Literature – Medium Level – GK Questions

Q: The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel 'The Grapes of Wrath', detailing the journey of the Joad family during the Great Depression, was written by ________.

John Steinbeck – John Steinbeck published 'The Grapes of Wrath' in 1939. It highlights the harsh realities faced by migrant workers in California.

Q: Which American author wrote the 'Dark Tower' fantasy series and the horror novel 'The Shining'?

Stephen King – Stephen King is a prolific contemporary American author of horror, supernatural fiction, and fantasy. 'The Shining' was published in 1977.

Q: The 'Sahitya Akademi Fellowship' is the highest honor conferred by the Sahitya Akademi, ranking above the Sahitya Akademi Award.

True – The Sahitya Akademi Fellowship (Immortals of Literature) is the highest literary honor in India, awarded for lifetime achievement, whereas the Akademi Award is for specific books.

Q: The 'Neustadt International Prize for Literature' is often referred to as the 'American Nobel' and is sponsored by which university?

University of Oklahoma – The Neustadt Prize is sponsored by the University of Oklahoma and its international literary publication, World Literature Today.

Q: The Malayalam novel 'Randamoozham' (The Second Turn), which retells the Mahabharata from Bhima's perspective, was written by ________.

M.T. Vasudevan Nair – M.T. Vasudevan Nair wrote 'Randamoozham' in 1984. It won the Vayalar Award and is considered a masterpiece of modern Malayalam literature.

Q: The 'Kalevala' is the national epic of Finland, compiled by Elias Lönnrot.

True – Elias Lönnrot compiled the Kalevala in the 19th century from Finnish and Karelian oral folklore and mythology. It played a crucial role in the Finnish national awakening.

Q: The 'Epic of Gilgamesh', one of the earliest known works of literature, originates from which ancient civilization?

Mesopotamia – The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). The earliest Sumerian poems date back to the Third Dynasty of Ur (c. 2100 BC).

Q: The book 'The Indian War of Independence, 1857' was written by ________.

V.D. Savarkar – V.D. Savarkar wrote 'The Indian War of Independence' in 1909. It was one of the first works to describe the 1857 revolt as a coordinated national uprising rather than a mere sepoy mutiny.

Q: Who wrote the patriotic poem 'Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna Ab Hamare Dil Mein Hai'?

Ram Prasad Bismil – Ram Prasad Bismil, a prominent Indian revolutionary, wrote this iconic poem. It became a rallying cry for freedom fighters during the Indian independence movement.

Q: Bertolt Brecht developed the concept of 'Epic Theatre', which aimed to alienate the audience from the emotional involvement of the play to provoke rational thought.

True – Brecht used the 'Verfremdungseffekt' (alienation effect) in his Epic Theatre to prevent the audience from losing themselves in the character and instead think critically about the social message.