Burnt Shadows Lesson Plan

Aside from the possibility of violence, why is Hikoro frustrated by the wartime atmosphere of Nagasaki?

Strong responses will consider how the wartime conditions have impacted her external life and her internal life. Externally, because Konrad is a Westerner and her father has been dubbed a traitor, she receives more public scrutiny and has had to make changes to her day-to-day life as a result. These include enduring the rudeness of those around her, getting let go from her job, and hiding her relationship with Konrad, all significant negative changes to her life. However, students should also notice that Hikoro’s personality is very open. She doesn’t identify with...