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Quiz about Gordon Dicksons Way of the Pilgrim
Quiz about Gordon Dicksons Way of the Pilgrim

Gordon Dickson's "Way of the Pilgrim" Quiz


"Way of the Pilgrim" is a science fiction novel by Gordon Dickson. The earth has been conquered by an advanced and militaristic alien race, the Aalaag, who rule with an iron fist. Shane Evert must find a way to liberate the human race or die trying.

A multiple-choice quiz by agentofchaos. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
agentofchaos
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
362,909
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
252
Last 3 plays: PurpleComet (10/10), bigwoo (7/10), Rumpo (9/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. At the beginning of the novel, Shane is being forced to watch a public execution in Denmark. What unexpected event then catches his attention, to which he attributes a powerful symbolic meaning? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. What stunt does Shane perform in London involving a famous landmark? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. What is the great purpose that all fit Aalaag are expected to work towards? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. By what name do the Aalaag designate the aliens who drove them from their home worlds? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. The First Captain's consort was worried about the fate of their son, who had failed to return from a reconnaissance mission against their enemies. What did she fear had befallen him? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. The First Captain Lyt Ahn asked Shane to report on the behaviour of the district commander of Milan, Laa Ehon. Shane boldly expressed the opinion that Laa Ehon was unwell in the Aalaag sense, based on something the latter had said. What was this? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. What pretext did Shane use to convince the Aalaag to allow him to employ Maria as his personal assistant? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. The council of senior officers have a discussion about possible ways to increase the number of humans who can speak the Aalaag language usefully. What suggestion does Shane give to help facilitate this goal? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. When Shane confronts the First Captain in the role of the Pilgrim, how does Shane prove that he is not simply deluded, as the Captain thinks? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. At the end of the novel, what reason does Lyt Ahn give Shane for releasing the human race from Aalaag rule and leaving the earth? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Feb 25 2024 : PurpleComet: 10/10
Feb 22 2024 : bigwoo: 7/10
Feb 11 2024 : Rumpo: 9/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. At the beginning of the novel, Shane is being forced to watch a public execution in Denmark. What unexpected event then catches his attention, to which he attributes a powerful symbolic meaning?

Answer: A butterfly emerging from a chrysalis

When the Aalaag took over, they eliminated insects from the cities, at least in theory. Therefore, seeing a butterfly was a rare sight which gave Shane a strange feeling of triumph that a life had escaped the death sentence of the Aalaag. As he watched the butterfly emerge he felt a sense that one life was beginning just as the condemned man's life was ending, as if the one somehow balanced out the other.
2. What stunt does Shane perform in London involving a famous landmark?

Answer: Painting the pilgrim symbol on the face of Big Ben

The Pilgrim symbol, consisting of a hooded man holding a staff, had become a symbol of human resistance to alien rule. He does this in broad daylight using stolen technology while an Aalaag officer was on guard in the square below. The latter does not even notice at the time, as the Aalaag have a strangely limited understanding of human behaviour.
3. What is the great purpose that all fit Aalaag are expected to work towards?

Answer: Reclaiming the Aalaag home worlds that they were driven from thousands of years ago

Even though Aalaag weapons are unbelievably advanced by human standards, an even more powerful alien race dispossessed them of their home worlds long ago. The Aalaag dream of the day when they will retake these worlds and devote their whole lives to this goal.

The Aalaag have no religion as such. They do not necessarily want to suppress all other life forms, but they have enslaved many other intelligent races besides humans. They do not consider these slave races to have the status of people and refer to them as "cattle" and "beasts".
4. By what name do the Aalaag designate the aliens who drove them from their home worlds?

Answer: The Inner Race

Shane had the impression that they were like a swarm of intelligent insects. The Aalaag had an ongoing concern that the Inner Race might one day move against them again and threaten their survival. Apparently though, they had shown no signs of doing so in thousands of years.
5. The First Captain's consort was worried about the fate of their son, who had failed to return from a reconnaissance mission against their enemies. What did she fear had befallen him?

Answer: That he was encased and kept on display alive and helpless

Their enemies had been known to encase captured Aalaag in an amber-like substance, where they would remain alive and conscious for centuries. The Aalaag did not personally fear death and would rather be destroyed than submit to slavery. However, the thought of being kept alive and conscious of the knowledge that one was powerless to help one's own race was unbearable to them, a true fate worse than death.
6. The First Captain Lyt Ahn asked Shane to report on the behaviour of the district commander of Milan, Laa Ehon. Shane boldly expressed the opinion that Laa Ehon was unwell in the Aalaag sense, based on something the latter had said. What was this?

Answer: He spoke of radically altering the relationship between the Aalaag and their slave races

The Aalaag were a deeply conservative people. Laa Ehon admitted that what Shane said was true in a special council meeting called by Lyt Ahn. The latter then declared Laa Ehon to be unwell and hence unfit for duty.
7. What pretext did Shane use to convince the Aalaag to allow him to employ Maria as his personal assistant?

Answer: He claimed that she had a natural aptitude for learning the Aalaag language

The Aalaag language was extraordinarily difficult for most humans to master. Therefore, those who could speak it to a useful degree were highly sought after as servants by the Aalaag. Shane gave Maria special coaching so she could speak and understand some basic phrases, and then told the Aalaag she had learned these on her own. Maria was a member of the resistance, but naturally Shane did not tell the Aalaag!
8. The council of senior officers have a discussion about possible ways to increase the number of humans who can speak the Aalaag language usefully. What suggestion does Shane give to help facilitate this goal?

Answer: Having human children raised in Aalaag households

Shane points out that human children learn new languages more easily than adults, but they would need to be able to interact intimately with Aalaag speakers. The senior officers generally find this suggestion repulsive, as it would involve treating human children in much the same way as their own offspring. However, the First Captain Lyt Ahn asks them to at least consider it.
9. When Shane confronts the First Captain in the role of the Pilgrim, how does Shane prove that he is not simply deluded, as the Captain thinks?

Answer: He persuades the First Captain to order his guards to clear the square outside of protesters

When the human guards try to clear the square, the protesters rise up against them. Many of them are killed, but their greater numbers manage to completely overcome the well-armed guards. The First Captain receives a report that the same thing has happened simultaneously at all other Aalaag headquarters around the world.

This proves Shane's claim that humans were prepared to die rather than continue to submit to alien rule.
10. At the end of the novel, what reason does Lyt Ahn give Shane for releasing the human race from Aalaag rule and leaving the earth?

Answer: Humans were unworthy

The Aalaag are a proud people, convinced of their superiority to less advanced races. They also think that their rule is of great benefit to lesser races. The First Captain Lyt Ahn tells Shane that he is not overly impressed with the bravery of those who attacked and overwhelmed heavily armed guards, as he considers such behaviour a sign of their sickness.

He claims that humans are unworthy of the privilege of being ruled by Aalaag.
Source: Author agentofchaos

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor looney_tunes before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
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