Classic Literature

Question 1

The Hobbit

Bilbo Baggins embarks on an unexpected journey with dwarves to reclaim their home from the dragon Smaug

Answer 1

J.R.R. Tolkien

1937

It is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk, that keeps the darkness at bay”

Question 2

The Lord of the Rings

Frodo Baggins and his companions set out to destroy the One Ring, which threatens the world with domination by the Dark Lord Sauron.

Answer 2

J.R.R. Tolkien

“Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.”

Question 3

The Handmaid’s Tale

In a dystopian future, women’s rights are severely restricted, and the story follows Offred, a “handmaid” forced to bear children for the ruling class.

Answer 3

Margaret Atwood

Question 4

Lolita

The controversial story of Humbert Humbert’s obsession with the young Dolores Haze, known as Lolita, told from his unreliable perspective.

Answer 4

Vladmir Nabokov

Question 5

The Shining

Jack Torrance, a writer and recovering alcoholic, takes a job as the winter caretaker of the isolated Overlook Hotel, where supernatural forces begin to affect his sanity.

Answer 5

Stephen King

Question 6

Silence of the Lambs

FBI agent Clarice Starling seeks the help of the incarcerated cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter to catch another murderer.

Answer 6

Thomas Harris

Question 7

Lord of the Flies

A group of boys stranded on an uninhabited island descend into savagery as they attempt to govern themselves.

Answer 7

William Golding

Question 8

The Godfather

The story of the powerful Corleone crime family, focusing on Michael Corleone’s rise to power and the complex world of mafia politics.

Answer 8

Mario Puzo

Question 9

The Tale of Two Cities

Set during the French Revolution, the novel contrasts the lives of two men, Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton, and their love for the same woman.

Answer 9

Charles Dickens

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

Question 10

The Iliad

A foundational epic of Greek literature, recounting events during the Trojan War, focusing on the rage of Achilles and its destructive consequences.

Answer 10

Homer

8th Century BCE

“Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans.”

Question 11

The Odyssey

Following the Trojan War, Odysseus embarks on a perilous journey home to Ithaca, where he must face numerous challenges, including the Cyclops and the Sirens.

Answer 11

Homer

8th Century BCE

“There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep.”

Question 12

The Aeneid

This epic tells the story of Aeneas, a Trojan prince who, after the fall of Troy, sails to Italy and becomes the founder of the Roman race.

Answer 12

Virgil

29 - 19 BCE

“Forsan et haec olim meminisse juvabit.” (“Perhaps someday we will look back on these things with joy.”)

Question 13

The Divine Comedy

A poetic journey through the three realms of the dead—Hell (Inferno), Purgatory (Purgatorio), and Heaven (Paradiso)—narrated by Dante as he seeks redemption.

Answer 13

Dante Alighieri

1320

“Midway upon the journey of our life, I found myself within a forest dark, for the straightforward path had been lost.”

Question 14

The Republic

A Socratic dialogue exploring justice, the ideal city-state, and the nature of the soul, The Republic has been immensely influential in political philosophy.

Answer 14

Plato

380 BCE

“The heaviest penalty for declining to rule is to be ruled by someone inferior to yourself.”

Question 15

Hamlet

A tragedy about Prince Hamlet of Denmark, who seeks revenge on his uncle Claudius, who has murdered his father and taken the throne.

Answer 15

William Shakespeare

1600

“To be, or not to be: that is the question.”

Question 16

Don Quixote

The story of a delusional nobleman, Don Quixote, who believes himself to be a chivalric knight, and his pragmatic squire, Sancho Panza.

Answer 16

Miguel de Cervantes

1605

“When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies?”

Question 17

The Canterbury Tales

A collection of stories told by pilgrims on their way to the shrine of Thomas Becket in Canterbury, offering a snapshot of 14th-century English society.

Answer 17

Geoffrey Chaucer

1400

“If gold rust, what then will iron do?”

Question 18

Paradise Lost

An epic poem recounting the biblical story of the Fall of Man, focusing on Satan’s rebellion against God and Adam and Eve’s expulsion from Eden.

Answer 18

John Milton

1667

“Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.”

Question 19

Crime and Punishment

follows Rodion Raskolnikov, a troubled former student, who commits a murder and grapples with the psychological consequences of his crime.

Answer 19

Fyodor Dosteovesky

1866

“The man who has a conscience suffers whilst acknowledging his sin. That is his punishment—as well as prison.”

Question 20

War and Peace

This epic novel interweaves the lives of several aristocratic families against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, exploring themes of history, power, and personal growth.

Answer 20

Leo Tolstoy

1869

“All we can do is our best, and that is enough.”

Question 21

Moby Dick

A tale of obsession, Moby-Dick follows Ishmael, a sailor aboard the whaling ship Pequod, led by the vengeful Captain Ahab in pursuit of the elusive white whale.

Answer 21

Herman Melville

1851

“Call me Ishmael.”

Question 22

Pride and Prejudice

A romantic novel that explores the complexities of social class, family, and marriage in early 19th-century England, with the witty Elizabeth Bennet and the proud Mr. Darcy at its center.

Answer 22

Jane Austen

1813

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

Question 23

The Brothers Karamazov

A philosophical novel that delves into questions of faith, morality, and free will, following the lives of the three Karamazov brothers and their troubled relationship with their father.

Answer 23

Fyodor Dostoevsky

1880

“If God does not exist, everything is permitted.”

Question 24

Anne Karenina

A tragic story of love and infidelity, Anna Karenina follows the doomed affair between the titular character and Count Vronsky, set against the backdrop of Russian society.

Answer 24

Leo Tolstoy

1878

“All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”

Question 25

Frankenstein ## Footnote A gothic novel about Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who creates a living being from dead tissue, only for his creation to become a monstrous figure that seeks revenge

Answer 25

Mary Shelley | 1818 ## Footnote If I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear

Question 26

Les Miserables ## Footnote A sweeping novel of post-revolutionary France, focusing on Jean Valjean, a former convict, and his quest for redemption, against the backdrop of social injustice and political upheaval.

Answer 26

Victor Hugo | 1862 ## Footnote “Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.”

Question 27

The Scarlett Letter ## Footnote Set in Puritan New England, The Scarlet Letter tells the story of Hester Prynne, who is condemned for committing adultery and forced to wear the scarlet letter "A" as a mark of shame.

Answer 27

Nathaniel Hawthorne | 1850 ## Footnote “In Heaven’s own time, a new truth would be revealed, in order to establish the whole relation between man and woman on a surer ground of mutual happiness.”

Question 28

Dracula ## Footnote A gothic horror novel about Count Dracula’s attempt to move from Transylvania to England, where he seeks to spread the undead curse, and the battle to stop him.

Answer 28

Bram Stoker | 1897 ## Footnote “Listen to them, the children of the night. What music they make!”

Question 29

Ulysses ## Footnote A modernist novel set in a single day (June 16, 1904), following Leopold Bloom in Dublin as he grapples with the mundane and profound events of his day.

Answer 29

James Joyce | 1922 ## Footnote “I am a part of all that I have met.”

Question 30

The Count of Monte Cristo ## Footnote A story of betrayal, vengeance, and redemption, following Edmond Dantès, a man wrongfully imprisoned, who escapes and seeks revenge on those who wronged him

Answer 30

Alexandre Dumas | 1844 ## Footnote “All human wisdom is contained in these two words—Wait and Hope.”

Question 31

The Metamorphosis ## Footnote The surreal tale of Gregor Samsa, who wakes up one day to find himself transformed into a giant insect, and his struggles to adapt to his new life and alienation from his family.

Answer 31

Franz Kafka | 1915 ## Footnote “I cannot make you understand. I cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside me. I cannot even explain it to myself.”

Question 32

The Stranger ## Footnote A philosophical novel that explores the life of Meursault, a detached and emotionally indifferent man who commits an inexplicable murder. The novel delves into the absurdity of life.

Answer 32

Albert Camus | 1942 ## Footnote “I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world.”

Question 33

One Hundred Years of Solitude ## Footnote A multi-generational tale of the Buendía family in the fictional town of Macondo, blending magical realism with political, social, and personal themes.

Answer 33

Gabriel Garcia Marquez | 1967 ## Footnote “It's enough for me to be sure that you and I exist at this moment.”

Question 34

The Trial ## Footnote A nightmarish story of Josef K., who is arrested without being told what crime he’s being accused of, reflecting on the absurdity and bureaucracy of modern life.

Answer 34

Franz Kafka | 1914 (1925 posthumously) ## Footnote “It’s only because of their stupidity that they’re able to be so sure of themselves.”

Question 35

Siddhartha ## Footnote The spiritual journey of Siddhartha, a young man in ancient India, as he seeks enlightenment and self-discovery, exploring themes of inner peace and self-realization.

Answer 35

Hermann Hesse | 1922 ## Footnote “Words do not express thoughts very well. They always become a little different immediately after they are expressed, a little distorted, a little foolish.”

Question 36

The Sun Also Rises ## Footnote A novel about a group of expatriates in Europe post-World War I, their search for meaning and purpose, and their relationships filled with disillusionment and despair.

Answer 36

Ernest Hemingway | 1926 ## Footnote “You are all a lost generation.”

Question 37

The Great Gatsby ## Footnote A story about the American Dream, wealth, and disillusionment in the 1920s, focusing on the tragic life of Jay Gatsby and his obsession with Daisy Buchanan.

Answer 37

F. Scott Fitzgerald | 1925 ## Footnote “In my younger and more vulnerable years, my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since.”

Question 38

The Picture of Dorian Gray ## Footnote A story about Dorian Gray, a man whose portrait ages and reflects his sins while he remains young and unscathed, exploring themes of vanity, morality, and corruption.

Answer 38

Oscar Wilde | 1890 ## Footnote “The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.”

Question 39

Wuthering Heights ## Footnote A gothic novel about the passionate and destructive love between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, set on the Yorkshire moors.

Answer 39

Emily Bronte | 1847 ## Footnote “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”

Question 40

Jane Eyre ## Footnote The story of an orphaned girl, Jane, who becomes a governess and falls in love with her employer, Mr. Rochester, uncovering dark secrets in the process.

Answer 40

Charlotte Bronte | 1847 ## Footnote “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”

Question 41

Heart of Darkness ## Footnote A journey into the Belgian Congo that explores the horrors of colonialism and the darkness in the human soul, as experienced by the protagonist, Marlow

Answer 41

Joseph Conrad | 1899 ## Footnote “The horror! The horror!”

Question 42

The Grapes of Wrath ## Footnote A powerful narrative of the Joad family’s journey westward from the Dust Bowl to California in search of a better life, confronting poverty and injustice.

Answer 42

John Steinbeck | 1939 ## Footnote “Wherever they’s a fight so hungry people can eat, I’ll be there.”

Question 43

The Old Man and the Sea ## Footnote A short novel about an old fisherman, Santiago, and his struggle to catch a giant marlin off the coast of Cuba, representing themes of isolation and perseverance.

Answer 43

Ernest Hemingway | 1952 ## Footnote “He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish.”

Question 44

To Kill a Mockingbird ## Footnote Set in the American South during the Great Depression, it tells the story of Scout Finch and her father, lawyer Atticus Finch, as they navigate issues of racism and morality.

Answer 44

Harper Lee | 1960 ## Footnote “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.”

Question 45

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ## Footnote A novella about the dual nature of humanity, focusing on Dr. Jekyll, a kind and respectable man, and his sinister alter ego, Mr. Hyde.

Answer 45

Robert Luis Stevenson | 1886 ## Footnote “Man is not truly one, but truly two.”

Question 46

The Catcher in the Rye ## Footnote The story of Holden Caulfield, a disenchanted teenager who leaves his prep school and wanders around New York, grappling with the alienation of adulthood.

Answer 46

J.D. Salinger | 1951 ## Footnote “I’m the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It’s awful. If I’m on my way to the store to buy a magazine and somebody asks me where I’m going, I’m always saying I’m going to the movies.”

Question 47

Fahrenheit 451 ## Footnote A dystopian novel about a future where books are banned, and firemen burn any that are found, focusing on the journey of Guy Montag as he becomes aware of the destructive power of censorship.

Answer 47

Ray Bradbury | 1953 ## Footnote “It was a pleasure to burn.”

Question 48

The Bell Jar ## Footnote A semi-autobiographical novel about Esther Greenwood, a young woman who struggles with mental illness and her place in society, reflecting on themes of identity and personal destruction.

Answer 48

Sylvia Plath | 1963 ## Footnote “I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my school. The world was too much with me.”

Question 49

The Hound of the Baskervilles ## Footnote One of Sherlock Holmes’ most famous cases, involving the investigation of the mysterious death of Sir Charles Baskerville and the legend of a supernatural hound.

Answer 49

Arthur Conan Dyle | 1902 ## Footnote “Mr. Holmes, they were the footprints of a gigantic hound!”

Question 50

Brave New World ## Footnote Set in a dystopian future where society is engineered into rigid castes, Brave New World critiques the dangers of totalitarianism, consumerism, and the loss of individuality.

Answer 50

Aldous Huxley | 1932 ## Footnote “Community, Identity, Stability.”

Question 51

Wicked ## Footnote A revisionist take on the Wizard of Oz, Wicked tells the backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West, exploring themes of power, identity, and morality.

Answer 51

Gregory Maguire | 1995 ## Footnote “I’m not wicked, I’m misunderstood.”

Question 52

Catch-22 ## Footnote A satirical novel about the absurdities of war, Catch-22 follows Captain Yossarian, a U.S. Army Air Corps bombardier, as he struggles with the illogical and often hypocritical military bureaucracy.

Answer 52

Joseph Heller | 1961 ## Footnote “He was going to live forever, or die in the attempt.”

Question 53

The Call of the Wild ## Footnote A gripping tale of Buck, a domesticated dog who is sold into the harsh life of an Alaskan sled dog, gradually reverting to his wild, primal instincts.

Answer 53

Jack London | 1903 ## Footnote “The call of the wild is in the blood of every dog.”

Question 54

Great Expectations ## Footnote The coming-of-age story of Pip, a poor orphan who dreams of becoming a gentleman, set against a backdrop of mystery, love, and moral dilemmas

Answer 54

Charles Dickens | 1860 ## Footnote “I have been bent and broken, but - I hope - into a better shape.”

Question 55

The Secret Garden ## Footnote A heartwarming story of Mary Lennox, a spoiled and neglected girl who, after being sent to live with her uncle, discovers a hidden, magical garden that changes her life.

Answer 55

Frances Hodgson Burnett | 1911 ## Footnote “If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.”

Question 56

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ## Footnote A comedic science fiction novel that follows Arthur Dent as he is swept off Earth just before it’s destroyed to make way for a hyperspace bypass, exploring the absurdity of life and the universe.

Answer 56

Doulas Adams | 1979 ## Footnote "Don't Panic"

Question 57

The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales ## Footnote A collection of folk tales, many of which became foundational to Western culture, such as Cinderella, Snow White, and Hansel and Gretel.

Answer 57

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm | 1812 - 1857 ## Footnote “The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”

Question 58

War and Peace ## Footnote A sweeping historical novel set during the Napoleonic Wars, it explores the lives of several Russian families, blending personal drama with historical events.

Answer 58

Leo Tolstoy | 1869 ## Footnote “We can know only that we know nothing. And that is the highest degree of human wisdom.”

Question 59

The House of Seven Gables ## Footnote A gothic novel centered around a cursed house and the generations of a family that suffer from it, exploring themes of guilt, retribution, and moral decay.

Answer 59

Nathaniel Hawthorne | 1851 ## Footnote “No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true.”

Question 60

The Color Purple ## Footnote A powerful novel about the life of Celie, an African-American woman in the early 20th century, as she endures abuse, oppression, and ultimately finds strength and independence.

Answer 60

Alice Walker | 1982 ## Footnote “I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.”

Question 61

The Fountainhead ## Footnote The story of Howard Roark, an individualistic architect who refuses to conform to traditional architectural styles, championing Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism.

Answer 61

Ayn Rand | 1943 ## Footnote “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.”

Question 62

The Three Musketeers ## Footnote A historical adventure novel about d'Artagnan, who joins the Musketeers of the Guard and embarks on exciting adventures with his companions Athos, Porthos, and Aramis.

Answer 62

Alexandre Dumas | 1844 ## Footnote “All for one and one for all.”

Question 63

The Invisible Man ## Footnote A science fiction novel about a scientist, Griffin, who discovers the secret to invisibility, only to descend into madness and chaos.

Answer 63

H.G. Wells | 1897 ## Footnote “The mind of man is capable of anything—because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future.”

Question 64

Slaughterhouse-Five ## Footnote A science fiction-infused anti-war novel that follows Billy Pilgrim, who becomes "unstuck in time" and experiences moments of his life—including his time as a soldier in World War II and his abduction by aliens.

Answer 64

Kurt Vonnegut | 1969 ## Footnote "So it goes"

Question 65

The Outsiders ## Footnote A novel about the struggles of two rival groups of teenagers—the Greasers and the Socs—dealing with themes of class, friendship, and identity.

Answer 65

S.E. Hilton | 1967 ## Footnote “Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold…”

Question 66

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland ## Footnote story about Alice who falls down a rabbit hole and lands into a fantasy world that is full of weird, wonderful people and animals.

Answer 66

Lewis Carroll | 1965 ## Footnote "we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.

Question 67

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ## Footnote tells the story of a young boy, Huck Finn, who escapes his abusive father and travels down the Mississippi River on a raft with a runaway slave named Jim

Answer 67

Mark Twain | 1885 ## Footnote Right is right, and wrong is wrong

Question 68

1984 ## Footnote A dystopian novel that depicts a future where the government controls all aspects of life

Answer 68

George Orwell | 1949 ## Footnote "Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.”

Question 69

David Copperfield ## Footnote follows the life of David Copperfield from childhood to adulthood. The story is full of tragedy and comedy, and explores themes of memory, identity, and psychological development

Answer 69

Charles Dickens | 1850 ## Footnote Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.”

Question 70

As I Lay Dying ## Footnote family's journey to bury their dying mother in their hometown of Jefferson, Mississippi. The novel explores the family's grief and the selfish motivations of its individual members

Answer 70

William Faulkner | 1930 ## Footnote Sometimes I think it aint none of us pure crazy and aint none of us pure sane until the balance of us talks him that-a-way

Question 71

Gone With the Wind ## Footnote A romanticized view of the American Civil War from the perspective of the Confederacy

Answer 71

Margaret Mitchell | 1936 ## Footnote “Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.”