While the narrators are unreliable, the story invites readers to piece together a narrative. Sifting through the details, explain what you believe actually happened, explaining why you chose to accept certain facts and disregard others.

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?