Musical Symbolism in Literature

Description: This quiz is designed to assess your understanding of the use of musical symbolism in literature. Musical symbolism is a literary device that uses musical elements, such as instruments, melodies, and rhythms, to create a deeper meaning or emotional impact in a literary work.
Number of Questions: 15
Created by:
Tags: musical symbolism literature music and literature
Attempted 0/15 Correct 0 Score 0

In the novel "The Great Gatsby", F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the character of Tom Buchanan to symbolize what musical instrument?

  1. The piano

  2. The saxophone

  3. The trumpet

  4. The violin


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The saxophone is often associated with jazz music, which is a genre that is often associated with wealth and power. Tom Buchanan is a wealthy and powerful man, so the saxophone is an appropriate symbol for him.

In the poem "Ode to a Nightingale", John Keats uses the nightingale's song to symbolize what?

  1. Beauty

  2. Joy

  3. Love

  4. Death


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The nightingale's song is often described as being beautiful and enchanting. Keats uses the song to symbolize the beauty of nature and the power of art to capture that beauty.

In the play "Romeo and Juliet", William Shakespeare uses the lute to symbolize what?

  1. Love

  2. Passion

  3. Tragedy

  4. Death


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The lute is often associated with love and romance. Shakespeare uses the lute to symbolize the love between Romeo and Juliet.

In the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird", Harper Lee uses the mockingbird to symbolize what?

  1. Innocence

  2. Justice

  3. Equality

  4. Freedom


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The mockingbird is a symbol of innocence and purity. Lee uses the mockingbird to symbolize the innocence of the children in the novel, who are caught up in the racial injustice of the adult world.

In the poem "The Raven", Edgar Allan Poe uses the raven to symbolize what?

  1. Loss

  2. Sorrow

  3. Despair

  4. Death


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The raven is often associated with loss and mourning. Poe uses the raven to symbolize the speaker's loss of his beloved Lenore.

In the novel "The Lord of the Rings", J.R.R. Tolkien uses the music of the elves to symbolize what?

  1. Beauty

  2. Magic

  3. Power

  4. Wisdom


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The music of the elves is often described as being beautiful and enchanting. Tolkien uses the music to symbolize the beauty of the elven realm and the power of music to create a sense of wonder and awe.

In the poem "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night", Dylan Thomas uses the image of a dying man playing a trumpet to symbolize what?

  1. Defiance

  2. Anger

  3. Acceptance

  4. Resignation


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The image of the dying man playing a trumpet is a symbol of defiance against death. Thomas uses the image to show that even in the face of death, we can still find strength and courage.

In the novel "The Catcher in the Rye", J.D. Salinger uses the song "If a body catch a body coming through the rye" to symbolize what?

  1. Innocence

  2. Childhood

  3. Loss

  4. Loneliness


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The song "If a body catch a body coming through the rye" is a symbol of innocence and childhood. Salinger uses the song to show how the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, is trying to hold on to his innocence in a world that is increasingly complex and confusing.

In the poem "The Waste Land", T.S. Eliot uses the image of a broken violin to symbolize what?

  1. Despair

  2. Hopelessness

  3. Loss

  4. Alienation


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The image of a broken violin is a symbol of despair and hopelessness. Eliot uses the image to show the state of the world after World War I, which was a time of great loss and suffering.

In the novel "One Hundred Years of Solitude", Gabriel García Márquez uses the image of a yellow butterfly to symbolize what?

  1. Love

  2. Beauty

  3. Transformation

  4. Death


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

The image of a yellow butterfly is a symbol of transformation. Márquez uses the image to show how the characters in the novel are constantly changing and evolving.

In the poem "Ode to Joy", Friedrich Schiller uses the image of a chorus of angels singing to symbolize what?

  1. Joy

  2. Love

  3. Peace

  4. Unity


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The image of a chorus of angels singing is a symbol of joy and happiness. Schiller uses the image to show the power of music to bring people together and create a sense of community.

In the novel "The Sound and the Fury", William Faulkner uses the sound of a train whistle to symbolize what?

  1. Loss

  2. Change

  3. Time

  4. Death


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

The sound of a train whistle is a symbol of time passing. Faulkner uses the sound to show how the characters in the novel are constantly moving forward in time, even as they are haunted by the past.

In the poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock", T.S. Eliot uses the image of a pair of hands that "come together" to symbolize what?

  1. Love

  2. Passion

  3. Union

  4. Commitment


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

The image of a pair of hands that "come together" is a symbol of union and connection. Eliot uses the image to show the desire for love and intimacy.

In the novel "The Great Gatsby", F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the song "Daisy Bell" to symbolize what?

  1. Love

  2. Loss

  3. Nostalgia

  4. Wealth


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

The song "Daisy Bell" is a symbol of nostalgia and the past. Fitzgerald uses the song to show how the characters in the novel are haunted by their memories of the past.

In the poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening", Robert Frost uses the image of a horse shaking its harness bells to symbolize what?

  1. Peace

  2. Tranquility

  3. Contentment

  4. Isolation


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The image of a horse shaking its harness bells is a symbol of peace and tranquility. Frost uses the image to show the speaker's sense of contentment and peace as he watches the snow fall.

- Hide questions