Chapter 2 Reading Guide

1. What did Mr. Tanimoto see from the hillock at the Rayon man’s house?

- the whole of Hiroshima

2. What two actions by Mrs. Nakamura showed that she was probably in shock?

- she digs out her sewing machine

- She was putting coats on her kids in 90 degree weather

3. Describe the “freak occurrences” that were discovered in Fr. Kleinsorge room.

- some items were completely destroyed while others were completely intact

4. What motivated Dr. Fujii to free himself from the timbers in the river?

- He wants to help his nurses and walks to his house to get supplies

5. How many doctors died in the initial blast?

- of 150, 65 were dead and the rest wounded

6. Where did Dr. Sasaki finally find some glasses?

- on a wounded nurse

7. Describe what happens with Mr. Fukai.

- he wants to be left to die

8. How does Mr. Tanimoto respond when he finds his wife?

- he is so emotionally worn out that nothing could surprise him

- he didn’t embrace her but said “oh, you’re safe”

9. Who does Miss Sasaki have to share her shelter with?

- two severely injured people

10. What made Mrs. Nakamura and her children sick?

- a gas the Americans had dropped

11. What does Mr. Tanimoto plan to do with the boat that he finds?

- he wants to carry some of the most severely injured across the river

12. What happens to the people on the river bank when fire rips through Asano Park?

- the people drown

13. What destructive force follows the fire?

- a whirlwind

14. What surprise do Fr. Kleinsorge and Rev. Tanimoto discover in the garden? 40

- they find a roasted pumpkin in the garden they were hungry and ate it. they were

surprised with how good it tasted

15. Why does Mrs. Kamai hold onto the corpse of her dead baby? 41

- she wants her husband to see his baby one more time

16. Give two examples (with page numbers) of people becoming desensitized.

- Dr. Sasaki- he starts healing any people he finds and takes glasses from injured nurse

- Mr. Tanimoto doesn’t react to seeing his wife and child (31)

17. Give three examples (with page numbers) of injuries suffered by the victims of the blast.

- Melted Eyes Pg. 73

- Skin falling off Pg. 46

- Disfiguring burns Pg. 46

18. Give two examples (with page numbers) of how Japanese culture is different from American

culture

- Dr. Fujii- seems like they like to relax in their underwear (23)

- The Japanese didn’t blame the Americans, but for the attack but the Japanese military for

causing it; unlike our country where the people blame the government in the case of

disasters for lack of protection