English Language

Literary Analysis

4,216 Questions

Analyze classic and modernist novels, autobiographies, plays, and graphic novels across various genres. This topic tests your familiarity with prominent authors, literary movements, and thematic elements. Questions appear regularly in the English language sections of SSC, banking, and teaching competency exams.

Classic and modernist novelsAutobiographies and biographiesPoetic language and farcesThematic literary elements

Literary Analysis Questions

Multiple choice

Which novel by Gore Vidal tells the story of the American Revolution from the perspective of Aaron Burr?

  1. Lincoln

  2. Burr

  3. 1876

  4. Empire
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Burr is a historical novel by Gore Vidal that tells the story of the American Revolution from the perspective of Aaron Burr, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.

Multiple choice

In Joseph Heller's Catch-22, what is the name of the fictional military base where the story takes place?

  1. Pianosa

  2. Elba

  3. Sardinia

  4. Sicily
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Catch-22 is a satirical novel by Joseph Heller that tells the story of Yossarian, a bombardier in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, who is stationed on the fictional island of Pianosa.

Multiple choice

Which novel by Mario Vargas Llosa tells the story of the Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori?

  1. The Feast of the Goat

  2. The War of the End of the World

  3. The Dream of the Celt

  4. Conversation in The Cathedral
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Feast of the Goat is a historical novel by Mario Vargas Llosa that tells the story of the Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori, who ruled the country from 1990 to 2000.

Multiple choice

Which novel by Margaret Atwood tells the story of a dystopian society in which women are forced to become Handmaids?

  1. The Handmaid's Tale

  2. Oryx and Crake

  3. The Blind Assassin

  4. Cat's Eye
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Handmaid's Tale is a dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood that tells the story of a society in which women are forced to become Handmaids, who are used for breeding purposes.

Multiple choice

Which novel by Ernest Hemingway tells the story of a group of American volunteers who fight in the Spanish Civil War?

  1. For Whom the Bell Tolls

  2. The Old Man and the Sea

  3. A Farewell to Arms

  4. The Sun Also Rises
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

For Whom the Bell Tolls is a novel by Ernest Hemingway that tells the story of a group of American volunteers who fight in the Spanish Civil War.

Multiple choice

In John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, what is the name of the family who is forced to leave their farm during the Dust Bowl and travel to California?

  1. The Joads

  2. The Wilsons

  3. The Thompsons

  4. The Smiths
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Grapes of Wrath is a novel by John Steinbeck that tells the story of the Joad family, who are forced to leave their farm during the Dust Bowl and travel to California in search of a better life.

Multiple choice

Which novel by Harper Lee tells the story of a young girl who witnesses the trial of her father, who is accused of raping a white woman?

  1. To Kill a Mockingbird

  2. Go Set a Watchman

  3. The Long Goodbye

  4. The Maltese Falcon
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel by Harper Lee that tells the story of a young girl who witnesses the trial of her father, who is accused of raping a white woman.

Multiple choice

Which novel by Sinclair Lewis tells the story of a small-town doctor who struggles against the forces of ignorance and superstition?

  1. Main Street

  2. Babbitt

  3. Arrowsmith

  4. Elmer Gantry
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Arrowsmith is a novel by Sinclair Lewis that tells the story of a small-town doctor who struggles against the forces of ignorance and superstition.

Multiple choice

Which novel by Jack London tells the story of a gold prospector who becomes obsessed with finding a lost gold mine?

  1. The Call of the Wild

  2. White Fang

  3. The Sea-Wolf

  4. The Call of the Klondike
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Call of the Klondike is a novel by Jack London that tells the story of a gold prospector who becomes obsessed with finding a lost gold mine.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of a tragic hero in contemporary literature?

  1. Jay Gatsby

  2. Atticus Finch

  3. Harry Potter

  4. Sherlock Holmes
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Jay Gatsby is an example of a tragic hero in contemporary literature, as he is a character who is ultimately destroyed by his own hubris.

Multiple choice

Which historical drama series is set during the American Civil War and follows the lives of the wealthy Crawley family and their servants?

  1. The Crown

  2. Game of Thrones

  3. Downton Abbey

  4. The Tudors
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Downton Abbey, which aired from 2010 to 2015, is a historical drama series that follows the lives of the wealthy Crawley family and their servants in the early 20th century.

Multiple choice

Which historical drama series is set during the French Revolution and follows the lives of the people of Paris as they navigate the political and social upheaval of the time?

  1. The Crown

  2. Game of Thrones

  3. Downton Abbey

  4. The French Revolution
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The French Revolution, which aired from 2012 to 2013, is a historical drama series that follows the lives of the people of Paris during the French Revolution.

Multiple choice

Which literary work by Henry David Thoreau is considered a seminal text in the field of environmental writing?

  1. Walden

  2. A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers

  3. The Maine Woods

  4. Cape Cod
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Henry David Thoreau's 'Walden' is a seminal text in environmental writing, documenting his experiences living in a cabin in the woods for two years, and exploring themes of self-reliance, nature, and the human relationship with the environment.

Multiple choice

Which literary work by Rachel Carson is credited with raising awareness about the dangers of pesticides and their impact on the environment?

  1. Silent Spring

  2. The Sea Around Us

  3. Under the Sea-Wind

  4. The Edge of the Sea
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Rachel Carson's 'Silent Spring' is a groundbreaking work that brought attention to the dangers of pesticides, particularly DDT, and their devastating impact on the environment and wildlife.

Multiple choice

Which literary work by Aldo Leopold is considered a classic in the field of environmental ethics?

  1. A Sand County Almanac

  2. Round River

  3. The River of the Mother of God

  4. A Taste of Honey
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Aldo Leopold's 'A Sand County Almanac' is a collection of essays that explores the relationship between humans and the natural world, and is considered a foundational work in the field of environmental ethics.