American Literature CLEP Prep Practice Exam

What 1865 novel by William Dean Howells has been called "the great American novel"?

1. The Gilded Age

2. The Scarlet Letter

3. The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

4. Moby-Dick

The correct answer is: The Gilded Age

While The Scarlet Letter, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and Moby-Dick are all notable American novels from the 19th century, they were not written by William Dean Howells. Howells' novel, The Gilded Age, is considered by many literary critics to be his most celebrated work and has been dubbed "the great American novel" for its insightful commentary on the social and economic conditions of America during the Industrial Revolution. Therefore, the correct answer is A.