PLEASE PLEASE can anyone put me out of my misery and answer the following literary quiz question:
-Who writes an unsatisfactory thank-you letter for a platinum and gold ring?
Thanks
Possibly Rhett Butler? Melanie and Scarlett toss their wedding rings into a basket as a contribution to the “glorious cause” and Rhett returns Melanie’s ring with a lovely letter of thanks. The letter is unsatisfactory (to Scarlett) because her ring is not returned.
(Although it does seem to me that both rings were gold…)
Nope, that’s not it. Scarlett never wrote him a thank you note.
It’s not Frodo, is it?
No I doubt very much it’s from Lord of the Rings
IIRC, Scarlett’s ring was returned as well.
Nope. I checked last night. Both rings were gold, too. So I got nothin’.
It was returned in the movie, though.
Oh, that. 
Only in the movie, not in the book. Also, in the book, Scarlett tossed her ring in the basket first, and Melanie, admiring her bravery, tossed hers in afterward. In the movie, Scarlett threw hers in after Melanie’s.
Just as a note, this question was asked in the New York Times Literature Quiz. I did some looking and there are one of two things going on here: either nobody on the Internet knows the answer or they’re holding out to make people insane. The literature boards are buzzing with people trying to figure it out and I haven’t seen a correct answer yet (not that I know what the correct answer is).
Well I’m sure there will be a correct answer - it’s just a case of someone remembering that detail from the appropriate book.
Hmm, would it have anything to do with this?
I found the identical question there and on several other forums.
Sorry Airman, I see you beat me to it.
Yes I’m doing it from the Sunday Times literary quiz - seems strange that it’s been in the New York Times one as well!
It’s been years since I read it, but I seem to recall something along these lines in Samuel Richardson’s Pamela (the best-selling novel of the 18th century). I’m too tired right now to go looking it up, though.
Who writes an unsatisfactory ** letter** for a ring?
not exactly great literature, but could the answer be a Korean metalsmith?
Has anyone read Pamela and can confirm this?
My only hesitation is I’m not sure if platinum was a prevalent metal then…
Also while I’m at it…
Does anyone know of a literary character who smokes Balkan Sobranie cigarettes?
Roderick Childermass, in the Johnny Dixon books of the late great John Bellairs.