Akutagawa Ryūnosuke 芥川龍之介 "In a Grove" 藪の中

Warm-up questions:

1. Have you ever lied? 

2. What are some reasons that people might lie?

3. Can people generally be trusted?

Reading Analysis Questions

1. What do you think really happened? Is it possible to ascertain the truth of events from these accounts? Why or why not?

2. What kinds of contradictory evidence and statements do the characters give?

3. What reasons do you think the characters might have to HIDE the truth or to LIE in their testimonies?

4. Which account do you think is most believable and/or trustworthy?

5. How would you explain the last lines/scene in the story? Who comes up to the man and why do they pull the sword out of his chest?

6. What metaphors/symbols/subjects did you notice in the story?

7. Is objective truth possible? Is everything relative? Is Akutagawa perhaps just talking about fiction and believability?