Deck 17: The Story of the Man Who Did Not Wish to Die

Question 1

When Jofuku answers Sentaro's prayers, he

A) provides Sentaro the Elixir of Life
B) chastises Sentaro for thinking he can live the abstemious life of a hermit
C) sends him to the island of Perpetual Life
D) (b) and (c)

Answer 1

(b) and (c)

Question 2

The residents of the island of Perpetual Life long for death because

A) they are tired of life
B) they look forward to the Paradise that awaits them after death
C) their lives are full of suffering and want
D) (a) and (b)

Answer 2

(a) and (b)

Question 3

Sentaro eventually becomes bored with perpetual life and wishes to return to the life he had before.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

What does this story illustrate about the human relationship to death? Are we ambivalent about death? Does this story conclude with a satisfying resolution to Sentaro's desire to live forever?

Question 5

The story suggests that a human society where no one dies would be 'topsy turvy'. In what ways? Is this hypothesis correct? How much of human life and behavior is predicated on our recognition of our mortality?