Happy Ever After: The End Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sam

Two members of the fellowship have their weddings mentioned in the novel. Aragorn married Arwen, and Sam married Rosie Cotton. In the novel the newly wed couple move into Bag End to look after Frodo in the period before he sails away with the elves to the Grey Havens. Frodo himself didn't marry and Boromir was killed at the beginning of the second book in the trilogy, 'The Two Towers'. There is no information in the novels regarding the marital status of Legolas.

The photo hint was a clue to the bride's name.

Answer: Jane Eyre

'Jane Eyre' was written by Charlotte Brontė, and was the first of three novels to be published in her lifetime. The others were 'Shirley' and 'Villette'. 'Jane Eyre' was published in 1847 and tells the story of the title character, including her childhood with an unkind aunt and her schooldays at Lowood Institution. After leaving, Jane becomes the governess at Thornfield Hall where she falls in love with the owner of the house, Mr. Rochester. Unfortunately, he is already married, but all ends well - eventually. The words quoted in the question are the opening lines of the final chapter. 'Wuthering Heights' was the only novel written by Emily Brontė and Anne Brontė wrote both of the other two novels listed as options.

The photo hint? Well, it could be a 'hot-eyre' balloon.

Answer: E M Forster

The novel is 'A Room with a View', which was published in 1908. Lucy Honeychurch and her chaperone, and cousin, Charlotte Bartlett, are disappointed to find that their hotel room does not have the promised view of the river Arno. Mr. Emerson, another guest, offers to exchange the room occupied by himself and his son, but Charlotte is offended by his presumption. The novel covers themes of class distinction, with the Emersons being considered 'beneath her' by Charlotte. Eventually, love conquers all and Lucy elopes to Florence with George, cutting all ties with her previous life.

The photo is of a forest, as Forster has a woodworking connection.

Answer: Bacteria

The novel by H G Wells was published in 1898 and tells the story of a Martian invasion of Earth. Initially, the invaders are unstoppable, killing anyone in their way and only a few people managing to escape on a ship. The narrator of the novel reaches the point of despair, deciding to sacrifice himself to the Martians, only to discover that they have been killed by bacteria, having no immunity to those found on Earth. This is not a traditional 'happy ever after' ending, although the narrator is reunited with the wife he had assumed to be dead.

The photo is of some unspecified bacteria.

Answer: Exmoor

The full title of the novel is 'Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor' and it was published in 1869. The heroine is an apparent member of the Doone clan, notorious for their wild, and illegal, ways. She meets the farmer John Ridd, whose father was killed by one of the Doones, and they fall in love. Lorna is eventually discovered to be an heiress, kidnapped by the Doones, and leaves the area. She finally returns to marry John Ridd, only to be shot during her wedding by Carver Doone. As this is a 'happy ending' quiz, she survives the attack.

The photo shows a pair of Exmoor ponies as an additional hint.

Answer: Pride and Prejudice

All the novels listed were written by Jane Austen, but it was Lydia's older sisters, Elizabeth and Jane, who have the 'happy ever after' ending in 'Pride and Prejudice'. The main focus of the novel is Elizabeth Bennet and her relationship with Fitzwilliam Darcy. His pride and her prejudice about him lead to many misunderstandings, but it is his help in bringing a respectable end to the flighty Lydia's elopement with George Wickham which eventually brings the couple together. At the same time, Elizabeth's older sister, Jane, marries Charles Bingley.

The photo clue shows a pride of lions.

Answer: Tom Jones

'The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling' was first published in 1749. Written by Henry Fielding, the book traces Tom's life from the time he is found as a baby, placed in a bed in the house owned by Squire Allworthy. The novel does not hold back from describing the problems caused to Tom by being illegitimate, nor does it gloss over his affairs with married women and wayward lifestyle. Eventually, Tom is revealed to be the child of Squire Allworthy's sister, and marries the entirely pure and respectable Sophia. The other three books listed were all written by Charles Dickens.

The photo hint? Well, the Welsh singer Tom Jones sang 'What's New Pussycat'. As one player pointed out, the cat might well be a tomcat, too.

Answer: Puck

The convoluted plot has Hermia and Lysander in love with each other, Helena in love with Demetrius, who is the man Hermia's father insists she should marry. This is no problem to Demetrius, since he believes himself in love with Hermia himself, but she elopes to the forest with Lysander, with Helena and Demetrius in pursuit. Oberon and Titania, the king and queen of the fairies, interfere with events, with both Lysander and Demetrius turning their affections to Helena, before Oberon's servant, Puck (also referred to as Robin Goodfellow), restores order. Ariel is the spirit from 'The Tempest' and Touchstone is from 'As You Like It'. Feste features in 'Twelfth Night'.

The photo clue is more literal than most, showing a hockey puck.

Answer: Nevil Shute

The narrative of 'A Town Like Alice' begins when Jean inherits a large sum of money, which is held in trust for her and managed by the lawyer, Noel Strachan. When she tells him that the first thing she wants to do with her newly acquired fortune is to build a well in Malaya, the lawyer learns of her experiences as a prisoner of the Japanese during the war. Jean had come across an Australian, named Joe Harman, but had believed him to be dead. The pair eventually meet again and marry, with Jean using her money to develop the town where they live to become like Alice Springs, giving the book its title. Shute himself had just moved to Australia when he wrote the novel, and many of his later works are set in his adopted country.

The photo clue shows a slide, which could also be called a chute.

Answer: Winter

The novel came out in 1938, and has one of the best known opening lines in literature as the second Mrs. de Winter says 'Last night I dreamed I went to "Manderley" again'. The second wife of Maxim de Winter has met and married the widower who is around twenty years her senior. His first wife, Rebecca, had died around twelve months previously in what was believed to be an accident. The house, named 'Manderley', is run by a housekeeper named Mrs. Danvers, who refuses to accept the new wife who she compares unfavourably to the impossibly perfect Rebecca. The story ends with 'Manderley' being destroyed by fire and the promise of a happier future for the couple.

The photo clue is a literal depiction of a winter scene.