Trivia

Literary Trivia. Interesting Facts about Books and Authors.

Note: This section may contain spoilers.

1. Which author’s real name is Eric Arthur Blair?

See Answer
    George Orwell. The author of the dystopic novel 1984 was born as Eric Arthur Blair in British India.

2. Who coined the phrase ‘survival of the fittest’?

See Answer
    Herbert Spencer, and not Charles Darwin, coined the phrase in his book Principles of Biology published in 1864. In fact, the phrase did not appear in On the Origin of Species until the fifth edition.

3. Which historical figure is often ridiculed by the Greek playwright Aristophanes for being a coward?

See Answer
    Cleonymus, an Athenian General. In 424 BCE, at the Battle of Delion, he’s said to have run away from the battlefield after dropping his shield.

4. Who writes under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith?

See Answer
    J.K. Rowling. In 2013, Robert Galbraith’s real identity was revealed to the public by the media.

5. In Bronte’s Jane Eyre, what language does St. John want Jane to learn?

See Answer
    Hindustani (a hybrid of Hindi and Urdu). He wanted Jane to accompany him on his missionary travels to then British India.

6. Which author’s real name is Dhanpat Rai Srivastava?

See Answer
    Munshi Premchand. He also went by Nawab Rai for a short time.

7. In Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, what is the name of Darcy’s housekeeper at Pemberley Woods?

See Answer
    Mrs. Reynolds. She had this to say of Darcy when Elizabeth visited Pemberley Woods: “…But I have always observed, that they who are good-natured when children, are good-natured when they grow up; and he was always the sweetest-tempered, most generous-hearted boy in the world.”

8. Who wrote under the pseudonym Acton Bell?

See Answer
    Anne Bronte. Currer and Ellis Bell were Charlotte and Emily Bronte’s pseudonyms, respectively.

9. In Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, what are the race of ‘uncivilised’ human-like beings called?

See Answer
    Yahoos. The ‘civilised’ race of horses, on the other hand, are called Houyhnhnm, the word itself supposed to resemble the neighing of horses.

10. In Bronte’s Jane Eyre, what is the name of Edward Rochester’s dog?

See Answer
    Pilot. He is described as ‘a lion-like creature with long hair and huge head’. He’s black and white in colour.

11. In Jules Verne’s From the Earth to the Moon; and, Round the Moon, two dogs accompany the intrepid travellers to the moon. What are their names?

See Answer
    Diana and Satellite.

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