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An Evil Cradling Trivia Quiz

This quiz is based on the book 'An Evil Cradling', an auto-biography written by Brian Keenan about his time in captivity in Lebanon and his relationship with cell-mate John McCarthy.

A multiple-choice quiz by steph26291. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
steph26291

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
290,973

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
231

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. On the 24th August 1990 at the Dutch Embassy, Brian Keenan compares himself to two children's tales. What are they? Hint

"Humpty Dumpty" and "Rip Van Winkle".

"Three Blind Mice" and "Tom Tom the Piper's Son".

"Little Miss Muffet" and "Dr Foster".

"Wee Willie Winkie" and "Frere Jacques".

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Question 2 of 10

2. In the preface Brian Keenan mentions two tools which helped him survive his ordeal. He states, 'knowledge was my sword'. What was his shield? Hint

His temper.

Childhood memories.

Hallucinations.

Humour.

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Question 3 of 10

3. Which cliche does Brian Keenan use to describe his ironic move from war-zone Belfast to war-zone Beirut? Hint

Out of the frying pan, into the fire.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Out of the fairy cake, into the bread basket.

It's a dog-eat-dog world.

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Question 4 of 10

4. What is Brian Keenan persistently informing the guards of, particularly forcefully in the first interrogation? Hint

He is a good man.

He is Irish.

He has a wife and children.

He is an extremely important person.

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Question 5 of 10

5. In Brian Keenan's period of solitary confinement, he is given a bowl of fruit. Which fruit sends him into ecstasies? Hint

Banana

Lemon

Passion Fruit

Orange

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Question 6 of 10

6. Brian Keenan's strength of character is shown throughout the book. Which of these acts of stubborn behaviour resulted in the start of violence from the guards? Hint

His refusal to be shaved.

His refusal to wear 'the clothes of a prisoner'.

His first hunger strike.

Breaking the strike of 'Bloody Sunday'.

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Question 7 of 10

7. What strange thing do the guards try to do to John McCarthy on his birthday? Hint

Beat him.

They do not know it's his birthday.

Dance with him.

Levitate him.

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Question 8 of 10

8. Throughout all beatings and abuse, Brian never utters a sound. On which occasion does he finally break and scream? Hint

His wrists and ankles are tied together and his feet are flogged.

He is physically beaten for refusing to be shaved.

He is repeatedly beaten with the butt of a Kalashnikov.

Listening to John McCarthy being beaten.

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Question 9 of 10

9. Brian Keenan himself is not exactly sure, but what figure does he give to the amount of times he and John McCarthy were moved to different prisons? Hint

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Question 10 of 10

10. After four and a half years as a hostage, Brian Keenan is finally released. What is the very last line of the book? Hint

'Freedom comes slowly at first.'

'I know but one freedom and that is the freedom of the mind.'

'Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty I'm free at last!'

'Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.'

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. On the 24th August 1990 at the Dutch Embassy, Brian Keenan compares himself to two children's tales. What are they?

Answer: "Humpty Dumpty" and "Rip Van Winkle".

This is quoted in the frontispiece (vintage edition published by Arrow in 1993). He mentions feeling as though he has fallen off a wall and broken into pieces, but has ended up with more pieces than he began with. The comparison with Rip Van Winkle shows how when he was released, the world around him had changed.

2. In the preface Brian Keenan mentions two tools which helped him survive his ordeal. He states, 'knowledge was my sword'. What was his shield?

Answer: Humour.

'Humour, that special quality which acted as a shield,' a theme which runs cohesively throughout the book to maintain his sanity and how he responds to beatings.

3. Which cliche does Brian Keenan use to describe his ironic move from war-zone Belfast to war-zone Beirut?

Answer: Out of the frying pan, into the fire.

'Frying pan to fire? Another Belfast?' When talking about his decision to leave Ireland he says to a friend, 'There comes a time when you get so utterly empty that you've got to move somewhere else to satisfy an inner hunger.' Why exactly he thought of Beirut is beyond me.

4. What is Brian Keenan persistently informing the guards of, particularly forcefully in the first interrogation?

Answer: He is Irish.

The reason to why he initially believed himself to be invincible in the war-zone was that his nationality was apart from the politics of the war.

5. In Brian Keenan's period of solitary confinement, he is given a bowl of fruit. Which fruit sends him into ecstasies?

Answer: Orange

'The colour orange, the colour, the colour, my God the colour orange.' In contrast to the dull surroundings and redundant food the colour orange blows his mind in a moment of madness, with experiences of synthesisia, 'the walls were singing.'

6. Brian Keenan's strength of character is shown throughout the book. Which of these acts of stubborn behaviour resulted in the start of violence from the guards?

Answer: His refusal to be shaved.

His hunger strike and refusal to wear the new clothes only confused the guards; it was his refusal to be shaved that he was beaten for. Breaking the strike regarding 'Bloody Sunday' was an event which happened in his student days before the kidnapping.

7. What strange thing do the guards try to do to John McCarthy on his birthday?

Answer: Levitate him.

This is the one and only time Brian and John celebrate anyone's birthday with the guards. The strange psychology of the guards is shown as they try to levitate him as a present, much like 'black magic' children practice in the playground.

8. Throughout all beatings and abuse, Brian never utters a sound. On which occasion does he finally break and scream?

Answer: His wrists and ankles are tied together and his feet are flogged.

This is an Arab punishment called 'Bastinado' and it the only time Brian screams though a beating. 'And then I heard it. A noise that I have never heard before, nor since, nor do I ever want to hear again. I know only that it came from me, yet it did not come from me. It was a cry so awful and so excruciating, which came from some part of me, but was not willed by me.'

9. Brian Keenan himself is not exactly sure, but what figure does he give to the amount of times he and John McCarthy were moved to different prisons?

Answer: 17

'During our captivity we were moved some seventeen times.' Basically, so many he'd lost count but probably around that number.

10. After four and a half years as a hostage, Brian Keenan is finally released. What is the very last line of the book?

Answer: 'Freedom comes slowly at first.'

This rather abrupt ending gives us an idea of how hard it is to get back into the flow of normal life. The other answers are famous quotes about freedom.

Source: Author steph26291

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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