Which Story Am I? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sleeping Beauty

And how is this beautiful sleeping princess finally awoken? By the kiss of her one true love. Sigh...Oh Colin Firth, be mine.

Answer: To Kill A Mockingbird

Written by Harper Lee, "To Kill a Mockingbird" deals with the major theme of racial inequality. It is considered one of the classics of American Literature and Harper Lee was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1960 for this work.

Answer: Cinderella

After a lifetime of shocking abuse by her step-family, our heroine Cinderella, via supernatural intervention, finally makes it to the ball and wins the heart of her Prince. It's a shame Grace Kelly never got to star in a film production of this well known tale.

Answer: Ben-Hur

This 1959 epic film, based on the book by American author Lew Wallace, starred Charlton Heston, and won a staggering eleven Academy Awards. It's rather blood-thirsty to say the least, but ultimately carries the message of good triumphing over evil. I wouldn't recommend it as viewing for children however.

Answer: The Great Gatsby

One of the finest novels ever written, "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald operates on two levels, that of the impossible love Gatsby holds for Daisy - and the loss of the American Dream. It truly should be read if you haven't already done so.

Answer: Rapunzel

Held prison in a tower for years by a wicked witch, Rapunzel's escape is more a case of being cast out by the witch. Either way, she finally is freed, and after much trial and error, is reunited with her true love. Wikipedia's article on this fairy story made me laugh.

It suggests that the reason the witch banished Rapunzel was that Rapunzel had fallen pregnant to her prince. The very idea!

Answer: The Scarlet Letter

Written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850 but set two hundred years earlier, this book is a fine example of the moral outlook of the Victorian era. It's depressing as can be quite frankly, but from the historical perspective is quite a fascinating look at what was perceived to be sinful some 150 years ago. Most works of literature, no matter in which setting they're presented, always reflect, in one way or another, the current values and concerns of the time periods in which their authors lived.

Answer: Macbeth

How could I not include a question about the mighty Shakespeare? The play "The Tragedy of Macbeth" (commonly shortened to just "Macbeth") is actually based on a real king of Scotland, but the plot has no resemblance to the actuality. William never let facts stand in the way of a good story.

His "Richard III" is another example of poetic licence and was written to emphasise the dubious claim to the English throne by the Tudors, rather than on any proven facts. In real life, it was Macbeth's wife who had a very strong claim to the throne of Scotland, as did Macbeth himself, but to a lesser degree.

Answer: Jane Eyre

I love this book. Considered a classic of the English language, it was written by Charlotte Bronte, one of the family of the talented Bronte sisters. Published in 1847, it traces the fortunes of an orphaned girl through her early life of cruelty, deprivation and suffering, to its final resolution, when, as a young woman, she finds love and happiness. If you haven't read this great work before, then allow yourself plenty of time to do so. Like most novels from that period, it takes some getting into, but once your attention is captured, you'll join the ranks of its millions of enthralled readers since it was first published all that time ago.

Answer: Red Riding Hood

A ripping good yarn designed to scare your average child half to death, "Red Riding Hood" warns of the dangers of speaking to strangers. The main effect it had on me as a child was that I longed to possess a red riding hood myself. It looked so fetching on the heroine of the story.