Which of the following correctly list the two novels figuring the writer as a public figure, as a celebrity and as grist for the academic mill?

Correct option is D

Explanation:

The correct answer is Bech: A Book and Bech is Back.

"Bech: A Book" and "Bech is Back" by John Updike represent a satirical exploration of the writer as both a public figure and an object of academic scrutiny.

These novels center on Henry Bech, a fictional writer who deals with the challenges of fame and the literary world's treatment of his work.

The character of Bech serves as a critique of literary celebrity and the ways writers are absorbed into the academic and critical systems.

The novels focus on the concept of the writer as an icon of literary and public life, exploring the conflict between personal identity and public perception, which fits the description in the question.

Information Booster:

Bech: A Book (1970) and Bech is Back (1982):

- These novels by John Updike center around Henry Bech, a writer of some renown who navigates the pitfalls of fame and the literary marketplace.

- The Bech series satirizes the role of the author, with Bech becoming a caricature of the self-absorbed and slightly disillusioned literary figure.

Rabbit Redux and Rabbit, Run:

While these two novels feature Updike's famous protagonist Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom, who is also a kind of public figure, they are primarily focused on his personal struggles and are less concerned with the idea of the writer as a public figure or as an object for academic scrutiny. 

Rabbit is Rich and The Coup:

While "Rabbit is Rich" depicts the protagonist Harry Angstrom navigating his life as a middle-aged man, again the focus is more on personal growth than the academic or public perception of the writer. "The Coup" is a novel set in Sudan and deals with political themes.

Of the Farm and The Centaur:

These novels by Updike also don't fit the specific theme of public celebrity and academic critique as clearly as Bech: A Book and Bech is Back. "The Centaur" is more focused on mythological themes, and "Of the Farm" deals with family life and the natural world.