"A Handful of Dust" Quiz
By Evelyn Waugh
fiction | 328 pages | Published in 2012
Selected by Modern Library as one of the 100 best novels of the century, this "absolutely delightful" novel (New York Times) movingly and comically chronicles the breakdown of a marriage and the disintegration of English society in the years after World War I. After seven years of marriage, the beautiful Lady Brenda Last has grown bored with life at Hetton Abbey, the Gothic mansion that is the pride and joy of her husband, Tony. She drifts into an affair with the shallow socialite John Beaver and forsakes Tony for the Belgravia set. In a novel that combines tragedy, comedy, and savage irony, Evelyn Waugh indelibly captures the irresponsible mood of the "crazy and sterile generation" between the wars.
| OTHER: | UOM:39015000555063 |
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Test your knowledge about the book "A Handful of Dust". We have come up with 19 quiz questions for the book. Hit play and start testing your knowledge. Each correctly answered question gives one point.
19 questions available
Essay questions
These essay questions are meant to be used as a starting point for your essay or research paper.
- How does the theme of social status and class play a significant role in 'A Handful of Dust'?
- Discuss the portrayal of marriage and fidelity in the novel. How does it shape the characters' lives and their actions?
- Explore the theme of disillusionment and loss of meaning in the modern world as depicted in 'A Handful of Dust'.
- Analyze the role of the jungle in the narrative and its symbolic significance in the context of the story.
- What role does satire play in Evelyn Waugh's 'A Handful of Dust'? What aspects of society or human behavior does it critique?
- Compare and contrast the characters of Tony and Brenda. How are their values and desires portrayed throughout the novel?
- Examine the concept of betrayal in the novel. Which characters betray others, and what are the consequences of their actions?
- Discuss the significance of the title 'A Handful of Dust'. What does it symbolize and how does it relate to the overall story?
- Analyze the use of humor and irony in 'A Handful of Dust'. How do these literary devices contribute to the tone and meaning of the novel?
- What role does religion, specifically Catholicism, play in the lives of the characters? How does it influence their choices and actions?
