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Quiz about William S Burroughs beat author

William S. Burroughs, beat author. Quiz

William S. Burroughs' novels are bizarre, absurdly creative, and controversial creations. His life was the stuff of legend. Take this quiz and show what you know about this novelist, sometimes called Godfather of the Beats.

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

Author
paleape

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
141,393

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
288

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Burroughs' best known and most controversial novel was published in 1959 in France, and later in the United States. What is its title? Hint

"On the Road"

"The Naked and the Dead"

"Naked Lunch"

"Cities of the Red Night"

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Question 2 of 10

2. Burroughs' second wife died in Mexico as a result of what? Hint

she was shot in the head

she fell off a roof

she fell out of a boat and drowned

she was run over by a bus

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Question 3 of 10

3. One of Burroughs' books shares its title with a job he once held. What was that job? Hint

Bartender

Exterminator

Salesman

Pianist

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Question 4 of 10

4. Burroughs was born in which USA state? Hint

New York

Florida

Michigan

Missouri

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Question 5 of 10

5. Burroughs wrote two autobiographical novels before Naked Lunch. "Junky" was published first. The other autobiographical novel was not published until many years later; what was it titled? Hint

Hated

Queer

Weird

Misfit

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. What was William S. Burroughs' middle name? Hint

Semple

Strange

Seward

Shakespeare

7. Burroughs used a method by which he wrote passages, then cut pages up and placed them over pages from newspapers, magazines, or other authors' books, then mixed the texts together. What did he call his method? Hint

textual recombination

the mash-up method

the cut-up method

textual reformulation

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Question 8 of 10

8. Burroughs lived for years in what North African city? Hint

Tangier

Constantine

Cairo

Algiers

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Question 9 of 10

9. Burroughs' novel "Cities of the Red Night" concerns a Captain Mission, an 18th century gentleman who preaches freedom of religion, as well as the abolition of slavery and torture. Who or what was Captain Mission? Hint

a prisoner in the tower of London

an outlaw gunman on the U.S.A. frontier

a chimpanzee

a pirate

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. Which Burroughs title have I invented? Hint

"The Coming of the Purple Better One"

"The Cat Inside"

"The Unclaimed Ticket"

"Nova Express"

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Burroughs' best known and most controversial novel was published in 1959 in France, and later in the United States. What is its title?

Answer: "Naked Lunch"

This "unfilmable" novel was filmed. The movie was directed by David Cronenberg, and released in 1991.

2. Burroughs' second wife died in Mexico as a result of what?

Answer: she was shot in the head

Burroughs shot her in the head, allegedly while playing a William Tell-like game. He was not convicted of murder, but of a lesser charge.

3. One of Burroughs' books shares its title with a job he once held. What was that job?

Answer: Exterminator

Burroughs worked for a short period as an exterminator in Chicago.

4. Burroughs was born in which USA state?

Answer: Missouri

Burroughs was born in St. Louis in 1914. Interestingly enough, he spent most of his adult life away from the United States, as did T.S. Eliot, another St. Louis native.

5. Burroughs wrote two autobiographical novels before Naked Lunch. "Junky" was published first. The other autobiographical novel was not published until many years later; what was it titled?

Answer: Queer

"Queer" was written in the 1950s, but publishers shied away from it for decades.

6. What was William S. Burroughs' middle name?

Answer: Seward

Burroughs' father indicated that he preferred the name Seward because the United States had recently purchased Alaska, also called "Seward's Folly." The elder Burroughs hoped for great things from both Alaska and his newborn son.

Answer: the cut-up method

When news of Burroughs' method reached playwright and novelist Samuel Beckett, Beckett exclaimed "That's not writing; that's plumbing!"

8. Burroughs lived for years in what North African city?

Answer: Tangier

Tangier was also the home of American expatriate writer Paul Bowles, author of "The Sheltering Sky."

Answer: a pirate

"Cities of the Red Night" was published in 1981. An easier read than "Naked Lunch", it's still no cakewalk.

10. Which Burroughs title have I invented?

Answer: "The Unclaimed Ticket"

"The Coming of the Purple Better One" is a short essay or story. "Nova Express" is a novel, and "The Cat Inside" is a book about Burroughs and his pet cats.

Source: Author paleape

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor MotherGoose before going online.
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