In A Grove

The three main characters skew the narrative’s events to present themselves in a certain light. Choose Tajomaru, Takehiko, or Masago and describe how you think they want to be perceived and why you believe they want that.

Although it is difficult to learn about the other characters through each narrator’s account, the way they depict each other does reflect on the narrators themselves. Choose Tajomaru, Takehiko, or Masago. Describe how they portrayed the other two characters and explain what these decisions mean about the narrator. How do they think about the other characters, and why do they think that?

Discuss the order in which the narratives occur. How does this structure contribute to the story’s overall meaning? Would your assessment of the characters’ stories differ if they appeared in a different order? Why?

Tajomaru lies to the samurai about the treasure, Masago interprets her husband’s wishes from just his facial expression, and Takehiko tries to send a message to his wife with his eyes. Do you think the characters reliably understand what is happening around them? Explain your answer, remembering that the narrators themselves are unreliable.

Tajomaru will most likely be executed. Explain why you think he acts so confidently defiant during his interrogation. What does he hope will happen? What kind of person do you think he truly is?

As the wife of a samurai in feudal Japan, Masago must obey strict social rules and behave properly at all times. She would have had very few options after being raped by a bandit, even setting the trauma of the event aside. Discuss her portrayal in each of the three main narratives with this context in mind. How might her awareness of her situation inform her actions in each version of events?

As a samurai, Takehiko would have studied the principals of bushido, one of which states that a warrior must be prepared to die at any moment. Do you believe Takehiko was properly prepared to die? What do you think was going through his mind when he realized what would happen?

A detective must weigh out the evidence presented to him very carefully. Put yourself in the detective’s shoes; knowing what these seven people have told you, what would your next step be? Would you draw any conclusions? Why or why not?