Ersatz TLS discussion

Entitled Characters Quiz
Each of the quotations below is a comment on the main character of a well-known novel, and this character’s name, in full or in part, appears in or as the title of the novel.
N stands in for the name of the character referred to, X for another character.
Full answers on Sunday.

1
‘That boy will be hung,’ said the gentleman in the white waistcoat. ‘I know that boy will be hung.’

2
It was the universal opinion of all X’s family that he was certainly born to be hanged.

3
‘How can you keep in good health? Children younger than you die daily. I buried a little child of five years old only a day of two since, - a good little child, whose soul is now in heaven. It is to be feared the same could not be said of you, were you to be called hence.’

4
The widow she cried over me, and called me a poor lost lamb, and she called me a lot of other names, too, but she never meant no harm of it.

5
‘When younger, […] I believed myself destined for some great enterprise. My feelings are profound; but I possessed a coolness of judgment that fitted me for illustrious achievements […] But this thought, which supported me in the commencement of my career, now seems to plunge me lower in the dust […] I am chained in an eternal hell.’

6
A small minority, mainly strangers, would look long at her in casually passing by, and grow momentarily fascinated by her freshness, and wonder if they would ever see her again: but to almost everybody she was a fine and picturesque country girl, and no more.

7
N, handsome, clever and rich, with a comfortable home and a happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings in existence, and had lived twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress her.

8
And how charming he had been the night before, as with startled eyes and lips parted in frightened pleasure he had sat opposite to X at the club, the red candlesticks staining to a richer rose the wakening wonder of his face. Talking to him was like playing upon an exquisite violin.

9
‘Somebody told me they thought he killed a man once.’

10
‘Well, when that masked thing like a monkey jumped from among the chemicals and whipped into the cabinet, it went down my spine like ice.’

11
‘Well,’ thought N to herself, ‘after such a fall as this, I shall think nothing of tumbling down stairs! How brave they’ll all think me at home! Why, I wouldn’t say anything about it even if I fell off the top of the house!’ (which was most likely true).

12
What is this terror? what is this ecstasy? he thought to himself. What is it that fills one with extraordinary excitement?
It is N, he said.
For there she was.

Justine wrote: "Entitled Characters Quiz..."

A great quiz again, Justine - thank you!
I'm jumping in with easy answers:

7. Emma Woodhouse in Emma by Jane Austen
11. Alice in Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

Those two I'm sure about - number 3 is maybe Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre?

Thanks, Justine!

I'm usually terrible at these, even when I've read the books, so I feel pretty acomplished to get any at all!

5. Frankenstein
8. The Picture of Dorian Gray

Justine wrote: "Entitled Characters Quiz
Each of the quotations below is a comment on the main character of a well-known novel, and this character’s name, in full or in part, appears in or as the title of the nove..."

1. Oliver Twist
7. Emma

3. Jane Eyre
12. Mrs Dalloway

Right, so basically only 10 is left unfilled after a few hours - you're going to need a bigger quiz inter 😊!! Thanks so much, I've really enjoyed this.

(Despite having read a few of them, I've been useless at recognising any. Only 7 felt vaguely familiar - I read it last year for goodness' sake! - but now that I can see Amelia's guess for 5 it's obvious it's that snivelling pathetic little man, whom I chose amongst the most dislikeable characters on the Guardian book page btw.)

Is #10 Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde? Or have I got that completely wrong? It seems familiar

Hushpuppy wrote: "Right, so basically only 10 is left unfilled after a few hours - you're going to need a bigger quiz inter 😊!! Thanks so much, I've really enjoyed this.

(Despite having read a few of them, I've bee..."

So the last quiz was too long and difficult, and this was too short and easy. Well, I have a different idea for next time.

Justine wrote: "So the last quiz was too long and difficult, and this was too short and easy. Well, I have a different idea for next time."

I didn't think the previous one was too long, and people cracked it in a few days! Not sure this one was too easy either (definitely not by my own standards, ohum), but nothing will be ever too hard for this crowd... If you remember, most of conedison's lauded ones were cracked in a day or less! This quiz was fun at any rate, even if I was rubbish at it. Looking forward to the next one, whichever form it takes.

Hushpuppy wrote: "Justine wrote: "So the last quiz was too long and difficult, and this was too short and easy. Well, I have a different idea for next time."

I didn't think the previous one was too long, and people..."

Both these quizzes were very entertaining, neither too long nor too short - I think you've got a real talent for setting them 😀

Gpfr wrote (#11): "Both these quizzes were very entertaining, neither too long nor too short - I think you've got a real talent for setting them"

Agreed. I'm not sure I've expressed myself well: my post was a reference to Jaws and an attempt at faux-annoyance at the level of erudition of the eTLS crowd 😉...

In fact, if this didn't represent too much work, I'd ask for one per week (inter, don't feel pressured at all, I'm very happy with one a month!).

Edit: Have you seen this? https://www.theguardian.com/books/202... I started my day crying (for many different reasons, the loss of a very familiar bookshop and vibe on that end of Boul' Mich', missing Paris, the fact that when I return it simply won't be the same, etc.).

Hushpuppy (12) wrote: "Gpfr wrote (#11): "Both these quizzes were very entertaining, neither too long nor too short - I think you've got a real talent for setting them"

Agreed. I'm not sure I've expressed myself well: m..."

OH NO! Horrible! during the 80s, 90s, and 00s, when I was healthier, wealthier, and maybe even wiser, I used to visit Paris every few months. I'd found a relatively inexpensive hotel close to Chatelet, so I could skip over the bridges to the Boul' Mich' and spend a lot of time in the various buildings that comprise Gibert Jeune. I preferred it to FNAC, although I never missed a visit there either. Alas, my situation changed as the hotel's prices rose, and I never quite found a substitute, so I've not been a regular Eurostar traveller for a while.

If you like, I'll do a quiz or game whenever I can assemble one. Without library access I'm somewhat restricted, but I have one I could put up next week that demands no knowledge at all - just opinion, which is always democratic. I agree that the crowd here is frighteningly knowledgeable and sharp.

Justine wrote: "Hushpuppy (12) wrote: " the loss of a very familiar bookshop (Gibert Jeune) and vibe on that end of Boul' Mich'"

OH NO! Horrible!..."

While certainly any closure of a bookshop is regrettable, I've personally always been more a Gibert Joseph girl, and that's where my children's textbooks came from and went back to. The founder had 2 sons and the company split. I think the two parts were reunited a few years ago.

Gpfr wrote: "Justine wrote: "Hushpuppy (12) wrote: " the loss of a very familiar bookshop (Gibert Jeune) and vibe on that end of Boul' Mich'"

OH NO! Horrible!..."

While certainly any closure of a bookshop is ..."

I may be confusing the two, now that your mention it. Is Gibert Joseph the bigger shop?

Justine wrote: "Is Gibert Joseph the bigger shop? ..."

When going towards the Seine, Gibert Joseph is on the left of Bd St Michel, 1 big shop & smaller shops for stationery etc. Gibert Jeune is on the righthand side much nearer the river.

Gpfr wrote: "Justine wrote: "Is Gibert Joseph the bigger shop? ..."

When going towards the Seine, Gibert Joseph is on the left of Bd St Michel, 1 big shop & smaller shops for stationery etc. Gibert Jeune is on..."

Okay - right - I'd forgotten there were two. It was the Joseph one I especially liked, too, including the second-hand book, although I also bought books at the Jeune.

Justine wrote: "I'd forgotten there were two.."

Yes, I suspect we all here are more of the Gibert Joseph kind. There are actually several Gibert Jeune at the bottom of Boul' Mich'. The big one on the right, but some also on the left, on Place St Michel.

Since Gibert Joseph reabsorbed Gibert Jeune - as Gpfr mentioned - when the latter was struggling financially a few years ago, there is also a real concern about the survival of Gibert Joseph.

Hushpuppy wrote: " There are actually several Gibert Jeune at the bottom of Boul' Mich'. The big one on ..."

Ah, yes, of course - the one for language teaching and one for CDs, is it?
You're right about it being worrying for Gibert Joseph too 😟

Sad to hear of the troubles of Paris bookstores and bouquinistes - as much a part of life on the quais as the Amsterdam tulip sellers. As I am cursed with a particularly bad memory (no-one will spot the difference, if/when some form of senility makes its appearance...) I don't recall where I bought books during the 'Paris years', though FNAC certainly figured...

As for the quizzes - always enjoy reading these, although (bad memory) I can rarely find an answer. Good fun, though!

Have we got all the answers right, Justine?

Gpfr wrote: "Have we got all the answers right, Justine?"

I'm sure you have, and the solutions will be announced Monday. But the next quiz will be posted in a few hours, to give those in different time zones the opportunity to get in nearer the start.

Amelia wrote: "Is #10 Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde? Or have I got that completely wrong? It seems familiar"

I'm pretty sure that is .