I Am Legend Trivia Quiz

Answer: He was bitten by a vampire bat

Robert injected a vampire with garlic to see if its effect on vampires was chemical or psychological. He thought about protecting his daughter's bed with mosquito netting, but did not get around to it. He did have a cross tattooed on his chest, but the real reason for his immunity was the bite he received from a vampire bat.

Afterwards he killed the bat, so no one else had the opportunity to receive immunity.

Answer: Both of the above

Robert placed the murals in his house to beautify his surroundings and to provide a symbolic escape. Neither of the murals depicted any human beings, so they reinforced his feelings of isolation.

Answer: Cimarron Street

All of the other streets are in Robert's neighborhood. Some of the street names are reminiscent of the Western frontier.

Answer: A Willys station wagon

All of the other car names refer to motifs in the novel.

Answer: In a burning pit

In the novel, the health authorities had outlawed cemetery burials for health reasons, and decreed that all bodies needed to be disposed of in a burning pit. After having his daughter's remains brought to the fiery pit, Robert defied the authorities and buried his wife Virginia in a crypt. Some vampires who returned from the dead slept in mounds of dirt.

Answer: A physiology text

Robert read all of the books referred to in the answer choices. He had a scientific background and was particularly interested in figuring out a cure for the condition that the vampires were afflicted with.

Answer: Sensational journalism

Robert discussed sensational journalism, and remarked on the desire of the newspapers to make a profit on the tragic plague that had swept earth, but he did not ask whether that harm was any worse than that inflicted by vampires.

Answer: Brush fires

Robert did not live far from the fiery pit where bodies of the dead had been disposed of, but the fire was confined to the pit area, and did not spread to the forest or urban areas.

Answer: No name

"Rags" is a reference to BookRags, a study guide resource that includes a guide to the novel "I Am Legend". Max and Lucky are the names of my two male granddogs. The dog in the novel that Robert befriends was never named.

Answer: Oliver Hardy

Oliver Hardy was the roly-poly partner of Stan Laurel, who was constantly being depicted as surviving pratfalls, squishes, and other disasters. When his old friend and neighbor Ben was killed in the last part of the novel, Robert lamented the "death of all comedy and all laughter."

Answer: Rachmaninoff's 2nd Piano Concerto

All of the musical pieces were mentioned throughout the novel, but the one that Ruth selected was the Rachmaninoff, a choice that caused Robert to question her taste.

Answer: John Donne

Robert identified with all of the other choices as authors of works about a vampire slayer and survivors. John Donne is well known for his poem, "No Man Is an Island", but Robert did not pay homage to him.

Answer: 3 years

At the time the novel was written, 1954, the events were projected to take place more than twenty years in the future.

Answer: All of these reasons

Ruth displayed all of these qualities, which is why Robert initially regarded her as normal. She even wore a small cross on a chain around her neck. In addition, she agreed to submit to a blood test the following day. However, Robert intuitively mistrusted her, and her aversion to garlic seemed to support his suspicions. Ruth explained her reaction to garlic as being due to the fact that she was weak from hunger.

Answer: Doom

Many movies portraying vampires are said to have been inspired by Robert Matheson's modern classic, "I Am Legend". Doom, however, is noted for its portrayal of demons. Of the choices listed above, "Last Man on Earth" was most faithful to the original novel. (For obvious reasons, I am excluding mention of the Will Smith film, "I Am Legend".)