# Literature quiz question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 19, 2005, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360 "2005-09-19T14:44:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![robmm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@robmm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robmm)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/1 "2005-09-19T14:44:48Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/2 "2005-09-19T15:26:07Z")
> [@robmm](#): > > 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…) ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/3 "2005-09-19T18:43:58Z")
Nope, that’s not it. Scarlett never wrote him a thank you note. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/4 "2005-09-19T18:52:55Z")
It’s not Frodo, is it? ---
**Author:** ![robmm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@robmm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robmm)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/5 "2005-09-20T07:54:40Z")
No I doubt very much it’s from Lord of the Rings ---
**Author:** ![Carm6773](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2bfe46/32.png) [@Carm6773](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carm6773)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/6 "2005-09-20T10:08:41Z")
> [@Dung Beetle](#): > > 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…) IIRC, Scarlett’s ring was returned as well. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/7 "2005-09-20T11:51:36Z")
> [@Carm6773](#): > > IIRC, Scarlett’s ring was returned as well. Nope. I checked last night. Both rings were gold, too. So I got nothin’. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/8 "2005-09-20T13:38:09Z")
> [@Dung Beetle](#): > > Nope. I checked last night. Both rings were gold, too. So I got nothin’. It was returned in the movie, though. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/9 "2005-09-20T13:56:53Z")
Oh, _that_. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/10 "2005-09-20T14:10:49Z")
> [@Carm6773](#): > > IIRC, Scarlett’s ring was returned as well. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2005, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/11 "2005-09-20T20:22:20Z")
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). ---
**Author:** ![robmm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@robmm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robmm)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/12 "2005-09-21T07:52:01Z")
Well I’m sure there will be a correct answer - it’s just a case of someone remembering that detail from the appropriate book. ---
**Author:** ![Large\_Marge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@Large\_Marge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Large_Marge)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/13 "2005-09-21T07:58:35Z")
> [@robmm](#): > > 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 Hmm, would it have anything to do with [this?](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2102-1747174,00.html) I found the identical question there and on several other forums. ---
**Author:** ![Large\_Marge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@Large\_Marge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Large_Marge)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/14 "2005-09-21T07:59:44Z")
Sorry **Airman** , I see you beat me to it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![robmm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@robmm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robmm)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/15 "2005-09-21T14:25:48Z")
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! ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/16 "2005-09-21T18:27:27Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2005, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/17 "2005-09-21T22:01:41Z")
Who writes an unsatisfactory \*\* letter\*\* for a ring? not exactly great literature, but could the answer be [a Korean metalsmith?](http://www.tvacres.com/jewelry_houlihan.htm) ---
**Author:** ![robmm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@robmm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robmm)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/18 "2005-09-22T09:41:20Z")
Has anyone read Pamela and can confirm this? My only hesitation is I’m not sure if platinum was a prevalent metal then… ---
**Author:** ![robmm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@robmm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robmm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/19 "2005-09-23T14:35:12Z")
Also while I’m at it… Does anyone know of a literary character who smokes Balkan Sobranie cigarettes? ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360/20 "2005-09-23T15:00:11Z")
Roderick Childermass, in the Johnny Dixon books of the late great John Bellairs. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literature-quiz-question/322360.md?page=2)