New Trivia Experience Available - Try Beta Version!

Short stories

Basic literary terms and genre.

... Read More ... Read less

5 Categories 20 Questions

Name three characteristics of short stories. What is the central decision in The Knowers, and why is it significant?

Melanie Heller

GRID

Public ON OFF

Downloadable ON OFF

Get Started with the #1 Free Online Quiz Maker

Create a fun and engaging trivia quiz in minutes!

Questions

Number of categories

1 2 3 4

Questions per category

1 2 3 4

5 6

Layout Preview

Category 1

Name three characteristics of short stories.

1. Focuses on one key event 2. Few characters 3. Compressed time 4. Often an open ending 5. An “in medias res” beginning

What is the central decision in The Knowers, and why is it significant?

Ellie decides to learn her death date, which shapes the rest of her life. This raises the story’s main question: does knowing the future improve life or ruin it?

What is “in medias res”? Explain, drawing on The Knowers.

This Latin term describes a beginning “in the middle of things.” The reader is thrown directly into Ellie and Tem’s disagreement without background explanation. This creates tension and curiosity: we want to understand what “knowing” means and why it is so important.

How does the story end, and what effect does this have?

It ends at 11:54 pm on April 17, 2043, with six minutes remaining. This ending is open and creates suspense because we do not know whether Ellie will die. It suggests that even knowing the future does not remove fear and provide certainty.

Category 2

What is a dystopia?

A fictional society, often set in the future, in which life is controlled, oppressive, or frightening.

What makes the world in The Knowers dystopian?

Technology controls people psychologically. Citizens can learn their death date, which causes fear and emotional suffering. Although society appears normal, this knowledge creates a subtle but unhealthy dystopian environment.

JOKER

Name one similarity and one difference between The Knowers and another dystopian text you have read.

Similarities: technology or social systems control individuals. People experience fear and emotional suffering. Difference: In The Knowers, control is more subtle, since no one forces Ellie to use the machine. It is primarily a psychological rather than a political dystopia.

Category 3

What is a simple and one-dimensional character called?

A flat character.

JOKER

What kind of character is Ellie? Explain.

Ellie is a round and dynamic character. Round: She has complex emotions, including fear, regret, courage, and gratitude. Dynamic: She changes over time. At first, she confidently seeks knowledge. Later, she experiences dread, regret, and fear.

Why does the author present Ellie as a round and dynamic character?

The author presents Ellie as complex in order to show the psychological consequences of knowing the future. This helps readers understand both sides: knowledge can give meaning, but it can also create suﬀering. It makes the story more realistic and emotionally powerful.

Category 4

JOKER

What is a focaliser? Who is the focaliser in The Knowers?

The focaliser is the character through whom we experience the story. In The Knowers, Ellie is the focaliser. We experience everything through her thoughts and feelings.

How are thoughts in The Knowers presented? Why?

Thoughts are often presented directly, without phrases such as “she thought.” Example: “Not enough—is it ever enough?” This is called free direct thought. Effect: It makes the story more immediate and brings readers closer to Ellie's mind.

What is an ellipsis? Give an example from The Knowers.

An ellipsis is a narrative technique in which events are skipped or summarised. Example: Ellie summarises years of April 17 celebrations without fully describing each year. Effect: the focus remains on the most important emotional moments.

Category 5

What rhetorical device can you find in: “but there have been so many moments, almost an infinity of moments” (Phillips 4)?

An exaggeration (hyperbole). Extra: A human life cannot literally contain infinite moments. It shows how rich and meaningful Ellie’s life feels and emphasises her appreciation of ordinary experiences as she approaches her death. It intensifies the emotional impact.

What rhetorical device can you find in: “our son’s six-month-old, our first grandchild, bright as a brand-new penny” (Phillips 4).

A simile (a comparison of two things using “like” or “as”). It emphasises innocence, newness, and value.

What rhetorical device can you find in: “a tattoo inside my brain”? What is the effect?

A metaphor (a comparison of two things without “like” or “as”). Exaggeration is also possible, since the date is not literally tattooed. It highlights the permanence of her knowledge and suggests that she can never escape it.

JOKER

Colors :

Font color

Button color

Background color

Select Font

Logo:

Background Image:

Theme Song:

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Round 8

Round 9

Round 10

Round 11

Round 12

Round 13

Round 14

Round 15

Round 16

Round 17

Round 18

Round 19

Round 20

1	2	3
4	5	6
7	8	9

Question

Answer

TEAM 0

ADJUST SCORE

CATEGORY :

Team

Question

A Answer 1

B Answer 2

C Answer 3

D Answer 4

CAT_NAME	CAT_NAME	CAT_NAME	CAT_NAME	CAT_NAME
100	100	100	100	100
200	200	200	200	200
300	300	300	300	300
400	400	400	400	400

TEAM 0

Team 1	Team 1
Round 1	$0
Round 2	$0
Round 3	$0

ADJUST SCORE

Team

ADJUST SCORE

Use Scoreboard

ON OFF

Number of Teams

Team Names

Team 1

Team 2

Is it good, bad, wrong, etc?

Created with TriviaMaker’s online quiz maker.

GRID

LIST

TRIVIA

WHEEL

TICTAC

FUSION

HangMan

Short stories

Get Started with the #1 Free Online Quiz Maker

Game Setup

Choose a Theme

Choose a Game Style

GRID

LIST

TRIVIA

WHEEL

TICTAC

FUSION

HangMan

Select Classes to Import

Choose collection where you'd like to add the game

Choose Playlist where you'd like to add the game

Short stories

Get Started with the #1 Free Online Quiz Maker