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Do you think that Nao is so reluctant to leave for the summer with Jiko because she is comfortable in her depression/does not want to put effort in to change or being happy?

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Is Ruth reading out of genuine care for Nao or does it seem like she's using to escape from her own problems and struggles?

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Is Ruth reading out of genuine care for Nao or does it seem like she's using to escape from her own problems and struggles?

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Despite Nao suggesting that she favors Jiko’s company over anyone else’s, do you believe that she ultimately prefers solitude given her reluctance to be with Jiko at the temple? Do you think her journal allows her to embrace solitude even if she is writing in the presence of others?

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how does Haruki depression influence Nao's thoughts on suicide? Could communication change their fates?

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Do you think that Nao truly wants to believe her father when he says that he will return a better man? Or is she saying this just to be respectful and make the reader think she truly cares?

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What does the description of the barnacles symbolize? Is their a connection to the broader human experience? Are there similarities to Nao's life?

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Nao says “Honestly I felt like a foreigner living in that stupid Tokyo apartment with these strange people who said they were my parents but I barely even knew anymore” (136). If she says this, why do you think she is not more excited to get out of her apartment and go live with Jiko?

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How does Nao's upset and hesitant reaction to spending her summer vacation with Jiko at her temple (despite Nao previously showing positive attitudes toward the temple and spending time with Jiko) reflect on Nao's current mental state and relationships with others? (pg. 139)

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How do you feel about the ending, where we see people come to the beach to salvage trash from Japan?

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On page 122 we see that Ruth has another intense dream of the temple, do you think the moments in which Ruth has dreams about the nuns will turn into a larger moment later on in the book? What might these dreams signify?

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Does an invisible string between Ruth and Nao build and develop during the book or was it already there from the beginning?

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How does Ruth’s skepticism affect her engagement with Nao’s diary? Does it help or hinder her ability to connect with Nao’s experiences?

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Do you think that Nao's idea of haunting her classmates reflects her age, whereas the discussion of suicide makes her seem more mature or older?

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What Buddhist or Zen concepts are this section? How do they connect with Nao’s life and situation in the section?

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I feel that Nao sent her friend, Kayla, the video of her "funeral" not for attention or popularity, but to show she is in pain. When Nao’s friend from California had blocked her Nao still sent her emails and would slowly become more honest with how she really felt and about her experiences in Japan. I believe by doing this Nao somehow hoped for someone to see her struggle. One of the hardest things to do is ask for help or show that you're suffering, so Nao sharing such painful experiences with Kayla, even if it isn’t to the full extent, illustrates Nao’s small cry for help.

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Nao experiences "metal-binding," which is likely the condition of sleep paralysis. The causes are unknown but it is theorized to stem from non-ideal sleep conditions and mental health issues. Why do you think she stopped experiencing this after her funeral? Why do you think it's so well known and common in Japan but not the US? (pg. 124)