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The Known World Trivia Quiz

This book was the Pulitzer Prize Winner for Fiction in 2005, written by Edward P. Jones, and it was a favorite of mine. If you have read it, and read it THOROUGHLY, then you will do just fine. Nothing too tricky here of course. Enjoy!

A multiple-choice quiz by zeroun. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
zeroun

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
211,985

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
130

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What phrase does Fern Elston constantly say in her conversations? Hint

I have been a dutiful wife.

Respect the dead as they ought to be respected.

Massa is dead! Massa is dead!

I hate my life.

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Question 2 of 10

2. Why does Counsel burn down his ranch? Hint

He became insane with the current uprisings.

He lost his family and he was depressed.

Moses told him to in order to protest Henry.

He needed to hide evidence of his future plans.

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Question 3 of 10

3. Many times in the book the characters mention Manchester County. What state was Manchester County located in? Hint

Georgia

Kentucky

North Carolina

Virginia

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Question 4 of 10

4. Elias and Moses were not good pals in any way, especially after the death of Celeste's newborn baby. After Moses disappears, what does Elias say about Moses? Hint

He will see how the world has gone on without him.

He now will see what little he knows about our world.

He will fall under God's merciless judgment.

He will die out there, and it will be a blessing upon us all!

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Question 5 of 10

5. On what day were the slaves forbidden to work on Henry's plantation? Hint

Saturday

Thursday

Sunday

Monday

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Question 6 of 10

6. When Anderson comes to the United States in order to write about its oddities, he finds a great one at Henry's plantation. What was the amazing oddity? Hint

Henry held some respect for his slaves.

Henry was a Negro slaveowner who once was a slave himself.

The slaves were Caucasians.

Henry was running a plantation before he was thirty.

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Question 7 of 10

7. Augustus Townsend was thrust back into slavery by Harvey Travis. What did Travis say about Townsend as he put him into slavery? Hint

He was freed and abused his time in the sun. Now it's time to bring him back in.

He thought he could be free. If only we all could be that foolish.

He didn't know what to do with his freedom. Thought it meant he was free.

This man will be getting his slice of the known world, and he will get it with the dirt of his past.

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Question 8 of 10

8. Speaking of "The Known World", there actually is an object in the novel that is called just that. What is the object? Hint

A globe

A jigsaw puzzle of the world

A painting of the world

A piggy bank

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Question 9 of 10

9. Every chapter in the book has three phrases, each in response to one particular phrase. What is this phrase? Hint

My soul's often wondered how I dealt with...

My hands only felt the pains of...

My eyes have only seen the known world as...

My feet have followed the pricks left by...

10. Alice is quite possibly the most unpredictable of the characters in "The Known World". Throughout the novel she acts as if she is mentally impaired, but at the end of the novel Calvin sees something that Alice did that no one expected. What did Alice do? Hint

She had helped negotiate an end to slavery.

She had killed John Skiffington.

She had become a very powerful politician.

She had painted a picture of the plantation.

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What phrase does Fern Elston constantly say in her conversations?

Answer: I have been a dutiful wife.

She constantly says this either in thoughts or in words that show a type of trance in her thinking. She isn't exactly the greatest thinker of them all for that reason.

2. Why does Counsel burn down his ranch?

Answer: He lost his family and he was depressed.

This was an odd scene, but later it makes sense that Counsel was deep into depression long before his family passed away.

3. Many times in the book the characters mention Manchester County. What state was Manchester County located in?

Answer: Virginia

Of course, later in the book it explains the removal of the county due to a split of opinions. Makes you wonder if Edward P. Jones was trying to send a message...

4. Elias and Moses were not good pals in any way, especially after the death of Celeste's newborn baby. After Moses disappears, what does Elias say about Moses?

Answer: He will see how the world has gone on without him.

This is one of the MANY references about the world going on even when things go horribly astray. I feel that of everyone who is angry, Elias has the most justifiable anger.

5. On what day were the slaves forbidden to work on Henry's plantation?

Answer: Sunday

Henry was a very religious man, and he treated his slaves with respect. This kindness gained him both respect and contempt.

6. When Anderson comes to the United States in order to write about its oddities, he finds a great one at Henry's plantation. What was the amazing oddity?

Answer: Henry was a Negro slaveowner who once was a slave himself.

Fern ends up telling Anderson most of the information he needs to write his pamphlet. Henry's "oddity" makes for a very interesting conflict in the novel.

7. Augustus Townsend was thrust back into slavery by Harvey Travis. What did Travis say about Townsend as he put him into slavery?

Answer: He didn't know what to do with his freedom. Thought it meant he was free.

I hate Harvey with a passion. Augustus worked so hard to free himself, and Harvey throws him back in by ripping up his papers.

8. Speaking of "The Known World", there actually is an object in the novel that is called just that. What is the object?

Answer: A jigsaw puzzle of the world

The odd part about the puzzle was that America was not labelled on it. Considering that France got recognition, it seems sad that America didn't.

9. Every chapter in the book has three phrases, each in response to one particular phrase. What is this phrase?

Answer: My soul's often wondered how I dealt with...

The phrase is the first one you read in the book, and each chapter adds three phrases to that. The whole result is a poem that loosely summarizes the novel. Hopefully you got this one right...the phrase is in bold letters after all.

Answer: She had painted a picture of the plantation.

The picture had everybody both dead and alive together in front of the plantation. This is very significant as it shows that Alice benefitted from her time there, and thus when she went to see the rest of the unknown world, she knew that her home would always guide her. I told you I loved this book, and I hope you did as well.

Source: Author zeroun

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