The Stephen King's 'Misery' Quiz

Estimated Completion Time
3 min
The Stephen King's 'Misery' Quiz
Image: Columbia Pictures/Getty

About This Quiz

A successful author's life takes an abject turn when he is imprisoned in a farm house. How much do you know about Stephen King's "Misery?"
What sort of books does Paul Sheldon write?
comedy
romance
horror
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

He has a devoted fan base that really, really does not want him to stop writing.

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What is the name of the star of Sheldon's books?
Jane Eyre
Misery Chastain
Annie Wilkes
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Annie mentions that there are eight of the best-selling books.

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Where does Paul hunker down to write his latest book?
Nevada
Pennsylvania
Colorado
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

He decides to celebrate the first draft of the book by imbibing, which he regrets almost immediately.

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To which city is Paul driving when he wrecks his car?
New York City
Los Angeles
Denver
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

He drinks too much and then winds up wrecking his car and in need of assistance.

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What is Annie's former occupation?
nurse
prison guard
dominatrix
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

And she uses prescription pain medications to help keep Paul under control.

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What sort of injury does Paul sustain during the car accident?
broken legs
head wound
broken arms
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The awful injury leaves him unable to fend for himself in any way.

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King intended to publish "Misery" using his pseudonym. Why didn't he?
He originally hated the book and then decided he liked it.
He wanted to add to the King brand.
The pseudonym was publicly revealed to be King.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A observant bookstore employee discovered King's pen name and outed him.

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As soon as she realizes who Paul is, Annie declares what?
That she is his "No. 1 fan"
That she was just released from the "wacky ward"
That she just "loves cats" and has 18 of them
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

She will repeat that refrain over and over again, to terrifying effect.

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In the movie, who plays the character named Annie?
Kathy Bates
Virgina Madsen
Kasi Lemmons
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bates easily oscillates between compassion and psychopathic behavior.

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What happens to Misery Chastain in Paul's latest book?
She runs away and is never seen again.
She dies.
She is assaulted by her lover.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Paul soon regrets that particular plot point, which greatly angers Annie.

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In what year was the novel published?
1981
1985
1987
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Three years later, the story was adapted to the big screen.

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Why did Paul decide to kill off Misery in his books?
He was in the middle of a contentious divorce.
He didn't want to be pigeon-holed as a romance writer.
He was sick of romance books.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

His latest finished manuscript is a crime drama that he hopes will show people he can write for other genres.

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In the 1990 film, which actor plays Paul Sheldon?
James Caan
Richard Farnsworth
Frances Sternhagen
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The movie helped brighten Caan's fading stardom.

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Why does Annie find Paul's crime drama manuscript to be off-putting?
child abuse
sex scenes
vulgar language
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

She can't handle the obscenities and gets noticeably upset.

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In the book, what does Annie do to Paul to keep him from escaping?
hammers his toes
cuts off his foot
breaks his kneecaps
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Too drastic? But extremely effective.

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Who plays the role of the local sheriff?
John Travolta
William Katt
Richard Farnsworth
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the movie, the sheriff is shot to death while on a mission to find Paul.

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Which Academy Award did the movie win?
Best Director
Best Actress
Beset Music
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Kathy Bates took home the Oscar thanks to her menacing portrayal of Annie.

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What does Annie do with Paul's finished crime drama manuscript?
She makes him burn it.
She recycles it.
She uses it as toilet paper.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

She wants him to instead focus on bringing Misery back from the grave in a new romance novel.

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In the movie, what does Annie do to Paul's feet to keep him from running away?
cuts them with a knife
burns them with a blowtorch
takes a sledgehammer to his feet
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The scene is unsettling in its brutality.

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What does Annie purchase that gives away Paul's location?
typing paper
many pens
medicine
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A store owner makes the connection between the typing paper and the missing writer.

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The first time he escapes his room, what does Paul do?
He calls for help.
He looks for painkillers.
He watches TV.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

His injuries cause immense suffering, and Annie gets him hooked on pain pills.

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For what crime was Annie arrested?
homicide
kidnapping
arson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

She killed babies in her care but was acquitted at trial.

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Paul suspects that Annie has killed how many people?
39
42
71
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

He pieces together parts of her life and realizes she killed many patients when she was a nurse.

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Angered by the new novel, for how long does Annie abandon Paul after realizing that he killed off Misery?
two days
two weeks
20 hours
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

By the time she returns, he is starving and dehydrated.

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What happens when a police officer arrives at the house looking for Paul?
Annie sets her attack dog on him.
He arrests Annie and saves Paul.
Annie runs him over with a lawnmower.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Annie's vicious streak is several miles wide.

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Which actor played Paul in the Broadway adaptation?
Bruce Willis
Tom Cruise
Clint Eastwood
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

And Laurie Metcalf played Annie, to resounding reviews.

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On the typewriter that Annie gives to Paul, which letter is missing?
M
N
O
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When Paul gripes about the missing letter, Annie cuts off one of his fingers.

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How does Annie die?
head injuries
Paul stabs her.
He commits suicide.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

During a struggle with Paul, she smacks her head on a fireplace mantelpiece.

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Stephen King has said that the character Annie was related to which problem in his own life?
substance abuse
uncontrollable temper
childhood abuse
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

He said that the drugs were his "No. 1 fan."

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After escaping his ordeal, what kind of book does Paul publish?
a romance
a crime drama
non-fiction about his encounter with Annie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The publisher, of course, is thrilled that Misery is back and promising to bring them big bucks from the bestseller's list.

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You Got:
/30
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