# Anybody want to play 20 questions? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 8, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757 "2009-05-08T16:02:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 26
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/501 "2009-05-20T18:12:55Z")
Is this American fictional character a creation of the 20th century? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/502 "2009-05-20T18:13:52Z")
Yes. ETA: To clarify, he’s “not now alive” in the sense that he doesn’t exist. The character could conceivably have survived to the present day. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/503 "2009-05-20T18:28:41Z")
Is this fictional character originally from a piece of literature (as opposed to an entertaiment medium such as movies, TV or songs) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/504 "2009-05-20T18:43:29Z")
Yes, literature first and definitely foremost. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/505 "2009-05-20T18:48:14Z")
Was the author a male? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/506 "2009-05-20T18:49:25Z")
Yes. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/507 "2009-05-20T18:58:30Z")
Is this fictional character from something that is commonly read in High School (or Junior High) English classes? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/508 "2009-05-20T20:03:37Z")
I wasn’t sure, so I googled it, and it appears that it’s been banned from at least a few high school reading lists - so yes and no. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/509 "2009-05-20T20:27:16Z")
FTR…I think that was question 8. To summarize, we got a male fictional person, from literature whose was created by a male sometime in the 20th century. no one else seems to be interested or online, so I’ll keep going (even though i am not much into literature). Was this piece of literature written since 1960? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/510 "2009-05-20T20:32:01Z")
It was published after 1960. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/511 "2009-05-20T20:41:07Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > It was published after 1960. Okay, that eliminates Holden Caulfield, as _The Catcher in the Rye_ came out in 1951. Is/was the creator of this character a male? ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/512 "2009-05-20T20:43:23Z")
Has the piece of literature been adapted into a movie or TV show? ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/513 "2009-05-20T20:44:35Z")
Sternvogel, that was already asked and it is a male. Post #505 ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/514 "2009-05-20T20:45:40Z")
Is the literature in the science fiction or fanasy genre? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/515 "2009-05-20T20:48:30Z")
> [@Sternvogel](#): > > Is/was the creator of this character a male? Yes- already answered. You are hereby warned for being a very naughty boy and not reading the other questions. Tsk. > [@notfrommensa](#): > > Has the piece of literature been adapted into a movie or TV show? Yes. > [@notfrommensa](#): > > Is the literature in the science fiction or fanasy genre? No. (#11) ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/516 "2009-05-20T21:14:31Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Sternvogel, that was already asked and it is a male. Post #505 :smack: I did read all the questions and answers – just had a short-term memory lapse. Is the literature considered humorous? (Not just some funny parts, but overall a humorous work.) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2009, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/517 "2009-05-21T00:00:30Z")
I’d say it’s equal parts funny and serious. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2009, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/518 "2009-05-21T01:08:44Z")
Is the author John Irving? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2009, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/519 "2009-05-21T01:16:57Z")
1. Nope ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2009, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757/520 "2009-05-21T01:31:54Z")
ah well, for some reason, I had Garp in my head. I have no earthly clue why. I read the book 25 yrs ago, last saw the movie about 15 yrs ago. Kind of like an earworm. the book was half funny and half serious though. And I can see why it might be banned in schools. Oh well, back to the task at hand. I am stumped for now. Someone else take over. Literature is not my forte. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757.md?page=25) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-want-to-play-20-questions/495757.md?page=27)