FUN Literary Tag

I found this tag over at Austenitis and immediately knew I had to try it!

I'm so glad I did, it was SUCH fun!

You should try it too.

Really.

First name 12 literary characters and then answer the questions.

Okay, so here are mine...

1. Mr. Darcy (Pride & Prejudice)

2. Polly Milton (Main character in An Old-fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott)

3. Doctor Dolittle (the Doctor Dolittle series by Hugh Lofting)

4. Robin Hood (The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood)

5. Rose Campbell  (Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott)

6. Black Beauty (haha, it doesn't say the characters have to be human)

7. Willy Wonka (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
8. Emma Woodhouse (Emma)

9. Reginald Bridgewater (One of MY literary characters in my novel... Lissie)

10. Diana Barry (Anne of Green Gables)

11. Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes books)

12. Cynthia Coppersmith (from the At Home in Mitford series by Jan Karon)

There, that looks like a fun group of people! I tried to pick a really random assortment to see what unusual adventures would ensue. :D But like Charity suggested, you could do 12 characters from a Jane Austen novel, or several of her novels, or all Anne of Green Gables characters! It would make the results totally different.

Questions...

1. Who would make a better college professor, 6 or 11?
Black Beauty or Sherlock Holmes? Uhhh... well, Black Beauty is a horse. So anybody would make a better college professor than him... but wow, Sherlock Holmes would make an awesome college professer! I want his class! "Deduction and Observation" ;)

2. 12 sends 8 out on a mission. What is it? Does it succeed?
Cynthia Coppersmith sends Emma Woodhouse.... to.... try and make a match for her with Father Tim, but Emma only ends up muddling the poor priest's mind and frightening him away. But thankfully we all know what happens in the end. (That is, if you've read the At Home in Mitford series)

3. What is, or what would be, 9’s favorite book?
Reginald Bridgewater! My character! Hmm... well, despite his impulsive, outgoing temperament, Reginald is actually quite intelligent and well-educated, so he reads well even if he would rather be riding his horse over the beautiful grounds of Swanwick Hall. I think his favorite book would have been one of Miss Austen's novels, since they were published during his lifetime... probably Northanger Abbey.

4. Would it make more sense for 2 to swear fealty to 6 or the other way around?
Again, poor Black Beauty can't speak the King's English. But then again, I have a hard time imagining the sweet, sensible Polly Milton swearing fealty to a horse. I think Black Beauty would have sworn fealty to Polly, especially if she was his dear owner.
5. Number 5 is looking for a roommate. Should s/he room with 9 or 10?
Rose Campbell would definitely room with Diana Barry over Reginald Bridgewater. Actually, I think Rose and Diana could have been fast friends.

6. 2, 7, and 12 are going out to dinner. Where are they going, and what do they discuss?
Polly, Willy Wonka, and Cynthia Coppersmith? Hmmm... They don't have much in common! I think they would go to the Wonka factories and dine on chocolate soup... and they would probably discuss candy, as it would be everywhere and I can imagine Willy Wonka dominating the conversation... ;)

7. 3 challenges 10 to a duel. Who wins?
The amiable Doctor Dolittle would never challenge Diana Barry to a duel! He was too much of a gentleman! But he would have won, because Diana would never have picked up a sword... she'd have fainted first.
8. If 1 stole 8’s most precious possession, how would s/he get it back?
Hahahaha! I cannot imagine Mr. Darcy stealing anything from Emma Woodhouse. But since her most prized possesion would be Mr. Knightley... Emma would probably pay a ransom to get him back, since she was very wealthy.

Or then again, perhaps she would have just taken careful aim...

9. Suggest a story title in which 7 and 12 both attain what they want.
Wow. Willy and Cynthia again. I think Cynthia wants a happy life with Father Tim, but what does Willy Wonka want? An heir to his chocolate factory? A golden elevator, instead of a great glass one? *thinking...* THE GREAT GOLDEN ELEVATOR, inside of which Cynthia is proposed to by Father Tim. Wow.... can't get much odder than that, can you?

10. What kind of plot device would you have to use to get 1 and 4 to work together?
Mr. Darcy and Robin Hood? *Swoon*
Well, Mr. Darcy would need a time machine, or Robin Hood could find the fountain of youth and live until Jane Austen's era... and then they team up together riding the countryside on great black horses wearing sweeping capes, searching for Elizabeth Bennet and Maid Marian, who are imprisoned in a tower owned by the Sherriff of Nottingham... ;) Hey, sounds good to me!

11. If 7 visited you for the weekend, how would it go?
Willy Wonka? I suspect I would gain weight if he brought any of his delicious chocolate with him. And he's a little weird for me to spend that much time with!
12.  If you could command 3 to perform any service or task for you, what would it be?
Doctor Dolittle - Well, I would dearly love to know how to speak the chicken language so I could communicate with ours. I would ask him to teach it to me. Although, come to think of it, they seem to already understand me.....

13. If 2 had to choose sides between 4 or 5, what side would s/he choose?
Polly Milton choosing between Robin Hood or Rose Campbell? Well... since she and Rose were both created by Louisa May Alcott, she would probably pick Rose.

14. What might 10 shout out while charging into battle?
Again, I really cannot imagine Diana Barry charging into battle! Unless Anne Shirley was leading the charge, in which case she might cry "Anne, let's stop imagining this now, you'll tear your dress!"

15. If you had to choose a song to best describe 8, what would it be?
Emma Woodhouse. Hum. This is hard. Perhaps "I'm not who I was" by Brandon Heath? Emma being no longer a busybody and matchmaker? It's a stretch at best.



16. 1, 6, and 12 are having a dim sum at a Chinese Restaurant. There is only one scallion pancake left , and they all reach for it at the same time. Who gets it?
Mr. Darcy, Black Beauty, and Cynthia Coppersmith? Goodness, I have no idea. I suppose Black Beauty, the other two would have had better table manners...




17. What would 5 most likely be arrested for?
Rose Campbell? The soul of innocence? Probably for being an unknowing accomplice to something her mischeivous cousins had done.

18. What is 6’s secret?
Black Beauty... Hmmm. I can't think what. That he actually prefers oats to barley mash?

19. If 11 and 9 were racing to a destination, who would get there first?
Sherlock Holmes and Reginald Bridgewater! "The Game's Afoot, my dear Reginald." I think Sherlock would probably win as he's so experienced at chasing down badguys, especially if they were racing through London. But Reginald is definitely a man of action, nonetheless.

20. If you had to walk home through a bad neighborhood late at night, who would you be more comfortable walking with, 7 or 8?
Willy Wonka or Emma Woodhouse? Both would be practically useless... I guess Willy, he might have some kind of secret candy weapon up his sleeve, like a gun that shoots exploding gumballs.

21. 1 and 9 reluctantly team up to save the world from the threat posed by 4's sinister secret organization. 11 volunteers to help them,but it is later discovered that s/he is actually a spy for 4. Meanwhile, 4 has kidnapped 12 in an attempt to force their surrender. Following the wise advice of 5, they seek out 3, who gives them what they need to complete their quest. What title would you give this fiction?

Mr. Darcy and Reginald Bridgewater (My stars, what a handsome pair) team up to save the world from Robin Hood (GUFFAW - actually, he did have a secret organization, the Merry Men).
Sherlock Holmes volunteers to help them, (His help would indeed have been invaluable, I can't see Robin Hood evading Holmes as easily as the Sherrif of Nottingham)
...but it is discovered that he is a spy for Robin. (Hmm, come to think of it, he had a sympathetic streak, did Sherlock. He might have seen Robin's side of the issue.)
Robin Hood kidnaps Cynthia Coppersmith (Oh dear! But just the thing to spur Father Tim to action, at last...) Following the wise advice of Rose Campbell (Who must have been acquainted with Doctor Dolittle... maybe he was friends with her seafaring Uncle Alec) They seek out Doctor Dolittle.... who gives them... um, a translated message from a deer living in the Greenwood forest, who tells them the whereabouts of a secret glen where Cynthia is hidden?
Sheer craziness, but so enjoyable to imagine. Now, for a title...

THE ZANY ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD, as related by Doctor John. H. Watson.