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The Flowering of New England by Van Wyck Brooks - Test
Contributed by: Salmon
  • 1. The Flowering of New England, a seminal work by Van Wyck Brooks, published in 1936, explores the rich tapestry of New England's literary heritage and cultural evolution during the early 19th century. In this insightful analysis, Brooks delves into the lives and works of significant literary figures such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry James, articulating how their contributions to literature mirrored the societal transformations of their time. He emphasizes the transcendentalist movement and its influence on American thought, highlighting how these writers grappled with the concepts of individuality, nature, and the human experience. Brooks' vivid prose not only captures the essence of the New England landscape, both physical and intellectual, but also serves as a critical examination of the relationships among these authors and the broader themes of America's identity. His narrative is rich with historical context, cultural critiques, and a deep appreciation for the arts, making The Flowering of New England a vital text for understanding the roots and development of American literature.

    What is the primary subject of 'The Flowering of New England'?
A) The political history of the American Revolution in New England.
B) The architectural styles of New England's historic homes.
C) The botanical discoveries of New England's early settlers.
D) The intellectual and cultural life of New England from 1815 to 1865.
  • 2. Who is the author of 'The Flowering of New England'?
A) Henry David Thoreau
B) Ralph Waldo Emerson
C) Van Wyck Brooks
D) Nathaniel Hawthorne
  • 3. Which literary movement is central to the book's narrative?
A) Modernism
B) Transcendentalism
C) Naturalism
D) The Beat Generation
  • 4. What prestigious award did 'The Flowering of New England' win?
A) Nobel Prize in Literature
B) Pulitzer Prize for History
C) National Book Award
D) Bancroft Prize
  • 5. In what year was 'The Flowering of New England' first published?
A) 1815
B) 1865
C) 1920
D) 1936
  • 6. What New England city serves as the primary cultural hub in the book?
A) Boston
B) Concord
C) Philadelphia
D) New York City
  • 7. Which transcendentalist community is discussed in the book?
A) Shaker Village
B) Brook Farm
C) Oneida Community
D) Fruitlands
  • 8. What was Van Wyck Brooks' approach to writing this history?
A) Biographical dictionary
B) Literary and cultural history
C) Strict chronological political history
D) Economic analysis
  • 9. Which Harvard professor influenced many thinkers discussed in the book?
A) George Ticknor
B) John Dewey
C) William James
D) Charles Eliot Norton
  • 10. Which poet wrote 'The Vision of Sir Launfal' discussed in the book?
A) John Greenleaf Whittier
B) Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.
C) James Russell Lowell
D) Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
  • 11. What was the 'Saturday Club' mentioned in the book?
A) A political action committee
B) An abolitionist secret society
C) A women's suffrage organization
D) A literary dining club in Boston
  • 12. Which historian contemporary to this period is discussed in the book?
A) Charles Beard
B) William Hickling Prescott
C) Frederick Jackson Turner
D) Henry Adams
  • 13. What natural location became important to transcendentalist thought?
A) Niagara Falls
B) Cape Cod
C) The White Mountains
D) Walden Pond
  • 14. Which educational institution features prominently in the book?
A) Brown University
B) Yale University
C) Harvard University
D) Dartmouth College
  • 15. What philosophical concept did transcendentalists emphasize?
A) Self-reliance
B) Utilitarianism
C) Pragmatism
D) Existentialism
  • 16. What was Margaret Fuller's role in this cultural flowering?
A) Composer of patriotic songs
B) Painter of the Hudson River School
C) Editor of The Dial and women's rights advocate
D) Novelist of domestic fiction
  • 17. Which book by Thoreau is extensively discussed?
A) Civil Disobedience
B) The Maine Woods
C) Cape Cod
D) Walden
  • 18. Which poet served as professor at Harvard?
A) Walt Whitman
B) Emily Dickinson
C) John Greenleaf Whittier
D) Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
  • 19. What European influence is noted in the book's cultural development?
A) Russian formalism
B) French surrealism
C) Italian futurism
D) German romanticism and idealism
  • 20. Which book by Emerson is highlighted as influential?
A) Self-Reliance
B) Nature
C) The American Scholar
D) Representative Men
  • 21. What was the role of lyceums in this period?
A) Public lectures and adult education
B) Art museums
C) Political campaign headquarters
D) Scientific laboratories
  • 22. Which writer was known for his humorous poetry and essays?
A) Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.
B) Ralph Waldo Emerson
C) Henry David Thoreau
D) Nathaniel Hawthorne
  • 23. What historical event marks the end of the period covered?
A) The Civil War
B) World War I
C) The Industrial Revolution
D) The American Revolution
  • 24. How does Brooks characterize this period overall?
A) As a period of religious revival
B) As a time of economic decline
C) As an era of political corruption
D) As a cultural golden age
  • 25. Who is considered the central figure in Brooks' narrative?
A) Emily Dickinson
B) Henry David Thoreau
C) Nathaniel Hawthorne
D) Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • 26. Who wrote 'The Scarlet Letter,' featured in Brooks' study?
A) Washington Irving
B) Nathaniel Hawthorne
C) Herman Melville
D) Edgar Allan Poe
  • 27. Which female intellectual is prominently featured?
A) Emily Dickinson
B) Louisa May Alcott
C) Harriet Beecher Stowe
D) Margaret Fuller
  • 28. Which educational reformer is featured?
A) Horace Mann
B) Booker T. Washington
C) William McGuffey
D) John Dewey
  • 29. Who wrote 'Moby-Dick,' mentioned in Brooks' study?
A) Herman Melville
B) Mark Twain
C) James Fenimore Cooper
D) Nathaniel Hawthorne
  • 30. Which religious movement preceded transcendentalism?
A) Quakerism
B) Methodism
C) Puritanism
D) Unitarianism
  • 31. Which poet wrote 'Leaves of Grass' during this period but was not from New England?
A) James Russell Lowell
B) Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
C) John Greenleaf Whittier
D) Walt Whitman
  • 32. Which Hawthorne novel is set in Puritan New England?
A) Walden
B) Moby-Dick
C) Little Women
D) The Scarlet Letter
  • 33. Which philosopher heavily influenced the Transcendentalists?
A) David Hume
B) Immanuel Kant
C) John Stuart Mill
D) John Locke
  • 34. What was Ralph Waldo Emerson's profession before becoming a full-time writer and lecturer?
A) Lawyer
B) College professor
C) Physician
D) Unitarian minister
  • 35. Which Hawthorne novel is set in a utopian community?
A) The Scarlet Letter
B) The House of the Seven Gables
C) The Blithedale Romance
D) The Marble Faun
  • 36. Which poet wrote 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic'?
A) Lydia Maria Child
B) Julia Ward Howe
C) Emily Dickinson
D) Louisa May Alcott
  • 37. Which writer was a prominent abolitionist and wrote anti-slavery poetry?
A) Washington Irving
B) Nathaniel Hawthorne
C) Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
D) John Greenleaf Whittier
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