English Literature MCQ – Change your future

1426. Although Charles Johnson's Oxherding Tales is based on his Buddhist beliefs, he meant the novel to be a reworking of an American genre, the slave narrative. In what way is the novel, despite its philosophical underpinnings, an exemplar of the slave narrative?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: A) Its character's movement from slavery to freedom.

Exam Relevance: AP English Literature and Composition

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: The core concept is the structure of the slave narrative genre, focusing on the protagonist's journey from slavery to freedom.

Common Mistakes: Misunderstanding the genre's focus on freedom rather than religious themes or sensationalism.

Explanations: The novel follows the protagonist's journey from slavery to freedom, a hallmark of the slave narrative genre. This movement underscores the protagonist's liberation and self-discovery, aligning with the genre's conventions.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Correct. The novel's protagonist moves from slavery to freedom, a key element of the slave narrative.
Option B: Incorrect. The novel emphasizes Buddhist beliefs, not Christian ideals.
Option C: Incorrect. The novel does not focus on sensationalist violence typical of some slave narratives.
Option D: Incorrect. While the novel has a teaching tone, this is not the defining feature of the slave narrative genre.

Mnemonic: "Slave to Free: The Journey"

1427. 'Bauble' means.....

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: B) 'pretty, bright thing of no value'.

Exam Relevance: SAT, ACT

Difficulty: Very Easy

Concept notes: The term 'bauble' refers to a small, shiny, and often worthless object.

Common Mistakes: Misunderstanding the term as related to energy or cost rather than appearance and lack of value.

Explanations: 'Bauble' describes something attractive but without real value, matching option B.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Incorrect; 'waste of energy' does not fit the definition.
Option B: Correct; accurately describes a bauble.
Option C: Incorrect; baubles are not costly or meant to be remembered.
Option D: Incorrect; option B is correct.

Mnemonic: Bauble is a Brite and Beautiful object, but Barely of value.

1428. What does the term meta-language mean, according to Andrzej Warminski?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: A) A language about another language.

Exam Relevance: GRE Subject Test in Literature in English, TOEFL iBT

Difficulty: Easy

Concept notes: Meta-language is a language used to describe or analyze another language.

Common Mistakes: Misunderstanding meta-language as a supernatural or fictional language.

Explanations: Meta-language is a tool for linguistic analysis, used to discuss the structure, grammar, or usage of another language.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Correct, as it defines meta-language accurately.
Option B: Incorrect, as meta-language is not supernatural.
Option C: Incorrect, as meta-language is a real language tool.
Option D: Incorrect, as meta-language is not limited to marginalized groups.

Mnemonic: Meta-language is a language that talks about another language, just like metadata talks about data.

1429. All of the following are ways Dracula represents the "monstrous Other" EXCEPT:

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: C) Dracula as usurper of the British class system.

Exam Relevance: AQA GCSE English Literature, Edexcel A Level English Literature

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: The "monstrous Other" refers to characters that challenge societal norms and values. Dracula embodies this through his foreignness, sexuality, and defiance of divine order.

Common Mistakes: A common mistake is assuming Dracula's role as a class usurper is central to his characterization, when it is not emphasized in the novel.

Explanations: Dracula represents the "monstrous Other" by challenging Victorian norms through his foreignness, predatory sexuality, and defiance of religious order. His role as a class usurper is not a central aspect of his characterization.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Dracula's foreignness makes him a threat to British society, fitting the "monstrous Other" concept.
Option B: His predatory nature challenges Victorian sexual norms, making him a "monstrous Other."
Option C: The novel does not depict Dracula as altering the British class system, so this does not fit the concept.
Option D: Dracula's defiance of divine order makes him a transgressor, fitting the "monstrous Other" concept.

1430. What did Mary Shelley write?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: D) Frankenstein

Exam Relevance: GCSE English Literature, AP English Literature and Composition

Difficulty: Very Easy

Concept notes: Mary Shelley is a significant figure in English literature, known primarily for her novel "Frankenstein."

Common Mistakes: Students might confuse Mary Shelley with other authors like William Shakespeare, who wrote "Hamlet" and "Romeo and Juliet."

Explanations: Mary Shelley authored "Frankenstein," a foundational work in Gothic and science fiction genres. The novel explores themes of creation and responsibility.

Option Analysis:

Option A: "Hamlet" is a play by William Shakespeare, not Mary Shelley.
Option B: "Romeo and Juliet" is also by William Shakespeare.
Option C: While Shelley wrote poetry, her most famous work is "Frankenstein."
Option D: Correct. "Frankenstein" is Shelley's most renowned work.

Mnemonic: Mary Shelley's Monster is Frankenstein, not a poem or a play by Shakespeare.

1431. After Milton went blind, he was able to compose poetry by using .....

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: B) Dictation.

Exam Relevance: AP English Literature, Cambridge IGCSE English Literature

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: John Milton, after becoming blind, composed his poetry through dictation, relying on others to transcribe his words.

Common Mistakes: A common mistake is assuming Braille was available during Milton's time, but it was invented much later.

Explanations: Milton used dictation to compose his works after losing his sight. This method involved him speaking his lines, which were then written down by others. There is no historical evidence suggesting he used Braille, an abacus, or a personal code for composition.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Braille was not invented until the 19th century, long after Milton's time.
Option B: Milton used dictation to compose his poetry after becoming blind.
Option C: There is no historical evidence of Milton using a personal code for composition.
Option D: An abacus is used for calculations, not for composing poetry.

Mnemonic: "Dictate to Create" - Milton dictated his works to others to create his poetry.

1432. The convict refers to prison as.....

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: D) Hell

Exam Relevance: GCSE English Literature, A-Level English Literature

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: In English literature, prisons are often depicted as hellish places due to their harsh conditions and psychological torment.

Common Mistakes: A common mistake is confusing the metaphorical representation of a prison with its literal functions, such as being a home or workplace.

Explanations: Prisons are frequently portrayed as hellish in literature because they represent suffering, loss of freedom, and psychological distress. This aligns with the convict's perspective of the prison as a place of torment.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Incorrect because a prison is not a home; it is a place of confinement and punishment.
Option B: Incorrect because a prison is not a workplace; it is a place of detention.
Option C: Incorrect because a prison is not heaven; it is a place of suffering and hardship.
Option D: Correct because prisons are often depicted as hellish in literature due to their harsh conditions and psychological torment.

Mnemonic: Prison is Hell for the convict, not a Home, Workplace, or Heaven.

1433. Which of Washington Irving's characters falls asleep for twenty years?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: D) Rip van Winkle

Exam Relevance: SAT Subject Test in Literature

Difficulty: Very Easy

Concept notes: The question tests knowledge of Washington Irving's characters and their associated stories.

Common Mistakes: Students might confuse Rip van Winkle with other literary characters from different authors.

Explanations: Rip van Winkle is a character from Washington Irving's "Rip Van Winkle," known for sleeping for twenty years. The other options are characters from different authors: Tom Buchanan from F. Scott Fitzgerald, Tom Joad from John Steinbeck, and Philip Marlowe from Raymond Chandler.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Tom Buchanan is a character from F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby," unrelated to Washington Irving.
Option B: Tom Joad is from John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath," not associated with Washington Irving.
Option C: Philip Marlowe is a detective character created by Raymond Chandler, appearing in works like "The Big Sleep."
Option D: Rip van Winkle is the correct character from Washington Irving's story, known for his long sleep.

Mnemonic: No mnemonic.

1434. How does this quotation from Behn's Oroonoko most suggest its status as an early novel: "I do not pretend, in giving you the history of this Royal Slave, to entertain my reader with adventures of a feigned hero, whose life and fortunes fancy may manage at the poet's pleasure."

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: B) It denies being imagined in favor of claims of realism.

Exam Relevance: AP English Literature and Composition

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: The quotation reflects the early novel's emphasis on realism and authenticity, distinguishing it from earlier literary forms.

Common Mistakes: Misunderstanding the focus on realism over the presence of a royal hero or adventures.

Explanations: The quotation emphasizes the author's intent to present a factual account, aligning with the early novel's shift towards realism. This is evident in the denial of feigned heroes and imagined adventures, highlighting the novel's focus on authentic storytelling.

Option Analysis:

Option A: The focus is not on the hero's royalty but on the story's authenticity.
Option B: Correctly identifies the emphasis on realism over imagination.
Option C: The quotation dismisses fictional adventures, making this incorrect.
Option D: The text contrasts with poetry, not connects to it.

Mnemonic: Realism Rejects Romance

1435. ..... is the place where Young Marlow meets Tony Lumpkin for the first time.

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: A) The Three Pigeons.

Exam Relevance: GCSE English Literature

Difficulty: Very Easy

Concept notes: The play "She Stoops to Conquer" by Oliver Goldsmith features the first meeting of Young Marlow and Tony Lumpkin at The Three Pigeons.

Common Mistakes: Students might confuse the setting with other locations mentioned in the play.

Explanations: In "She Stoops to Conquer," Young Marlow and Tony Lumpkin first meet at The Three Pigeons, a tavern. This is a key setting in the play where their initial interaction occurs.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Correct. The Three Pigeons is where they first meet.
Option B: Incorrect. A garden is not the setting of their first meeting.
Option C: Incorrect. A hotel is not mentioned in the play.
Option D: Incorrect. His house is not where they first meet.

Mnemonic: No mnemonic.

1436. A postmodern play would most likely not make use of which of the following theatrical traditions?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: A) A minimalist stage and strict adherence to the script.

Exam Relevance: AP English Literature and Composition

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: Postmodern plays often reject traditional narrative structures and embrace a variety of modern and popular cultural elements.

Common Mistakes: Misunderstanding the contrast between modernist and postmodernist theatrical traditions.

Explanations: Postmodern plays tend to use nonlinear storytelling, embrace popular culture, and mix different sources and styles. A minimalist stage with strict script adherence is more aligned with modernist or traditional approaches, which postmodernism tends to subvert.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Postmodernism avoids strict adherence to a single narrative or minimalist staging. This is characteristic of modernist or traditional approaches, not postmodernism.
Option B: Video clips and popular music are common in postmodern plays, which embrace modern and popular cultural elements.
Option C: Nonlinear storytelling and embracing popular culture are hallmarks of postmodernism.
Option D: A pastiche of different sources is typical in postmodern works, which often mix and juxtapose various styles and references.

Mnemonic: Postmodern plays mix, mingle, and mingle, never stick to one style or script.

1437. Who wrote an epic 'The Faerie Queen'?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: A) Edmund Spenser.

Exam Relevance: GCSE English Literature, A-Level English Literature

Difficulty: Very Easy

Concept notes: Edmund Spenser is the author of 'The Faerie Queen', a significant work in English literature.

Common Mistakes: Confusion may arise between Edmund Spenser and other poets like T. S. Eliot or Alfred Tennyson, who are known for different works.

Explanations: Edmund Spenser wrote 'The Faerie Queen', a long poem filled with allegorical characters representing moral and political virtues. This work is a cornerstone of English Renaissance literature.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Correct. Edmund Spenser authored 'The Faerie Queen'.
Option B: Incorrect. T. S. Eliot is known for modernist works like 'The Waste Land'.
Option C: Incorrect. Robert Browning is known for dramatic monologues and works like 'My Last Duchess'.
Option D: Incorrect. Alfred Tennyson is a Victorian poet known for 'In Memoriam' and 'The Charge of the Light Brigade'.

Mnemonic: No mnemonic.

1438. William Faulkner was born in New Orleans

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: B) False.

Exam Relevance: AP English Literature and Composition

Difficulty: Very Easy

Concept notes: William Faulkner was born in Oxford, Mississippi, not New Orleans.

Common Mistakes: A common mistake is confusing Faulkner's birthplace with New Orleans, where he later lived.

Explanations: William Faulkner was born in Oxford, Mississippi, on September 25, 1897. While he spent time in New Orleans later in his life, his birthplace is Oxford, Mississippi.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Incorrect, as Faulkner was not born in New Orleans.
Option B: Correct, as Faulkner was born in Oxford, Mississippi.

Mnemonic: No mnemonic.

1439. Who was Fearenside?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: C) Coach man

Exam Relevance: GCSE English Literature

Difficulty: Easy

Concept notes: Fearenside is a character from "The Invisible Man" by H.G. Wells, known for his role as the coachman.

Common Mistakes: Confusing Fearenside with other characters like Mr. Hall or Griffin.

Explanations: Fearenside is the coachman at the Coach and Horses Inn, making option C correct.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Mr. Hall is the landlord, not the coachman.
Option B: Mr. Marvel is a tramp, not the coachman.
Option C: Fearenside is the coachman, correct.
Option D: Griffin is the invisible man, not the coachman.

Mnemonic: Fearenside drives, so he's the coachman.

1440. According to Langston Hughes's essay "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain" (his answer to George Schuyler's essay "Negro Art Hokum"), what is the "mountain" that stands in the way of "any true Negro art in America"?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: C) It is a widespread "urge toward whiteness" among African Americans.

Exam Relevance: AP English Literature and Composition

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: The essay highlights internalized racism within the African American community as the main barrier to authentic Negro art.

Common Mistakes: Misunderstanding the focus on internal pressures rather than external discrimination.

Explanations: Langston Hughes identifies the "urge toward whiteness" as the primary obstacle. This refers to the internalized pressure among African Americans to conform to white cultural and aesthetic standards, which stifles the creation of genuine Negro art.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Incorrect. The essay focuses on internal pressures, not external discrimination.
Option B: Incorrect. Segregation is a historical issue but not the main focus of the essay.
Option C: Correct. The "urge toward whiteness" is the key barrier Hughes discusses.
Option D: Incorrect. The essay does not address white Americans' cultural incorporation.

Mnemonic: White pressure, not white walls, block Negro art.

⬅ Previous SetSet 96Next Set ➡

10 thoughts on “English Literature MCQ - Set 96”

Mani January 4, 2020
You’re might me mistaken For this which poet called himself ” I awake one morning and found myself famous” The Answer is Shelley.
I think u might me mistaken
Anwar Ahmad January 4, 2020
Nice efforts
Anwar Ahmad January 6, 2020
Good practice method
Narinder Singh March 26, 2020
I need objective type questions
Anonymous June 3, 2020
Good practise method
Anonymous September 19, 2020
Lord Byron
Susil October 17, 2020
Great information. I like it.
Anonymous February 2, 2021
Byron
Anonymous September 12, 2021
Lord byron
Lucky November 19, 2022
very nice . its very usefull for us

10 thoughts on “English Literature MCQ - Set 96”

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