Why Not Try Something in Scarlet? Quiz

Answer: The Second Anglo-Afghan War

In July 1878, Russia sent an envoy to Afghanistan. Fearing Russian influence in the area, England demanded that Afghanistan accept British diplomats. When the Afghans refused, England invaded.

By the spring of 1879, the British controlled much of Afghanistan. The Treaty of Gandamark appeared to end the war; however, in September 1879 an uprising took place in Kabul.

During the spring of 1880, General Frederick Roberts, after marching his troops from Kabul to Kandahar, defeated the Afghans in a decisive battle and this engagement ended the Second Anglo-Afghan war.

Answer: A View from the Bridge

Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge" centers on the troubled family life of Eddie Carbone, an Italian longshoreman living in New York. Two illegal immigrant relatives move in with the Carbone family. Enraged by a developing romantic relationship between his niece and one of the immigrants, Carbone reports the illegal immigrant to the authorities. A fight ensues and Carbone is killed.

Scarlett Johansson is both an accomplished actress and a singer. Her film roles include "Lost in Translation" (as Charlotte) and "The Prestige" (as Olivia Wenscombe). Her musical efforts include the album "Break Up".

Answer: The Hissing of Summer Lawns

A Canadian singer-songwriter, Joni Mitchell wrote the song "Both Sides Now" for Judy Collins. Joni also wrote "Big Yellow Taxi" with the memorable lyric "...they paved paradise and put up a parking lot."

Elvis Costello once said of "Shades of Scarlett Conquering" that "This is as good as any writing." The song's lyrics include:
"Magnolias hopeful in her auburn hair
She comes from a school of southern charm
She likes to have things her way
Any man in the world holding out his arm
Would soon be made to pay"

"Rolling Stone" magazine opined that the album "...is ultimately a great collection of pop poems with a distracting soundtrack."

Joni Mitchell has won several Grammy Awards, including 1969's Best Folk Performance for "Clouds" and 1995's Best Pop Album for "Turbulent Indigo".

Answer: Charles Hamilton

Vivian Leigh played the part of Scarlett O'Hara and won the 1939 Academy Award for Best Actress. Other actresses considered for the part included Bette Davis and Katharine Hepburn.

"The Guardian" website describes Scarlett as "...one of the most ruthlessly optimistic characters in literature."

Margaret Mitchell received the 1937 Pulitzer Prize for writing the novel. Mitchell originally named her heroine Pansy.

Answer: Anthony E. Pratt

The game "Clue" was first released in England in 1949.

Elizabeth Magie invented "Monopoly", Reuben Klamer designed the game "Life", and James Cooke Brown created the "Careers" game.

Answer: Pearl

Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author of "The Scarlet Letter" was born in Salem, Massachusetts. His other works included "The House of the Seven Gables" and "Twice-Told Tales".

Deborah Noyes' 2005 novel "Angel and Apostle" is a continuation of the Hester Prynne and Pearl story.

Answer: bird

The breeding male scarlet tanager can be easily recognized. It has a bright red body and black wings and tail. Breeding females are yellow-green.

Scarlet tanagers typically nest during summer months in deciduous forests in the eastern portion of North America. Winters are spent in South America.

Answer: Leslie Howard

The film also featured Merle Oberon as Lady Blakeney, Raymond Massey as Chauvelin, and Nigel Bruce as the Prince of Wales.

The film was based on the novel by Baroness Orczy. The author was born in Hungary, but her family moved to London in 1880 when she was a teenager. She married Montague MacLean Barstow in 1894.

Orczy wrote several sequels to "The Scarlet Pimpernel".

Answer: The Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican

Gregory Peck starred as Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty in "The Scarlet and the Black". O'Flaherty was a historical figure. He was an Irish Catholic priest, living in Rome in 1943. O'Flaherty helped protect Jews and escaped Allied POWs. Wikipedia estimates he saved 6,500 Allied soldiers and Jews.

O'Flaherty could not be arrested inside the Vatican, so the Nazis painted a line in St. Peter's Square to mark the limit of the Vatican's sovereignty. O'Flaherty wore disguises when he needed to leave the Vatican.

Answer: A gypsy with a grin from an old far away country

Notable songs written by Cat Stevens include "Morning Has Broken" (with lyrics from Eleanor Farjeon), "Peace Train" and "The First Cut Is the Deepest". Commenting on his songwriting, Stevens said in a VH1 interview:"I started reflecting on my thoughts and those questions which were knocking at my conscious. I started writing those kind of lyrics in my songs."

Stevens changed his name to Yusuf Islam in 1977, after converting to Islam.