Flaubert's Parrot by Julian Barnes
- 1. Flaubert's Parrot by Julian Barnes is a thought-provoking and multifaceted exploration of the life and works of the iconic French novelist Gustave Flaubert, interwoven with the musings of a contemporary narrator, Geoffrey Braithwaite, who embarks on a personal quest to understand the complexities of Flaubert's literary genius and his own existence. The novel is structured in a unique and inventive manner, employing a blend of literary critique, biographical analysis, and fictional narrative, as Braithwaite reflects on Flaubert's relationship with his art, his meticulous quest for style, and the obsessions that defined both Flaubert's life and Braithwaite's own. Through a series of vignettes and philosophical ruminations, Barnes delves into the nature of creativity, the unreliability of memory, and the often elusive connection between an artist and their work. The titular parrot becomes a symbol of the fragmented and sometimes absurd nature of literary interpretation, challenging readers to contemplate how much of Flaubert's true self can be unearthed from his texts. With wit and intellectual depth, Barnes captures the essence of a writer whose profound inquiries into human emotion and existence resonate through the ages, while simultaneously illuminating the profound impact that literature has on the lives of its readers.
What object serves as a recurring motif in the book?
A) A stuffed parrot
B) A typewriter
C) A diary
D) A painting
- 2. In which year was 'Flaubert's Parrot' published?
A) 1978
B) 1990
C) 1988
D) 1984
- 3. Who is Flaubert's well-known female character?
A) Emma Woodhouse
B) Emma Bovary
C) Juliette
D) Madame de Bovary
- 4. In which country does Geoffrey Braithwaite reside?
A) France
B) England
C) Canada
D) Australia
- 5. What literary device is prominent in 'Flaubert's Parrot'?
A) Intertextuality
B) Metaphor
C) Alliteration
D) Simile
- 6. What does Geoffrey's exploration of Flaubert represent?
A) A study of history
B) A search for identity
C) A critique of society
D) A quest for love
- 7. The book features discussions and contrasts between which two authors?
A) Hemingway and Flaubert
B) Flaubert and Stendhal
C) Flaubert and Barnes
D) Proust and Flaubert
- 8. Which historical figure influences the narrative in 'Flaubert's Parrot'?
A) Virginia Woolf
B) Charles Dickens
C) Gustave Flaubert
D) Leo Tolstoy
- 9. What role does critique play in the book?
A) It is non-existent
B) It serves as a minor theme
C) It drives the narrative
D) It is purely academic
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