1. Who wrote 'Frankenstein,' a novel considered a foundational work of science fiction and Gothic literature?
A. Mary Shelley
B. Jane Austen
C. Emily Brontë
D. Virginia Woolf
2. Which American playwright is known for 'Death of a Salesman,' a tragedy exploring the disillusionment of the American Dream?
A. Tennessee Williams
B. Arthur Miller
C. Eugene O′Neill
D. Edward Albee
3. Which American author is known for his transcendentalist essays, such as 'Self-Reliance′ and 'Nature′?
A. Edgar Allan Poe
B. Nathaniel Hawthorne
C. Ralph Waldo Emerson
D. Henry David Thoreau
4. Which novel by Charles Dickens critiques social injustice and the harsh realities of Victorian England, featuring the character Oliver Twist?
A. 'Great Expectations′
B. 'Oliver Twist′
C. 'A Tale of Two Cities′
D. 'David Copperfield′
5. What is the effect of using an unreliable narrator in fiction?
A. To ensure the reader has a complete and objective understanding of events.
B. To create suspense, ambiguity, and force the reader to question the narrative.
C. To simplify the plot and make the story easier to follow.
D. To establish the author′s authority and viewpoint directly.
6. What is the difference between a 'protagonist′ and an 'antagonist′ in a story?
A. Protagonist is the hero; antagonist is the villain.
B. Protagonist is the central character driving the plot; antagonist opposes the protagonist.
C. Protagonist is always good; antagonist is always evil.
D. Protagonist is the narrator; antagonist is a minor character.
7. Which poet is known for free verse and the collection 'Leaves of Grass,' celebrating American democracy and individualism?
A. Edgar Allan Poe
B. Walt Whitman
C. Emily Dickinson
D. Robert Frost
8. What is stream of consciousness narration?
A. A narrative technique that presents events in chronological order.
B. A narrative technique that depicts the flow of thoughts and feelings in a character′s mind.
C. A narrative technique focused on objective description of external events.
D. A narrative technique using multiple narrators to tell a story.
9. What is the significance of the 'American Dream′ in American literature?
A. It is solely a celebration of economic success and material wealth.
B. It represents the ideal of upward mobility, opportunity, and self-reliance, but is often critiqued for its unattainability.
C. It is a literary movement focusing on escapism and fantasy.
D. It is a purely historical concept with no relevance to contemporary literature.
10. Which poetic form is characterized by 14 lines, typically in iambic pentameter, and a specific rhyme scheme?
A. Haiku
B. Sonnet
C. Free Verse
D. Ballad
11. Which of Shakespeare′s plays is a tragedy centered around a Danish prince seeking revenge for his father′s murder?
A. Macbeth
B. Othello
C. Hamlet
D. King Lear
12. What is the literary term for a recurring symbol or motif in a text?
A. Allusion
B. Allegory
C. Motif
D. Analogy
13. What literary device is defined as a contrast between expectation and reality?
A. Metaphor
B. Simile
C. Irony
D. Personification
14. Which literary movement is characterized by its emphasis on individualism, imagination, and emotion, often contrasting with the Enlightenment′s focus on reason and order?
A. Realism
B. Modernism
C. Romanticism
D. Neoclassicism
15. Which author is famous for Southern Gothic literature, exploring grotesque characters and decaying settings in the American South?
A. Ernest Hemingway
B. F. Scott Fitzgerald
C. William Faulkner
D. John Steinbeck
16. What is the concept of 'willing suspension of disbelief′ important for in literature?
A. It refers to the reader′s critical analysis of a text′s flaws.
B. It is the audience′s acceptance of fantastical or unrealistic elements in a story.
C. It describes the author′s detachment from the characters and plot.
D. It represents the historical accuracy of a literary work.
17. What is the purpose of a 'foil′ character in literature?
A. To confuse the reader about the plot.
B. To highlight certain qualities of a main character through contrast.
C. To always be the villain of the story.
D. To be completely unrelated to the main plot and characters.
18. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic typically associated with Postmodern literature?
A. Metafiction and self-reflexivity.
B. Grand narratives and universal truths.
C. Irony, parody, and pastiche.
D. Fragmentation and unreliable narration.
19. Who wrote 'Moby Dick,' a novel exploring themes of obsession, revenge, and the human condition through a whaling voyage?
A. Herman Melville
B. Nathaniel Hawthorne
C. Edgar Allan Poe
D. Walt Whitman
20. What is the primary function of a dramatic monologue in poetry?
A. To present a dialogue between two or more characters.
B. To reveal the thoughts and feelings of a single speaker in a specific situation.
C. To narrate a story in a detached, objective manner.
D. To provide a historical overview of events.
21. Who is the author of 'Pride and Prejudice,' a novel known for its witty dialogue and social commentary on 19th-century English society?
A. Emily Brontë
B. Jane Austen
C. Charlotte Brontë
D. George Eliot
22. Which literary period in English literature is often referred to as the 'Age of Reason′?
A. Romantic Period
B. Victorian Period
C. Neoclassical Period
D. Modernist Period
23. Which novel by George Orwell satirizes totalitarianism through an allegorical farm?
A. '1984′
B. 'Animal Farm′
C. 'Brave New World′
D. 'Fahrenheit 451′
24. What is the purpose of 'setting′ in a literary work?
A. To only provide geographical location.
B. To establish the time and place of the story and influence mood, character, and theme.
C. To solely describe the physical environment.
D. To serve as mere background information with no thematic relevance.
25. Who is the author of 'The Great Gatsby,' a novel depicting the Roaring Twenties and the elusive American Dream?
A. Ernest Hemingway
B. F. Scott Fitzgerald
C. John Steinbeck
D. William Faulkner
26. What is a key characteristic of Modernist literature?
A. A celebration of traditional societal values and structures.
B. An experimentation with narrative form and stream of consciousness.
C. A focus on nature and the sublime.
D. A return to classical forms and themes.
27. The term 'Lost Generation′ is most often associated with:
A. Victorian poets lamenting industrialization.
B. American writers who came of age during World War I and expressed disillusionment.
C. British Romantic poets who died young.
D. Harlem Renaissance writers struggling for recognition.
28. In American literature, the Harlem Renaissance is best described as:
A. A literary movement focused on rural life in the Southern United States.
B. A period of significant artistic and cultural expression for African American writers and artists.
C. A movement advocating for transcendentalist philosophy in literature.
D. A reaction against industrialization through pastoral poetry.
29. In literary criticism, what does 'deconstruction′ primarily aim to do?
A. To find the single, definitive meaning of a text.
B. To reveal the inherent contradictions and instability of meaning within a text.
C. To analyze a text based on its historical and social context.
D. To evaluate the moral message of a literary work.
30. Who is considered a major figure in the development of English Romantic poetry, known for works like 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner′?
A. William Wordsworth
B. Samuel Taylor Coleridge
C. Lord Byron
D. Percy Bysshe Shelley
