Name: ______Period: ____
The Sign of the Chrysanthemum
Chapter Questions and Vocabulary
CHAPTER 1:
1. What does Muna know about his father?
2. Where does the story begin? When does it take place?
3. What is Muna's dream?
Serfs -
Daimyo -
Kimono -
Samurai -
Solemn-
CHAPTER 2:
1. Describe Takanobu.
2. How does he catch Muna?
Pout -
CHAPTER 3:
1. Muna has been lucky to find two people who treat him kindly. The first is Takanobu; who is the second?
2. What does he do for Muna?
3. How does he allow Muna to keep his pride and not feel like a beggar?
Typhoon -
Ronin -
Halberds-
CHAPTER 4:
1. What did Muna find out about Takanobu that shocked him?
2. Why did the owner of the Red Dog say, "No credit!" when Takanobu and Muna walked in?
3. What kind of a job did Muna get?
4. Why did the men at the Red Dog become less friendly toward Muna?
5. What happened to the Red Dog?
6. What happened to Takanobu?
7. What happened to Muna?
Itinerant-
Assailed-
Perished-
Destitute-
Rivalry-
Ludicrous-
CHAPTER 5:
1. Who saved Muna?
2. Why did Muna want the sword maker to like him?
Squalid -
Fractious -
Pilgrimage -
CHAPTER 6:
1 . Who are the two rival clans?
2. How does Muna regard Fukuji?
3. In what way is Muna having difficulty in adjusting to life with Fukuji? Why do you think this is so?
4. Why does Fukuji sell so few swords?
Apprentice -
Insurrection -
Epitaph -
Proficient -
CHAPTER 7:
1. What causes a change in Muna's mood?
2. Why did Muna decide to wait a while longer before telling Fukuji about his life?
CHAPTER 8:
1. What dilemma has Takanobu presented to Muna?
Permeated -
Presumptuous-
Unctuous -
Ebullient -
CHAPTER 9:
1. Who is Susano?
2. What is happening to Muna's image of his father?
3. What has happened to Akiko?
Torii-
Pique-
CHAPTER 10:
1. Why was Muna beaten?
Garish -
Cadence-
CHAPTER 11:
1. Why did the night watchmen call out, "Watch for fires"?
2. How did Muna go about finding the Street of the Ox Dealers??
Subsided -
Foray -
Stench-
CHAPTER 12:
1. Why did Muna strike Takanobu with the sword?
2. Describe Muna's dream.
3. What caused Muna to have this dream?
Spurned -
Bravado-
CHAPTER 13:
1. Why did Muna leave the city?
2. What did Muna do with the sword? Why?
Communal -
Ascent-
Summit-
Artisan-
CHAPTER 14:
1. Why did Takanobu go to Fukuji?
2. What sign does Takanobu have to show that he could be Muna's father?
3. How did Fukuji get Takanobu to leave and never return?
Noxious -
Vigor -
Mirth-
CHAPTER 15:
1. Why will it be difficult to identify Muna's father by the chrysanthemum tattoo?
2. How did Muna feel after he saw Fukuji at Rashomon Gate?
3. Why did he feel this way?
Meticulous -
Hypocrite-
CHAPTER 16:
1. Where is Muna taking the sword?
2. Why couldn't he give it to the soldiers?
Tentacles -
Uncomprehending-
CHAPTER 17:
1. Why did Muna bring the sword back to Fukuji?
2. Why did Fukuji ask him to stay?
Symmetrical -
CHAPTER 18:
1. Why had Muna longed to have a name?
2. When he had a chance to choose any name, what name did Muna choose? Why?
3. Why did Fukuji cut off Muna's pony tail?
4. What is the reason Fukuji decided to make Muna his apprentice?
5. The motto on the sword is "Through fire is the spirit forged." What does that mean in relation to Muna?
Perfidy-
Allegiance -
Immaculate -
Pompous -