The Ghost In The Tokaido Inn

How does the novel explore notions of personal honor and family honor? In what ways do these forms of honor sometimes conflict with one another?

How is Michiko, the paper merchant’s daughter, characterized? What is her wider significance in the text?

Seikei must navigate the problem of appearances and role-playing throughout the narrative. How does the novel explore the problem of appearances? How do various characters use appearances to deceive others?

Analyze Judge Ooka’s role in the text. How is he characterized? What moral values and cultural ideals does he embody? How does he compare to other potential mentor figures for Seikei in the text?

Revenge is an important component of the novel’s narrative and a key motivation for some of its characters. How does the novel explore the nature of revenge?

What might the ruby, and its imitations, symbolize? What broader themes does the ruby and its theft illuminate?

Compare and contrast Seikei and Tomomi. In what ways are the two characters different or similar? What Is the wider significance of these differences and similarities?

In several ways, The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn is a coming-of-age narrative. How does Seikei change and mature throughout his character arc? How does the novel reflect, or differ from, common tropes in coming-of-age narratives more generally?