Don't Worry, Be Happy Trivia Quiz

Answer: David Copperfield

'David Copperfield' was published as a novel in 1850, having appeared in serial form the previous year. It is considered to be autobiographical, with the character of Micawber representing the writer's father. Both John Dickens and Micawber end up in a debtor's prison due to their failure to meet their financial obligations.

The 'Micawber Principle' is based on the character's saying 'Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty ought and six, result misery'.

In other words, happiness is living within your means.

Answer: Alexandre Dumas, père

'The Count of Monte Cristo' tells the story of Edmond Dantès, who is wrongly imprisoned before escaping after fourteen years. He buys the island of Monte Cristo and the title of Count before setting out to avenge himself on the men who caused his imprisonment.

At the same time he helps those who are deserving of assistance. The novel was written in 1844 and is one of Dumas's most popular works, along with 'The Three Musketeers' which dates from much the same time. The line appears in the novel as advice from the Count to another character in a letter, and is quoted twice in chapter 117.

Answer: The Little Engine That Could

The story originated in the United States in the early part of the twentieth century although it cannot be attributed to a particular author. The best known version dates from 1930 under the title 'The Pony Engine' and written by Watty Piper. The story was reissued in 1954 under its current name.

It tells how the smallest engine in the yard agrees to take a train over a mountain after bigger and stronger engines refuse. As it struggles up the slope it keeps repeating 'I think I can' changing to 'I thought I could' as it achieves its goal and descends the far side.

The story was made into an animated film in 1991 and Burl Ives sang a song based on the tale.

Answer: Noel Coward

This was a rare excursion into the life of the working class by Coward, although he was at pains to point out that he came from a suburban background. The title comes from Shakespeare, appearing in a speech by John of Gaunt in the play 'Richard II'. Staging of the play was delayed by the outbreak of the Second World War and it was first performed in 1942 with Coward himself in the cast.

Rattigan is the only other option which might have fitted as he also wrote about the upper and middle classes. His works include 'The Winslow Boy' from 1946. Pinter and Osborne both date from a later time and also concentrate on the lower classes. Pinter's plays include 'The Birthday Party' from 1957 and Osborne created the 'angry young man', notably in 'Look Back in Anger' in 1956.

Answer: Alexander McCall Smith

The novels feature the character of Precious Ramotswe, with the first book being published in 1998 and production of new volumes still ongoing. 'In the Company of Cheerful Ladies' came out in 2004 and was followed by another candidate for the quiz - 'Blue Shoes and Happiness' - in 2006.

The books are set in Botswana in southern Africa, where McCall spent time as a law lecturer at the university between 1981 and 1984. Some of the stories were adapted for television in a joint venture between the UK's BBC and America's HBO in 2008 and 2009 with Jill Scott in the lead role.

Answer: Eleanor H. Porter

So well known is the character that her name has passed into common usage to describe any relentlessly cheerful and optimistic person. The first book, just called 'Pollyanna', was published in 1913; Porter wrote a sequel in 1915, called 'Pollyanna Grows Up'. Other sequels have been written by various authors, and the character has appeared in several films, including a 1960 version with Hayley Mills, daughter of Sir John Mills. Porter herself wrote many other novels, including several for adults.

Louisa May Alcott wrote 'Little Women', Edith Nesbit created 'The Railway Children' and Elinor Brent-Dyer is best known for her series of books about the Chalet School.

Answer: Breast

The words appear in a poem published in 1734 and called 'An Essay on Man'. The full quotation is 'Hope springs eternal in the human breast; Man never is but always to be blest; The soul, uneasy and confin'd from home; Rests and expatiates in a life to come'.

It was written to explain that mankind cannot know God's purpose and should accept their position in the chain of being. This philosophy can be seen in another line from the poem 'The proper study of Mankind is Man'. The poem was widely admired at the time, with its enthusiasts including Rousseau, Kant and Voltaire (who later changed his mind).

Answer: Bertie Wooster

Bertie Wooster is always finding himself in some sort of difficulty, often of a romantic nature, but can rely on his trusty valet, Jeeves, to solve his problems. He appeared in numerous novels, the first full length one being published in 1934 and being called 'Thank You, Jeeves'. Previous books had consisted of collections of short stories, and Wodehouse continued to produce novels about the characters until 1974, when 'Aunts Aren't Gentleman' came out.

William Brown was created by Richmal Crompton in the 'Just William' stories and Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne. Daniel Defoe was the creator of Robinson Crusoe.

Answer: Oliver Goldsmith

The words come from a work called 'The Captivity', which is described as an oratorio libretto, so it appears the words were written to be sung. Goldsmith's novel 'The Vicar of Wakefield' was first published in 1766 having been sold by his friend, Dr. Samuel Johnson, when Goldsmith was in dire financial straits. Goldsmith also wrote the play 'She Stoops to Conquer', which was performed for the first time in 1773. Goldsmith died in 1774 at the age of 43.

Answer: Candide

As mentioned in question seven, Voltaire started as an admirer of Pope's view of God governing the life of mankind. By the time he wrote 'Candide' he had changed his mind and the story ridicules the optimism of Pope and, especially, the philosopher Gottfried Leibniz. The character Candide is taught by Doctor Pangloss, a great believer in optimism and that 'all is for the best'. Once Candide ventures into the wider world he soon discovers that it is not necessarily so.

'Tartuffe' is a play by Molière, written in 1664, and 'Manon Lescaut' is a short novel by Antoine François Prévost, dating from 1731. Madame Bovary was an 1856 novel by Gustave Flaubert.