s Garden 13). How do feelings of loneliness and longing affect the characters in this novel? Give specific examples from the text. How do you relate to these feelings of loneliness?
_____ C. Setting:
1. Describe two different places in the novel (in detail) that are significant to Stephen. Use at least three quotations per setting to support your descriptions. How are the settings significant to the story? How does the physical landscape relate to the emotional landscape? (feel free to illustrate)
_____ D. Letter to Man-mee:
1. Reread the description of Stephen writing the letter to his mother (bottom of page 87). Write the letter as Stephen describes it. Pay close attention to stylistics information so that you can write the letter with Stephen’s voice.
Assignment Three: Samurai’s Garden pp. 96 – 159.
______ A. Relationships:
1. Write an analysis of the development of one relationship in The Samurai’s Garden. Use quotations and examples from the text to support your understanding of the relationship.
______ B. Illustrated plot:
1. Create an illustrated time line for this section of The Samurai’s Garden. You will need to decide what is significant. You can create your own drawings or use pictures from magazines. Add quotations to supplement your time line.
______ C. Honor:
1. Discuss the theme of honor in this novel. What questions does the author pose about honor? How does she answer them? How do the different characters show honor?
2. How is honor defined in our society? Is it different/similar to honor in this novel? How does it apply to your life?
______ D. A different point of view:
1. Reread Sachi’s account of her relationship with Kenzo and Matsu. (128 – 152). Now rewrite the story from Matsu’s point of view. Try to use Matsu’s voice in your story. Go beyond a retelling and focus on the inner conflicts Matsu faces (2-3 pages typed)
Assignment Four: Samurai’s Garden pp. 160 – 211
______ A. Poetry:
1. Write a poem that illustrates the complexity of Yamaguchi in the novel. What does the village mean to the people in the The Samurai’s Garden? How is it perceived in Tarumi? Think of the sounds, sights, scents, tastes, textures, emotions, and of Yamaguchi to create a poem rich in imagery. Include three poetic devices or more (similes, metaphors, allusions, onomatopoeia etc.)
2. Label your poetic devices.
3. Length: 15 lines minimum. Rhyme is optional.
______B. Letter to Pie:
1. Reread Pie’s letter to Stephen (172-3). Note how Pie has been affected by her work for the Red Cross. Write a letter to Pie in which Stephen explains how he has been transformed by his visits to Yamaguchi. Relate his transformation to changes in Pie’s character. Handwrite this letter on (homemade) stationary.
______C. Kimono for Sachi:
1. Draw a kimono & fill it with images that show the complexity of Sachi’s character. Use Japanese characters, symbols, colors, and objects etc. Find information on the symbolic nature of objects in Japanese culture. For example, the crane is a symbol for good luck. Include a brief explanation of your kimono (1/2 page minimum).
______D. Comparing characters and themes:
Create a symbolic representation of the relationships between characters in The Samurai’s Garden. You will create a visual that shows the dynamic between the characters. For example, the relationship between Matsu and Sachi can be represented by a sword: It has gone through some of the hottest fires and some of the fiercest battles but has stood the test of time. It was forged by many layers, which give it its strength. The sword now hangs on the wall, stronger than before (example thanks to Emily Ventura).
Bonus Assignments:
Symbolic objects:
A. Find four significant objects in the novel that are symbolic of themes in the novel. Write a description of how each object is part of the story. Then explain how these objects are symbolic of the theme.
In Class:
1. Create a chart of themes and characters in The Samurai’s Garden that bear resemblance to the themes and characters you have encountered in literature you have read this year. These works can include novels, poems, stories, movies, essays etc. Explain how they are similar. Go beyond the big similarities. What about the way you reacted to the works? Were personal connections you made similar? Lessons? Ideas? Think about the many ways literature bridges cultural differences and helps us understand the complexity of human existence. For example: You can discuss how resistance was part of three different works (at least four themes).
