Australian Literature Trivia Quiz

Answer: Trim

Matthew Flinders' cat Trim travelled with him along the east coast of Australia in his vessel "Investigator" and later in 1803, the "Cumberland" to the island of Mauritius. There Flinders was imprisoned for several years by the French, owing to the fact that England was again at war with France and the colony of Mauritius had been claimed by the French in 1715. Flinders was heading for England but the Cumberland was taking in water; fearing his pump would fail on the voyage around the Cape of Good Hope he decided to head to Mauritius for repairs to his boat. Unfortunately for Flinders he was unaware England was again at war with France.

This news got to Sydney some two months after Flinders had departed. Trim was allegedly eaten by slaves on the island.

Answer: Patrick White

Patrick White (1912-1990) received his Nobel Prize in 1973 for his novels depicting Australian life with rural backgrounds. Patrick White was a confessed homosexual and in his autobiography "Flaws in the Glass" mentions about writing as a homosexual in Australia.

Answer: A.B. Paterson

Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson was born on 17th February 1864 near Orange N.S.W and died shortly before his 77th birthday on 5th February 1941. Whilst writing verse for the Bulletin it was popular for authors of the late 19th. century to write under a pseudonym. Andrew chose the name of the station racehorse owned by his family "The Banjo" as his "pen name". Perhaps best know for his poem "The Man From Snowy River"; an extract of this poem is included on the ten dollar note.

Answer: Down Under

Whilst travelling around Australia in research for his book "Down Under" the thing Bryson most loves about this country is its effortlessly dry way of viewing the world as he also attributes this philosophy to himself.

Answer: The Harp in the South

Born in New Zealand in 1923 Ruth Park spent most of her adult life in Australia and considers herself an Australasian. She was the winner of the prestigious Miles Franklin Award for her novel "Swords and Crowns and Rings" in 1977. She married the Australian author D'arcy Niland and together they roamed the Australian outback gaining valuable material for later writings.

Answer: Thea Astley

Born in Brisbane in 1925, Thea Astley won the Miles Franklin Award on no fewer than four occasions beginning with "The Well Dressed Explorer" in 1962, followed by "The Slow Natives" in 1965, then "The Acolyte" in 1972. She was to wait another 28 years before winning her fourth award for "Drylands" in 2000. Thea Astley died a week before her 79th. birthday at Byron Bay in 2004.
The other three authors have each won the award three times. Their turn may come to catch Thea up.

Answer: My Brilliant Career

Born Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin (phew now my fingers are aching) near Tumut in New South Wales in 1879, Miles' first novel "My Brilliant Career" was rejected on a number of occasions and it was only after she showed it to an impressed Henry Lawson that it was published in Britain.

After her death in 1954 Miles Franklin bequeathed in her will her estate to set up the Miles Franklin Literary Award for the year's best novel or play with an Australian theme. Patrick White was the first winner in 1957.

Answer: True

Born 17th. June 1867 at Grenfell N.S.W, Henry Lawson had an ear infection at age nine and was totally deaf by the age of fourteen. His heavy drinking began around 1888 at age 21 and between the years 1905-1910 he was regularly in and out of prison and mental sanitoriums.

He became dissolute and began wandering the streets of Sydney. After attempting suicide he again started writing. Henry Lawson died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 55 and was the first writer to be given a state funeral.

Answer: Joan Lindsay

Joan Lindsay 1896-1984 saw "Picnic at Hanging Rock" released in 1967. It is the story of three schoolgirls and their mathematics teacher who go missing on Valentine's Day 1900. Coincidentally the three girls Miranda, Irma and Marion share the first four letters of their Christian names.

Answer: 1915

Born in 1941 Roger McDonald was awarded a grant from The Australian Literature Board in 1977 and two years later his first novel 1915 came on the market, winning several awards. "1915" is the story of two boys Walter and Billy from neighbouring farms near Parkes. N.S.W who go to Gallipoli and are tragically reunited by chance. The reader is left unsure whether friend kills friend.