French Literature Quiz: 10 Questions for High School Students

1. What French writer was known for his devotion to the Catholic faith, and wrote numerous works about religious themes?

Gustave Flaubert

François Mauriac

Marcel Proust

2. Which short story by Guy de Maupassant tells the tale of a woman who borrows a necklace to wear to a party, only to lose it and spend years paying off the debt to replace it?

"The Necklace"

"The Scarlet Letter"

"The Yellow Wallpaper"

3. What famous French author was born with the name Gabriel-Joseph de la Vergne, but is better known by his pen name, Scarron?

Jean de La Fontaine

François de La Rochefoucauld

Paul Scarron

4. In Albert Camus' The Stranger, what is the twist at the end of the novel involving the protagonist's fate?

He is found not guilty and released from prison.

He escapes from prison and goes into hiding.

He is executed by guillotine.

5. In Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary, what is the name of the doctor who becomes Emma's lover?

Charles Bovary

Rodolphe Boulanger

Monsieur Homais

6. "All human wisdom is contained in these two words - Wait and Hope." Which novel is this quote from?

Les Misérables

The Three Musketeers

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame

7. In Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time, what is the name of the narrator and protagonist who spends years reflecting on his memories and experiences?

Charles Swann

Albertine Simonet

Marcel Proust (the character shares the author's name)

8. Who wrote the play The Misanthrope?

Molière

Jean Racine

Pierre Corneille

9. "All for one, and one for all." Which novel is this quote from?

Les Misérables

The Three Musketeers

Madame Bovary

10. What French author is known for his work as a poet, playwright, and artist, and was associated with the Surrealist movement?

André Breton

Jean Cocteau

Guillaume Apollinaire

11. In which novel by Gustave Flaubert does the character Emma Bovary become dissatisfied with her provincial life and begin an affair?

Madame Bovary

Sentimental Education

Salammbô

12. Which play by Jean-Paul Sartre tells the story of three people who are stuck in a room together after they die and must confront their past actions?

The Flies

The Condemned of Altona

No Exit

13. In Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, what is the name of the protagonist who serves nineteen years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread?

Jean Valjean

Javert

Marius Pontmercy

14. In Albert Camus' The Plague, what is the profession of the protagonist Dr. Rieux?

Journalist

Policeman

Doctor

15. In Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera, what is the twist regarding the true identity of the Phantom?

He is revealed to be a wealthy banker who has been manipulating the events at the opera house.

He is revealed to be a former employee of the opera house who was disfigured in a fire.

He is revealed to be the long-lost brother of the opera's lead soprano.

16. What French writer, famous for his play Waiting for Godot, was also a member of the French Resistance during World War II?

Jean Genet

Samuel Beckett

Albert Camus

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