Fictional Characters from Mississippi Quiz

Answer: Kermit the Frog

Leland, Mississippi was the hometown of "Muppets" creator Jim Henson so it is only fitting his most famous Muppet was born there. According to the official Kermit the Frog autobiography, Kermit was the oldest of over two thousand children. Kermit is probably the most recognized of Jim Henson's puppets.

He had appeared on a number of shows over his decades in show business. He was voiced by Jim Henson until Henson's death in 1990 and has been voiced by many artists since then.

Answer: William Faulkner

Gavin Stevens is a Harvard-educated lawyer whose attitude and knowledge frequently clash with the less-educated people of Yoknapatawpha County. He first appeared in Faulkner's "Sanctuary", although as a minor character. Stevens mostly takes on the part of the "detective" investigating crimes and the daily life of the local people.

Answer: She married Stanley Kowalski

Blanche did not marry Stanley. Her sister Stella did and together Stella and Stanley now live in New Orleans.

Blanche was once a typical southern belle, beautiful and wealthy. Things take a turn for the worse when she catches her husband having an affair with a man. This causes him to commit suicide. His death, along with several others in the family, cause Blanche (and Stella) to lose much of their inheritance, including their family home. Blanche then takes a teaching position but loses that job when she has an affair with a student. Soon, all of Blanche's affairs are exposed and she is forced to leave Mississippi because of the humiliation.

Answer: Titus Andromedon

Titus is played by Tituss Burgess. Titus was born Ronald Wilkerson in Chickasaw County. He was raised by several aunts and always knew he was gay. However, he could not come out in such a conservative area so he kept his sexuality a secret. In high school, he was a popular football player and prom king.

He nearly married his childhood friend Vonda until hiding himself became too much for him to handle. He fled Mississippi for New York to become a Broadway star under the name Titus Andromedon.

Answer: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" is one of Tennessee Williams' most famous plays. It centers around so-called Cotton King Big Daddy Pollitt and his family one evening. Big Daddy is dying but his family has kept this secret from him in much the same way they keep big secrets from each other. Everything is exposed on the evening of Big Daddy's birthday. Maggie is married to Big Daddy's son Brick but Brick is a chronic alcoholic and their marriage is strained. Maggie is upset with Brick because of their lack of a sex life and because Brick is more than willing to let his brother Gooper take all the inheritance after Big Daddy's upcoming death.

Answer: Mississippi Burning

"Mississippi Burning" was a controversial film upon its released. It was criticized for portraying a fictional version of the actual Mississippi Burning Murders in Neshoba County.

In the film, Gene Hackman plays Rupert Anderson, a former Mississippi Sheriff turned FBI Agent, and Willem Dafoe plays his partner Alan Ward. Anderson and Ward are investigating the disappearance of three civil rights workers who vanished while running a voter registry for African-Americans. The film rife with racial tension and many white citizens are not willing to help.

Answer: Daniel

"The Ponder Heart" takes place in rural Clay County where Daniel Ponder has inherited a large fortune. Daniel is very generous and is always giving money and gifts away. However, his mental deficiencies make him a target, not only by grifters but by his family as well.

His father, Sam and his niece Edna are worried that Daniel's open hand will leave nothing for them. They try desperately to get him committed to mental hospital so they can control the money.

Answer: Bundren

In "As I Lay Dying", the Bundren Family leaves their home in the rural Mississippi countryside to travel by wagon to Jefferson so Addie can be buried in her hometown. A storm had washed out all the roads and bridges, forcing the Bundrens to use a wagon. Each member of the family has his or her own selfish reasons for making the trip and only use Addie's death as a cover.

The Bundrens are forced into hot and difficult conditions on their quest and meet several people along the way who are critical of their decisions, especially since they are dragging Addie's unpreserved body with them wherever they go.

Answer: In the Heat of the Night

"In the Heat of the Night" starred Howard Rollins as Virgil Tibbs. Tibbs was a Philadelphia officer before he relocated to his hometown of Sparta at the urging of the mayor. Tibbs is the only black officer in a predominately white police station in 1960s Mississippi.

The mayor only offered Tibbs the position to make a case that he is not racist as he runs for Congress. Carroll O'Connor plays William Gillespie, the police chief. Gillespie often clashes with Tibbs over race and refuses to believe the other officers are racist.

Despite this, Tibbs and Gillespie make quite the police team.

Answer: Eugenia Phelan

"The Help" is a 2011 film focusing on black domestic workers (called the Help) in 1960s Mississippi. Viola Davis plays Aibileen Clark, a maid in the home of wealthy socialite woman. Clark shares her personal thoughts with Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan (Emma Stone). Eugenia is friends with Aibileen's employer although Skeeter is far more progressive on race issues and bonds with Aibileen.

Octavia Spencer plays Minny Jackson, a friend of Aibileen's and a maid in another household. Minny is less compliant than social norms of the time and she is fired when she refuses to use the help's bathroom. She finds a new position in a more tolerant household. Her replacement is Yule May (Aunjanue Ellis).

Many of the maids experience cruelty at their employers hands and are often falsely accused of thefts to render them not hirable in other places. Skeeter writes a book of stories collected from these maids. However, the maids fear that if Skeeter publishes the book, they may be further punished.