Quiz Behind Every Good Man Sara Goodman Confino

Behind Every Good Man Quiz: Test Your Understanding

Dive into the world of Sara Goodman Confino's Behind Every Good Man with this 20-question quiz. It covers plot sequences, character motivations, themes, and synthesis questions. After the quiz, check the answer key for detailed explanations.

Quiz Questions

Plot / Sequence (Questions 1–8)

  1. What event opens the novel? (Multiple Choice)
    A. Gabriella’s father dies
    B. Lord Alvert reads a letter from Gabriella
    C. A duel in which Lord Alvert wounds Gabriel Johan
    D. Gabriella boards a train in a dress

  2. How old is Gabriella when she first decides to live as a boy? (Multiple Choice)
    A. Two years old
    B. Five years old
    C. Twelve years old
    D. Sixteen years old

  3. What does Gabriella do to ease her father’s grief? (Multiple Choice)
    A. She writes him a letter every day
    B. She dresses as a boy and introduces herself as his son Gabriel
    C. She stops speaking to him
    D. She leaves home to live with her nanny

  4. How does Gabriella manage to live alone at university? (Multiple Choice)
    A. She rents a room in a boarding house for women
    B. She convinces her father to secure private rooms and sends Stephens with her
    C. She shares a dormitory with other male students
    D. She quits school to avoid discovery

  5. What happens to Gabriella at the Sword Masters Club? (Multiple Choice)
    A. She is seriously wounded and quits fencing
    B. She becomes unbeaten after three months
    C. She reveals her identity to the members
    D. She loses every match

  6. Why does Lord Alvert challenge Gabriella to a duel? (Multiple Choice)
    A. He discovers she is a woman
    B. He believes she is trying to steal Lady Bishop’s affections
    C. She insults his honor in public
    D. She refuses to pay a gambling debt

  7. What does Gabriella do during the duel? (Multiple Choice)
    A. She fights fiercely and wounds Lord Alvert
    B. She does not defend herself and allows him to draw first blood
    C. She confesses her secret before the duel begins
    D. She runs away from the field

  8. What is the final scene of Chapter 1? (Multiple Choice)
    A. Gabriella dies from her wound
    B. Lord Alvert marries Lady Bishop
    C. Gabriella, dressed as a woman, travels by train with Stephens
    D. Gabriella returns home and resumes her life as Gabriel

Character Motivation (Questions 9–13)

  1. Why does Gabriella agree to the duel without fighting back? (Short Answer)

  2. Why does Gabriella try to sway Lady Bishop away from Lord Alvert? (Multiple Choice)
    A. She hates Lady Bishop
    B. She is jealous and afraid of losing Lord Alvert’s friendship
    C. She wants Lady Bishop for herself
    D. She thinks Lord Alvert deserves a better match

  3. Why does Lord Alvert not show mercy during the duel? (Multiple Choice)
    A. He is angry about Gabriella’s betrayal
    B. He fears for his life because he was warned about Gabriella’s skill
    C. He wants to kill Gabriella
    D. He is drunk

  4. Why does Gabriella’s father initially avoid her as a child? (Multiple Choice)
    A. He blames her for her mother’s death and she reminds him of his wife
    B. He is too busy with work
    C. He does not like children
    D. He is traveling abroad

  5. Why does Gabriella continue the male disguise after her father’s death? (Short Answer)

Theme / Symbol (Questions 14–17)

  1. What does the duel symbolize in the story? (Short Answer)

  2. What does Gabriella’s sword represent? (Multiple Choice)
    A. Her feminine side
    B. Her skill, power, and adopted masculine identity
    C. Her desire for revenge
    D. Her friendship with Lord Alvert

  3. What does the dress Gabriella wears on the train symbolize? (Multiple Choice)
    A. Her return to her true self and new freedom
    B. Her regret for the duel
    C. Her plan to deceive Lord Alvert
    D. Her grief for her father

  4. How does the theme of sacrifice appear in the novel? (Short Answer)

Synthesis (Questions 18–20)

  1. If Gabriella had revealed her true identity to Lord Alvert before the duel, how might the story have changed? (Short Answer)

  2. Compare the roles of Nannie Arjonte and Stephens in Gabriella’s life. (Short Answer)

  3. Do you think Gabriella will continue to live as a woman after the train journey? Explain your reasoning. (Short Answer)

Answer Key

Plot / Sequence Answers

  1. C. The novel opens with the aftermath of a duel where Lord Alvert has wounded Gabriel Johan (actually Gabriella). A letter found on the body reveals the truth. [Evidence: chapter opening description of duel aftermath and letter.]
  2. B. At age five, Gabriella cuts her hair and dresses in boy’s clothes to become Gabriel and ease her father’s grief. [Evidence: “I was five years old” when she decided to become a boy.]
  3. B. She presents herself as her father’s son, Gabriel, and he accepts the ruse. [Evidence: She knocks on his study door and introduces herself as Gabriel.]
  4. B. She convinces her father to secure private rooms for her at university, and Stephens, the butler’s nephew, accompanies her. [Evidence: She tells her father she needs to live alone, and Stephens comes as her manservant.]
  5. B. After initial wounds, she becomes unbeaten at the Sword Masters Club within three months. [Evidence: “After three months with the club, I was unbeaten.”]
  6. B. Lord Alvert accuses Gabriella of trying to steal Lady Bishop’s affections. [Evidence: Letter mentions accusation of trying to steal Lady Bishop from him.]
  7. B. Gabriella does not fight back, allowing Lord Alvert to draw first blood, and then gives him the letter. [Evidence: She states she will not defend herself and allow him to draw first blood.]
  8. C. Gabriella, now in a dress, travels by train with Stephens, uncertain of her future. [Evidence: Final scene: train, dressed as a woman, Stephens with her.]

Character Motivation Answers

  1. She does not want to harm Lord Alvert because she loves him; she wants to let him have satisfaction and then read her confession letter. [Evidence: Letter says “I will not defend myself… I will allow you to draw first blood and then, I will hand you this letter.”]
  2. B. She is jealous of the time Lord Alvert spends with Lady Bishop and fears losing him. [Evidence: Letter states she became jealous and told lies to sway Lady Bishop away.]
  3. B. He was warned about Gabriella’s skill and feared for his life. [Evidence: Lord Alvert says he was told he was outmatched and feared for his life, so he did not stop.]
  4. A. He could not bear to look at her because she looked too much like her deceased mother. [Evidence: At age two, father says “she looks too much like her” and weeps.]
  5. She values the freedom and career opportunities that being a man affords her, especially practicing law. [Evidence: She thought about returning to being a woman but realized no woman could practice law and she was too happy with her crafted life.]

Theme / Symbol Answers

  1. The duel symbolizes the conflict between honor, societal expectations, and personal truth, as well as Gabriella’s sacrificial love. [Evidence: The duel is driven by honor but leads to the revelation of her identity and her willingness to die rather than hurt Alvert.]
  2. B. The sword represents her skill, power, and the masculine identity she has adopted to navigate the world. [Evidence: She finds fencing gives her a sense of completeness and she becomes deadly with the blade.]
  3. A. The dress symbolizes her shedding the male disguise and stepping into a new, uncertain freedom as her true self. [Evidence: She catches her own reflection and does not recognize herself, and the final line “Now I guess I’ll have to learn to cook” suggests a new beginning.]
  4. The theme of sacrifice is shown when Gabriella gives up her female identity at age five to ease her father’s grief, and later when she agrees to the duel without defense for Lord Alvert’s honor. [Evidence: Both actions are deliberate sacrifices for loved ones.]

Synthesis Answers

  1. If Gabriella had revealed the truth before the duel, Lord Alvert might have been shocked but could have avoided violence. She might have had a chance to explain her feelings and her deception in person, possibly leading to a different resolution—though societal scandal would still be a risk. [Inference based on characters and setting.]
  2. Nannie Arjonte is Gabriella’s childhood caretaker who helps her maintain the disguise at home and teaches her manners. Stephens is the nephew of the butler who becomes her private manservant at university and her loyal companion; he keeps her secret and supports her through the duel and aftermath. [Evidence: Both assist her in maintaining the disguise; Stephens travels with her after the duel.]
  3. Answers will vary. A strong answer might say yes, because she has already started the transformation (dress, hair down) and expresses uncertainty about the future but seems open to change. Another might say no, because the male identity gave her professional freedom and she may struggle to adapt. [No definitive textual evidence; requires synthesis of themes and character arc.]

For more insights, see our book overview, questions and answers, and ending explained.