Identify the Quote from American Literature Quiz

Answer: "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway

When Ernest Hemingway wrote "The Sun Also Rises", he drew heavily from the lives of his friends, revealing their ill-conceived hook-ups, drunken conversations, and general post-war malaise. His sparse, minimalist writing was revolutionary in style, and the book was both a best-seller and a critical darling.

This image is of a Christian Bible, from which Hemingway drew the title of his novel.

Answer: "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men" is about George and Lennie, two men trying to find work during the Great Depression. Although it contains some adult language and themes, the book presents several moral quandaries, which makes it a popular choice in American literature classes. It was published in 1937.

In the quote cited, George is referring to the realities of season workers, such as the lack of stability and the low wages.

The image is of a rabbit. This was one of Lennie's favorite topics from the novel; he would often ask George to tell him about the ranch they might have of their own one day, one where they would have rabbits of their own.

Answer: "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn", published in 1943, focused on the life of young Francie Nolan and her family, who struggle to survive through poverty and alcoholism. The author, Betty Smith, had a similar childhood and wrote with compassion about Francie's father's alcoholism. Like Francie, Smith found solace in books.

The acorn in this image represents a tree.

Answer: "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger

The catcher's glove in this image isn't just a reference to Salinger's novel; a glove also plays an important role in the story. Holden talks poignantly about his brother, Ally, who had died. Ally had played baseball, and was often in the outfield, where he saw little action. He'd write poems along the glove so he could read poetry while in the field.

"The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger was published in 1951 to great acclaim.

Answer: "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick

Philip K. Dick wrote "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" which was published in 1968. It's a dystopian story in which an android-hunting police officer is tasked with locating and destroying rogue androids. The Voigt-Kampff test referred to in the quote is the test humans use to distinguish humans from androids, as they are nearly identical. Rachel, who has learned she is an android, is explaining to Decker that she has feelings for him that are real, no matter what she is.

This image of a donkey is a rather obscure clue. Donkeys were one of the animals that were extinct in the world in "Do Androids Dream?" It is one of the symbols you will find in the novel and not the film version of the novel, "Blade Runner", which was released in 1982.

Answer: "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" by Dee Brown

Dee Brown wrote with such compassion and historical detail about the plight of Native Americans, people assumed he was Native American himself, but he was not; he was born in Louisiana to parents of western European heritage. He was a librarian until he devoted himself to writing full-time. "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" was published in 1970 to great critical acclaim.

This image is of a battlefield, one similar to Wounded Knee, which was where over 50 Lakota native Americans were killed in 1890.

Answer: "Beloved" by Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison's "Beloved" was published in 1987 and won the the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1988. The intense story revolves around a former African-American slave, Sethe, and her children. Morrison's books "Jazz" and "Paradise", along with "Beloved", make up what critics have called the Beloved trilogy.

This rose represents love, pointing to "Beloved".

Answer: "White Oleander" by Janet Fitch

"White Oleander" is California native Janet Fitch's second novel. It follows the life of a young girl named Astrid and the bond she has with her beautiful, murderous mother. The book was named to Oprah's Book Club and became a best seller.

This image is supposed to be of an oleander, a shrub that happens to be quite toxic. You will often see it along California highways, as they provide greenery and require very little water.

Answer: "The Corrections" by Jonathan Franzen

Jonathan Franzen wrote "The Corrections," which was published in 2001. It follows the story of a family: two elderly parents and three grown children. The passage quoted above relates to Chip, a once-promising young scholar felled by a series of bad decisions. The novel won the National Book Award the year it was published.

This image is a red pencil, similar to one a teacher may use to make corrections on homework or tests.

Answer: "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan

"The Joy Luck Club" is Amy Tan's first novel and has multiple narratives from a variety of mothers and daughters. Part of it is based on Tan's own experiences, as when she was a teenager she learned she had half-siblings in China, a family her mother hadn't told her about. The novel, published in 1989, was a finalist for the National Book Award that year.

This image is of a mahjong set, a game the characters in Amy Tan's novel would play regularly.