I Write Sins, Not Tragedies Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Mark Twain wrote all these books, but it was "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" that was put on the banned book list in Concord, MA in 1885. In this story, Huck gets tired of being beaten by his father and runs away. He then meets Jim, an African-American (called a negro, as well as the n-word in the book). Jim is a run away slave, but despite this Huck teams up with him and they run away together.

Answer: Beloved

"Beloved" takes place in 1973 and involves a former slave (Sethe) and her daughter, Denver. It is believed a ghost haunts their house and everyone fears this ghost except for Denver. Sethe, and some others work on a farm owned by Mr. Garner. After Mr. Garner dies, however, his brother takes over, and he is very racist and abusive, causing them to run away.

Some of the people are killed; Sethe is still determined to run away, but is raped by some nephews. Her husband Halle sees all that is going on from a loft and goes mad. Beaten and pregnant, Sethe finally manages to run away; she is found by a white girl who helps her. "Beloved" was banned from Plymouth-Canton Schools in Michigan in 2011.

Answer: The Call of the Wild

"The Call of the Wild" is the story of Buck, a half sheepdog, half St. Bernard. Buck lives on a farm until he is kidnapped and sold. His new owners teach him by beating him. He is bought and becomes a sled dog. These owners are abusive to him but eventually they are killed when the ice breaks open and they fall through. Buck is bought by a new owner, Thornton, who is loyal to him and takes good care of him.

"The Call of the Wild" has not only been banned in Italy and Yugoslavia. It was also considered "too radical" by Nazi Germany in the 20s and early 30s and consequently often burned up in fires.

Answer: The Catcher in the Rye

"The Catcher in the Rye" is told by a 16 year old boy in a mental hospital, named Holden Caulfield. He has failed out of three schools and is on his fourth. This book tells about his life and others involved with this school. "The Catcher in the Rye" was the most banned book in schools, including Boron High school, between 1966-1975.

Answer: Fahrenheit 451

"Fahrenheit 451", ironically, is a story about banning books. In the story Guy Montag is a fireman. In this futuristic setting, firemen start fires to burn books, they do not put out fires. Guy ends up stealing a book and starts to think perhaps it's not bad for people to read. It ends up his house is scheduled to be burned with him in it if he does not give up the books he has.

Instead of banning this book in Venado Middle School in Irving, California, copies of the book with the swear words removed (blacked out) were obtained.

Answer: The Grapes of Wrath

"The Grapes of Wrath" is about a man named Tom Joad who is released from prison. He meets a preacher named Jim Casey, who gave up preaching. Jim goes with Tom back to Tom's home only to find it has been deserted. Kern County, where much of "The Grapes of Wrath" is set, was also the first place to ban the book.

Answer: The Great Gatsby

"The Great Gatsby" takes place in the 1920s. Its main character, Nick, moved from Minnesota to New York for business. However, his next door neighbor, Jay Gatsby, does a lot of partying. He is in love with Nick's cousin Daisy, who is married to Tom. However, Tom is having an affair. This book was challenged by the South Carolina Baptist College.

Answer: The Scarlet Letter

"The Scarlet Letter" is about Hester Prynne, who committed adultery and is forced to wear a scarlet A on her clothes for all to see. As a result of the adulterous relationship she has a daughter named Pearl. The father of the child is Rev. Dimmesdale, who feels so guilty his health starts to fail.

He, however, will not admit publicly that he is the child's father. This book has been banned in various school districts, one district which was unnamed stated the book was "pornographic and obscene" in 1977. (http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/censorship/bannedbooksthatshapedamerica)

Answer: To Kill a Mockingbird

"To Kill a Mockingbird" is about a black man named Tom who is accused of raping the daughter of Bob Ewell. Atticus Finch, a lawyer, defends Tom while everyone else believes he is guilty simply because he is black. The story is told through the eyes of Atticus' daughter, Scout. "To Kill a Mockingbird" was banned in Eden Valley, Minnesota in 1977.

Answer: Where the Wild Things Are

"Where the Wild Things Are" tells the story of Max who imagines all these wild creatures. At one point one of them tells him to do something and he says "I'll eat you up" which is what he told his mother earlier that got him in trouble. This book has been banned in the American South.

However, President Obama once read it at an Easter egg hunt at the White House, saying it was one of his favorite books.