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Quiz about Anne Tylers A Patchwork Planet

Anne Tyler's "A Patchwork Planet" Quiz

Anne Tyler's "A Patchwork Planet" is a richly woven tapestry of one man's life.

A multiple-choice quiz by claudiaferguson. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
claudiaferguson

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
150,944

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
13 / 20

Plays
246

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. Anne Tyler's protagonist in "A Patchwork Planet" is named Barnaby. What is Barnaby's last name?
Hint

Morse

Gaitlan

Hepplewhite

Parrish

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Question 2 of 20

2. What is the first line in the novel "A Patchwork Planet"? Hint

My alarm didn't ring.

I'm late again.

I am a man you can trust.

My car broke down.

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Question 3 of 20

3. At the beginning of the book, Barnaby is at Penn Station in Baltimore waiting for the 10:10. Where is Barnaby headed? Hint

New York City

Trenton

Cleveland

Philadelphia

4. While waiting for his train, Barnaby sees a man with a package asking one traveler after another where they are headed because he needs someone to deliver a package to his daughter at the Philadelphia train station. What did the man (Mr. Brimm) say the package contained?

Answer: (Needed for overseas travel)

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Question 5 of 20

5. Who finally agreed to deliver the package to Mr. Brimm's daughter? Hint

Barnaby

No one would take it

The train conductor

Sophia Maynard

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Question 6 of 20

6. What is Barnaby's ex-wife's name? Hint

Natalie

Marcella

Susan

Sarah

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Question 7 of 20

7. Barnaby has a 9 year old daughter. What is her name?
Hint

Sadie

Opal

Rudy

Amy

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Question 8 of 20

8. Barnaby celebrated his 30th birthday early in the book. What did his daughter give him as a birthday gift? Hint

Nothing

Book

Money clip

Tie

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Question 9 of 20

9. Barnaby works for Rent-A-Back, Inc. What is his boss' name? Hint

Mr. Arnold

Mrs. Morley

Mrs. Dibble

Mrs. Alfred

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Question 10 of 20

10. How many years has Barnaby worked for Rent-A-Back, Inc.?
Hint

10 years

11 years

8 years

9 years

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Question 11 of 20

11. Barnaby often partners with another Rent-A-Back, Inc. employee named Martine when performing chores that require more than one person. What is Martine's last name? Hint

Pascoe

Leary

Brooks

Everett

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Question 12 of 20

12. Barnaby drives a very old car given to him by his grandfather. What kind of car? Hint

Buick Electra

Ford Crown Victoria

Oldsmobile Delta 88

Chevrolet Corvette

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Question 13 of 20

13. True or False: Barnaby has two siblings.

True

False

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Question 14 of 20

14. When Barnaby was a juvenile he was often in trouble for breaking into people's houses. What did he do once he broke in?
Hint

Stole valuables

Vandalized the house

Read the mail and looked at photo albums

Raided the liquor cabinet

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Question 15 of 20

15. How much money does Barnaby's mother claim Barnaby owes the family for bailing Barnaby out of his juvenile crimes?
Hint

$7,500

$10,200

$9,300

$8,700

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Question 16 of 20

16. What was the name of the school that Barnaby's parents sent him to in an attempt to get him to straighten-up?
Hint

Metropolitan

Renaissance

St. Bishop's

Farthing School for Boys

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Question 17 of 20

17. True or False: Sophia's aunt, Mrs. Glenn thinks left-handed people are more reliable.

True

False

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Question 18 of 20

18. What did Barnaby's paternal great-grandfather invent?
Hint

Shoe tree

Twinform

Billboard

Mannequin

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Question 19 of 20

19. Which one of Rent-A-Back, Inc.'s clients was sewing a patchwork quilt of the planet Earth? Hint

Mrs. Glenn

Mrs. Morley

Mrs. Hepplewhite

Mrs. Alford

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Question 20 of 20

20. What is the last line in the novel "A Patchwork Planet"? Hint

As usual, I was late again.

Like an old lady's patchwork quilt.

I am a man you can trust.

I finally found my angel.

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Anne Tyler's protagonist in "A Patchwork Planet" is named Barnaby. What is Barnaby's last name?

Answer: Gaitlan

The Gaitlin name was well-known in Philadelphia, as Barnaby's father ran the Gaitlin Foundation.

2. What is the first line in the novel "A Patchwork Planet"?

Answer: I am a man you can trust.

The same line is both the opening line and the closing line in this book.

3. At the beginning of the book, Barnaby is at Penn Station in Baltimore waiting for the 10:10. Where is Barnaby headed?

Answer: Philadelphia

Barnaby is on his way to Philadelphia to visit his 9 year old daughter, whom he sees one Saturday a month.

Answer: Passport

Mr. Brimm's daughter, Esther, is studying abroad for a semester and the plane fare was cheaper if you leave from Philadelphia. Esther forgot her passport at home in Baltimore.

5. Who finally agreed to deliver the package to Mr. Brimm's daughter?

Answer: Sophia Maynard

When Mr. Brimm was going from passenger to passenger looking for someone to deliver the package to his daughter, he bypassed Barnaby entirely. Barnaby was offended that the man didn't ask him to take the package.

6. What is Barnaby's ex-wife's name?

Answer: Natalie

Barnaby and Natalie divorced after the birth of their daughter, Opal. Natalie then got remarried to a lawyer, which made Barnaby feel even more inadequate.

7. Barnaby has a 9 year old daughter. What is her name?

Answer: Opal

Barnaby's relationship with his daughter is strained. He visits her once a month for a few hours because it is expected of him.

8. Barnaby celebrated his 30th birthday early in the book. What did his daughter give him as a birthday gift?

Answer: Money clip

Opal gave Barnaby a money clip she made herself and a card she drew with a picture of Barnaby on the front.

9. Barnaby works for Rent-A-Back, Inc. What is his boss' name?

Answer: Mrs. Dibble

Rent-A-Back, Inc. is an agency that employs the able-bodied to do chores for the old and infirm. Rent-A-Back, Inc.'s slogan is "When your own muscles aren't enough."

10. How many years has Barnaby worked for Rent-A-Back, Inc.?

Answer: 11 years

Barnaby began working for Rent-A-Back, Inc. after being fired from his job at a hardware store for cutting a piece of wood to size for a customer. That customer was Mrs. Dibble, his boss at Rent-A-Back, Inc.

11. Barnaby often partners with another Rent-A-Back, Inc. employee named Martine when performing chores that require more than one person. What is Martine's last name?

Answer: Pascoe

Martine was a little slip of a woman who never shirked her fair share of the work.

12. Barnaby drives a very old car given to him by his grandfather. What kind of car?

Answer: Chevrolet Corvette

Barnaby's maternal grandfather gave him a 1963 Corvette Stingray Coupe with a split rear windshield. The car is unreliable but Barnaby can't afford anything else.

13. True or False: Barnaby has two siblings.

Answer: False

Barnaby's immediate family growing up consisted of Barnaby, his mother, his father, and his brother, Jeff. Barnaby said that the family seemed sparse at mealtimes, like someone was missing.

14. When Barnaby was a juvenile he was often in trouble for breaking into people's houses. What did he do once he broke in?

Answer: Read the mail and looked at photo albums

He was more interested in the lives of the people who lived in the houses than their valuables.

15. How much money does Barnaby's mother claim Barnaby owes the family for bailing Barnaby out of his juvenile crimes?

Answer: $8,700

Barnaby's mother never lets an opportunity pass to remind him of how much money they had to pay to get him off the hook for his burglaries.

16. What was the name of the school that Barnaby's parents sent him to in an attempt to get him to straighten-up?

Answer: Renaissance

The name of the school was "Renaissance" but was pronounced "Ree-Nay-Sense."

17. True or False: Sophia's aunt, Mrs. Glenn thinks left-handed people are more reliable.

Answer: True

Barnaby is left-handed. Mrs. Glenn surmised this fact by noticing that Barnaby sat with her niece, Sophia, to his right.

18. What did Barnaby's paternal great-grandfather invent?

Answer: Twinform

A Twinform was a wooden cut-out model with custom-painted face - so a lady could plan an outfit without having to get undressed.

19. Which one of Rent-A-Back, Inc.'s clients was sewing a patchwork quilt of the planet Earth?

Answer: Mrs. Alford

Mrs. Alfred died toward the end of the book. Barnaby realized she had been his favorite client. He was surprised to find out she had finished her patchwork quilt before passing away, since it was something she had been putting off for a long time.

20. What is the last line in the novel "A Patchwork Planet"?

Answer: I am a man you can trust.

The same line opens and closes this book. At the beginning of the book, Barnaby doesn't necessary believe he is a man who can be trusted but by the end of the book he believes he is a man who can be trusted.

Source: Author claudiaferguson

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