General Thought, at Your Command

What are your general thoughts on the way of the samurai, the importance of relationships, violence, and death?

Servant to Samurai

When Taro is a boy he is brought up as a servant and works in several positions as one. Gradually he works towards his goal of becoming a samurai like his father. How do his experiences as a servant affect him in his adult life when he becomes a Samurai?

Violence

War was a main part of feudal Japan. How is violence integrated into the novel and what effect does it have on Taro?

Relationships

A person's relationships with those around he or she, can largely affect their actions and decisions  in life, especially if this relationship undergoes a dynamic change for better or for worst.  Comment on one relationship and explain its effect on Taro.

Deaths

Throughout the story, the main character witnesses many deaths. In the beginning he watches his entire family get killed, later his mentor Togan. Do these events affect him? and if they do how.

Name Change

In Japan when a boy becomes a man, his name changes from a child name to an adult name. In the story the boy Taro becomes the man Murakami Harutomo. After that, he assumes a lot more resposibility and people begin to view him differently. Comment on these differences and how they affect him.