Plot
When the TV people first enter the narrator's apartment, what are they doing?
A) Repairing his broken television
B) Delivering a small television set
C) Installing surveillance equipment
D) Taking away his furniture
B
Which detail about the narrator’s daily environment reinforces the story’s sense of emotional distance?
A) His apartment overlooks a busy shopping district
B) His office is described as noisy and chaotic
C) His wife is frequently away or emotionally detached at home
D) He lives in a rural area far from the city
C
The TV people being a representation of the media and its effects is an example of what literary feature?
Symbolism
What is unusual about the narrator’s wife’s reaction when he tells her about the TV People?
She either does not notice them at all or acts as if they do not exist. She dismisses or ignores his claims, suggesting either that he is imagining them or that he is becoming psychologically unstable.
How does Murakami describe the narrator’s apartment, and how does this contribute to the story’s mood?
The apartment is described as quiet, minimal, and ordinary. This plain, controlled domestic setting contrasts with the bizarre presence of the TV People, heightening the unsettling atmosphere.
The implicit reference to Kafka's writings is an example of what literary feature?
Allusion
When the narrator sees the TV People at his office, what are they specifically doing?
A) Delivering a large television set directly into his department’s office
B) Standing silently in the break room
C) Measuring the walls of a conference room before installing equipment
D) Carrying a television through the hallway
D
What is unusual about the television set the TV People bring into the narrator’s apartment?
A) It has strange geometric proportions
B) It is unusually indistinctive
C) It has no visible power cord
D) It is already turned on when delivered
B
The excerpt, "TRPP Q SCHAOUS" and "KRZSHAAAAL" are examples of what literary feature?
Onomatopoeia
At one point, the narrator notices something strange about the way the TV People communicate. What is unusual about their speech, and why does this detail matter?
They speak in fragmented sentences and usually respond in one syllable, without emotion or personality. This highlights how dehumanized/cold and technological they are
Where do the TV people move the clock and why is it a problem?
They move it to the floor, the narrator's wife doesn't like reorganization
The description of the TV people as being reduced by 0.7x, with everything in proportion and being described like plastic models or paintings is an example of what literary feature?
Simile