Which Classic Literary Genre Are You?

Which Classic Literary Genre Are You?

by Adam Burgess, ThoughtCo,  April 16, 2016




Books with Glasses. Clipart.com

Have you ever wondered which genre of classic literature is perfect for you? Do you think you're best suited for a life of leisure or adventure? Is your imagination out of this world, or are you more interested in the every day experience?

Take our quiz below to find the perfect match for your bookish personality! Just a grab a piece of paper and a pen/pencil, jot down the letter you choose for each of the four questions below and then scroll down for your results!

Here we go!

1. You’re stranded on a desert island. What happens next?

    A. You decide to investigate the island, looking especially for clues that will reveal how you got there, what happened to the airplane (which has mysteriously disappeared!) and who might have a motive for stranding you and your group in this distant isle.

    B. You’ll make friends with the island natives and they will eventually lead you to their inland waterfall. When there, you discover that the water has special powers: when you cup your hands beneath the fall and drink from it, your dreams and wishes begin to come true.

    C. At first, the island appears like any other, so you assume this was just an accident. But then you remember the mysterious visage of the brooding pilot and how he seemed particularly interested in your life’s history. Could the pilot have landed here intentionally? And what is that flickering light just beyond the ridge? A candlelit cave? And this? A bucket of champagne? Interesting…

    D. Take a look around. Make friends with the native people. Learn how to fish and build a boat. Get rescued and go back to the mainland, where you reflect on all that you’ve learned.

2. It’s the dead of night. A storm is brewing. Someone knocks at your door, but you’re not expecting anyone. What happens next?

    A. Hmm? Who could this be? Let me examine the course of the day’s events, beginning with breakfast this morning. It was, perhaps, unusual that the waiter brought me apricot jam with my toast, instead of my usual raspberry. They told me they were out, but could that have been an elaborate ploy?

    B. A troll! A giant! No, no, the knock was far too soft, and low to the ground, for that. Perhaps a lost elf, or even a changeling, has arrived. Quick – to the mirror! Now, what was that incantation for revealing a stranger’s intentions?

    C. He’s back! The ghost of Merriweather. I thought for sure, after so many years of visiting the mossy cliffs, gazing out with the lighthouse’s long rays into the dead of night that I would never see him again. But the howl in the wind, the chill in my bones, it all makes sense…

    D. Open the door. Greet the pauper and ask what she needs. You have food prepared, so you share it and then send her on her way. It was raining and cold, but we all have life lessons to learn, and we must do so quickly.

3. Your best friend is celebrating a milestone birthday tomorrow. What are your plans?

    A. I’ve been pondering this question for weeks, now. To ensure my gift will be appropriate and well-received, I have studied my friend’s every action, comment, and decision. I have observed, discreetly, as she chatted about all of her favorite things. My notebook is littered with coded references that make sense to no one but myself, but I am assured success in this venture!

    B. It’s a very important day! I’ve summoned, with a song, all of my animal friends and they have begun festival preparations. In the meantime, I’m making a gift in my laboratory, it’s sure to bring her luck, long-life, and maybe even the ability to fly, too, although I haven’t quite sorted that ingredient yet. It might turn her invisible instead, but that’s still unique, right? Happy accidents are still happy!

    C. There’s a beautiful wardrobe in an antiques shop nearby that we both adore. I put an offer on it just the other day, but strange things have been happening ever since. The shop owner refuses to let me open any of its drawers and is directing my attention to other items. I’m certain I’ve seen old letters slip out of that wardrobe, and was that the train of an old dress I see, peeking out beneath the cabinet door?

    D. I’ve reminisced briefly on our friendship, paying particular attention to one or two moments that really highlight how we became such great friends. Then I asked him what he wanted, went to some trouble to find it, bought it and presented it.

4. You’ve been offered an all-expenses paid trip to a destination of your choice. Where do you go?

    A. Ah, interesting. There’s an archive in Brussels I’ve been meaning to visit. You see, approximately 82 years ago a complicated case was dismissed due to lack of motive; however, I think I’m onto something. If only I could find the records for train schedules leaving Brussels and arriving in Paris on these three exact dates…

    B. You know, I’ve always wanted to go to the moon. But, now that you mention it, the moon is so close, and other people have already visited. What about a trip to another dimension? No, too risky – I could turn out to be two-dimensional. I know! A trip to the past, but not just any past, an alternative past. Let’s see, now, which former U.S. President decided to pursue life as a clown instead?

    C. There’s an old Celtic worship site in the southwest of Scotland. I remember my lover once mentioning that a brother of hers became a priest there, in the pagan sense. Perhaps he can explain these headaches and visions I’ve been having. Has she been trying to contact me after all these years?

    D. A trip? I’m not sure I have time for a trip. Perhaps I could pursue a detailed day in the life of my neighbors. Or spend some time alone, reflecting on life and my place in it. The ladies club does meet on Tuesdays – perhaps we’ll take a day trip to the coast and leave it at that.

Now, add up the number of times you responded with each letter. The highest number corresponds to the "type" of genre you are! Is there no clear majority? Never fear, we've got you covered there, too.

Mostly As: You are a true classic detective, always hoping to suss out others’ intentions and to reveal secret identities or ulterior motives. Have you spent much time with the clever and mysterious works of Wilkie Collins, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, or Edgar Allan Poe?

You might find your classic literary soulmate in Detective C. Auguste Dupin or even Mr. Sherlock Holmes!

Mostly Bs: What an imagination you have! If you’re ever trapped on a deserted island, you’re sure to find a solution (or at least keep yourself entertained). Not even the sky is the limit for a Science-Fiction and Fantasy lover like you. Anything is possible, provided the story has great, realistic characters and a somewhat plausible plot. You should look into the works of Jules Verne, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.

Mostly Cs: Do you have a penchant for drama and intrigue? Do you like your love stories spiced with a bit of danger? It seems like the classics of Gothic Romance might be right for you! If you haven’t already, you should check out Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, or Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights. If you’re feeling a little silly, you might even try the Jane Austen’s Gothic parody, .

Mostly Ds: It’s true what they say, great things really do come in small packages! And the Classic Short Story seems to be the perfect genre for you. You love your stories to pack a punch and to wrap-up quickly and tightly (Loose ends? Sequels? Bah!). Why not give the short stories of Ernest Hemingway, Guy de Maupassant or Flannery O’Connor a try?

No majority: Curiouser and curiouser! You just can’t seem to make up your mind. But that’s alright! An eclectic reader often manages to experience the best of the best. You might spend some time with the short stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne, the bildungsroman novels of W. Somerset Maugham or Saul Bellow, or even classic poetry from the likes of Walt Whitman or Christina Rosetti. It’s all fair game!