Are you ready to dive into the ultimate test of your reading prowess? Our literature trivia questions are designed to challenge even the most avid readers with plot twists, character arcs & themes. Whether you're brushing up on questions on literature, exploring our elements of literature quiz or tackling fun literature quiz questions, this friendly round of literary elements trivia will sharpen your mind and reignite your passion for storytelling. Click on our trivia literature questions or jump into the full literature quiz to see how you score. Ready, set, read - and start now to discover where your knowledge takes you!
Who is the author of Pride and Prejudice?
Jane Austen
Charlotte Brontë
Mary Shelley
Emily Dickinson
Pride and Prejudice was written by Jane Austen and first published in 1813. It is one of her most enduring works and critiques the social hierarchy of Georgian England. The novel follows Elizabeth Bennet as she navigates issues of manners, upbringing, and marriage. Learn more.
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, what is the name of the main hobbit protagonist?
Bilbo Baggins
Frodo Baggins
Samwise Gamgee
Peregrin Took
Bilbo Baggins is the central character in The Hobbit, embarking on an unexpected journey with a group of dwarves. Tolkien introduced Bilbo as a reluctant hero whose wit and courage grow throughout the tale. His discovery of the One Ring foreshadows events in The Lord of the Rings. Learn more.
George Orwell's 1984 is set in which fictional superstate?
Oceania
Eurasia
Eastasia
Panem
1984 takes place in Oceania, one of three superstates in Orwell’s dystopian world. Oceania is governed by the Party, led by the figurehead Big Brother. The novel explores themes of surveillance, totalitarianism, and language control. Learn more.
Who wrote The Great Gatsby?
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Ernest Hemingway
Sinclair Lewis
John Steinbeck
F. Scott Fitzgerald published The Great Gatsby in 1925, capturing the Jazz Age’s glamour and disillusionment. The novel critiques the American Dream through the tragic figure of Jay Gatsby. Fitzgerald’s lyrical prose has cemented this work as a classic of American literature. Learn more.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, who is the narrator of the story?
Scout Finch
Atticus Finch
Jem Finch
Calpurnia
Scout Finch, whose real name is Jean Louise Finch, narrates To Kill a Mockingbird from her childhood perspective. Through her eyes, readers explore themes of racial injustice and moral growth in the American South. Harper Lee’s choice of a child narrator adds innocence and honesty to the story. Learn more.
What type of farm animal leads the rebellion in Animal Farm?
Pigs
Horses
Sheep
Cows
In Animal Farm, the pigs—led by Napoleon and Snowball—organize and lead the rebellion against human farmers. Orwell uses the pigs to satirize the rise of a political elite in the Soviet Union. Over time, the pigs become indistinguishable from the oppressive humans they replaced. Learn more.
Who is the author of the Harry Potter series?
J.K. Rowling
C.S. Lewis
Roald Dahl
Suzanne Collins
J.K. Rowling is the British author who created the seven-book Harry Potter series. Her work has become a global phenomenon, inspiring films, theme parks, and a dedicated fanbase. Rowling’s storytelling blends magic, friendship, and coming-of-age themes. Learn more.
Which Shakespeare play features the characters Romeo and Juliet?
Romeo and Juliet
Hamlet
Macbeth
Othello
Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies, chronicling the doomed romance between two young lovers from feuding families. The play explores themes of fate, love, and conflict. Its enduring popularity has led to countless adaptations. Learn more.
In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, what title is Macbeth first given that sparks his ambition?
Thane of Cawdor
King of Scotland
Thane of Glamis
Prince of Cumberland
After his successful battle, Macbeth is named Thane of Cawdor, fulfilling part of the witches’ prophecy. This new title ignites his ambition to become king. Shakespeare uses this moment to show how prophecy and power intertwine. Learn more.
In Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, Mr. Rochester’s first name is what?
Edward
Charles
John
Richard
Mr. Rochester’s given name is Edward Fairfax Rochester, revealed midway through the novel. Brontë maintains an air of mystery around his identity before this point. The revelation deepens the intimacy between Rochester and Jane. Learn more.
What term describes a recurring element or symbol in a literary work that reinforces a theme?
Motif
Allegory
Hyperbole
Paradox
A motif is a recurring element—such as an object, phrase, or color—that supports a work’s theme. Writers use motifs to deepen thematic development and connect plot events. Identifying motifs can reveal layers of meaning in a text. Learn more.
In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, what color is most strongly associated with Gatsby’s hopes and dreams?
Green
Yellow
White
Red
The green light at the end of Daisy’s dock represents Gatsby’s hopes for a future with her. Fitzgerald uses this symbol to embody the larger theme of the American Dream’s promise and unattainability. The green light appears frequently to underscore Gatsby’s longing. Learn more.
In Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, how does the famous opening line begin?
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
It was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.
It was a dark and stormy night.
It was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.
Dickens opens A Tale of Two Cities with "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," highlighting the novel’s themes of duality and revolution. This paradoxical line sets up contrasts explored throughout the story. Dickens uses balanced phrasing to emphasize societal extremes. Learn more.
In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, what is Victor Frankenstein’s creature commonly called?
The Monster
The Devil
The Being
The Apparition
Although Victor never names his creation, it is commonly called "the Monster" in criticism and adaptations. Shelley’s text emphasizes the creature’s intelligence and emotion despite its grotesque appearance. The naming reflects humanity’s tendency to dehumanize what is different. Learn more.
Who is the author of One Hundred Years of Solitude?
Gabriel García Márquez
Jorge Luis Borges
Pablo Neruda
Carlos Fuentes
Gabriel García Márquez published One Hundred Years of Solitude in 1967, cementing his reputation as a leader of magical realism. The novel chronicles the Buendía family over multiple generations in the fictional town of Macondo. Its rich narrative and fantastical elements have influenced modern literature. Learn more.
Which novel features the fictional detective Hercule Poirot?
Murder on the Orient Express
The Hound of the Baskervilles
The Big Sleep
The Maltese Falcon
Agatha Christie introduced Hercule Poirot in The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920), but Murder on the Orient Express is one of his most famous cases. Poirot’s meticulous methods and distinctive personality made him one of fiction’s most enduring detectives. Christie wrote over 30 novels featuring him. Learn more.
In Virginia Woolf’s novel To the Lighthouse, which technique is primarily used?
Stream of consciousness
Magical realism
Epistolary
Flashback
Woolf employs the stream-of-consciousness technique to explore her characters’ inner thoughts and perceptions. This narrative style captures the fluidity of memory and time. To the Lighthouse is celebrated for its psychological depth and poetic prose. Learn more.
What is the subtitle of Moby-Dick by Herman Melville?
The Whale
Ahab’s Revenge
White Death
Sea Quest
Moby-Dick is fully titled Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, emphasizing the centrality of the sperm whale to the narrative. Melville’s novel explores obsession, fate, and humanity’s relationship with nature. The subtitle clarifies the novel’s focus on the great white whale. Learn more.
In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, who narrates the story?
Marlow
Kurtz
The Captain
The Chief Accountant
The protagonist Marlow recounts his voyage up the Congo River to a group of listeners aboard a ship on the Thames. Conrad uses Marlow’s perspective to critique colonial exploitation and moral ambiguity. Marlow’s narrative framing adds layers of interpretation and irony. Learn more.
Which novel by Toni Morrison explores the haunting legacy of slavery on a former slave named Sethe?
Beloved
Song of Solomon
Jazz
Paradise
Beloved (1987) is Morrison’s novel about Sethe, who is haunted by the ghost of her deceased daughter. The book examines the psychological and supernatural ramifications of slavery. Morrison won the Pulitzer Prize for this powerful narrative. Learn more.
In James Joyce’s Ulysses, the narrative parallels the journey of whom from The Odyssey?
Odysseus
Achilles
Troy
Zeus
Ulysses retells Homer’s epic by following Leopold Bloom through a single day in Dublin, mirroring Odysseus’s wanderings. Joyce’s modernist novel draws on classical themes of homecoming, identity, and adventure. The parallel structure enriches the exploration of everyday life. Learn more.
The phrase "Big Brother is watching you" appears in which George Orwell novel?
1984
Animal Farm
Brave New World
Fahrenheit 451
In 1984, Big Brother symbolizes the Party’s oppressive surveillance and control over citizens. Posters bearing the slogan remind characters—and readers—of the omnipresent government scrutiny. Orwell’s warning about totalitarianism remains culturally resonant. Learn more.
In Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace, which two families does the novel primarily follow?
Rostov and Bolkonsky
Karamazov and Lebedev
Bezukhov and Bazarov
Dolgoruky and Drubetskoy
War and Peace centers on the aristocratic Rostov and Bolkonsky families as they navigate the Napoleonic Wars. Tolstoy examines personal, social, and historical transformations through these interwoven narratives. The novel’s breadth and depth have made it a pinnacle of realist literature. Learn more.
In Dante's Divine Comedy, which realm does Dante traverse after Hell?
Purgatory
Eden
Limbo
Mount Olympus
After his journey through Hell (Inferno), Dante ascends Mount Purgatory in the second part of the Divine Comedy. Purgatory represents purification and penance before reaching Paradise. The structured progression mirrors medieval Christian cosmology. Learn more.
Which term describes Shakespeare’s use of a character speaking thoughts aloud while alone on stage?
Soliloquy
Aside
Monologue
Dialogue
A soliloquy is a device in which a character speaks inner thoughts to the audience while alone on stage. Shakespeare uses soliloquies to reveal motivations, conflicts, and emotions directly. Famous examples include Hamlet’s “To be or not to be.” Learn more.
0
{"name":"Who is the author of Pride and Prejudice?", "url":"https://www.quiz-maker.com/QPREVIEW","txt":"Who is the author of Pride and Prejudice?, In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, what is the name of the main hobbit protagonist?, George Orwell's 1984 is set in which fictional superstate?","img":"https://www.quiz-maker.com/3012/images/ogquiz.png"}
Study Outcomes
Recognize Plot Twists -
Recognize major plot twists featured in questions on literature and explain their impact on story progression.
Analyze Character Development -
Analyze character arcs through literary elements trivia and articulate how motivations and transformations drive the narrative.
Interpret Themes and Motifs -
Interpret central themes and motifs presented in literature trivia questions and connect them to broader literary contexts.
Identify Literary Elements -
Identify key literary elements such as symbolism, setting, and narrative perspective within the elements of literature quiz.
Apply Literary Knowledge -
Apply insights from the literature quiz questions to deepen your understanding of storytelling techniques and critical analysis.
Cheat Sheet
Plot Structure Mastery -
Freytag's Pyramid (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, denouement) is key to conquering literature trivia questions on plot twists. Use the mnemonic "E R C F D" ("Every Real Climax Feels Dramatic") to recall each stage effortlessly. (Source: Purdue OWL)
Character Archetypes -
Recognize protagonists, antagonists, foils and the difference between dynamic and static characters to tackle questions on literature character arcs. Try "PADS" (Protagonist, Antagonist, Dynamic, Static) as a quick memory aid and think of Elizabeth Bennet vs. Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. (Source: SparkNotes)
Themes and Motifs -
Identify universal themes like identity, power, love or betrayal, and recurring motifs such as color symbolism to excel at literary elements trivia. Remember "PILB" (Power, Identity, Love, Betrayal) and link each theme to a symbol - like the white whale in Moby Dick. (Source: CliffsNotes)
Literary Devices -
Master devices such as metaphor, symbolism, irony and foreshadowing for sharp answers on literature quiz questions. Use "M S I F" (Metaphor, Symbolism, Irony, Foreshadowing) and spot examples like the prologue foreshadowing in Romeo and Juliet. (Source: JSTOR)
Narrative Perspective -
Differentiate first-, second- and third-person (limited vs. omniscient) narration to ace questions on literature point of view. Mnemonic "1,2,3, L/O" helps you recall each style - consider Nick Carraway's first-person in The Great Gatsby. (Source: MLA Handbook)
