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Essay Questions
1. How does Hersey use details to make his interviewees come alive for the reader?
2. What techniques does Hersey use to show the limited viewpoints of each person?
3. Where does Hersey use irony?
4. Examine carefully the factual details Hersey uses, such as the abnormal water drops after the bombing. Why are these details necessary? Use examples.
5. Choose a survivor and explain what his or her actions the day of the bombing show about his or her character.
6. What are conditions like in Asano Park after the bombing?
7. What glimpses do we get of Japanese culture, values, and attitudes?
8. What attitudes do the six survivors have in common that help them get on with their lives in Chapter 5?
9. What statement is Hersey making with the details he uses, in Chapter 5, to explain Mr. Tanimoto's life?
10. Study Chapter 5, "The Aftermath." How does this chapter affect the reader's reaction to the earlier chapters? Does it provide unity?