Beneath Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of Ariel Sullivan's Novel
How well do you know the world of Beneath? This quiz covers the full arc of Sasha Cadell’s story—from the opening command to the haunting epilogue. Questions test plot details, character drives, deeper themes, and your ability to connect the novel’s ideas. Each answer is explained using evidence from the book.
1. Plot & Sequence Questions (8 questions)
1. What single word appears in Chapter 1 of Beneath?
A) Hope
B) Conform
C) Survive
D) Beneath
2. Who is the first character to speak to Sasha during the lockdown in Chapter 1?
A) Rumi
B) Tristian Hayes
C) Jaxon
D) Lily
3. What event causes Sasha to freeze during the House simulation in Chapter 7?
A) A hologram of her father
B) A hostage hologram that reminds her of her brother Eli
C) Ingrid’s betrayal
D) The sound of gunfire
4. What is the true mission of Unit Seven, revealed in Chapter 13?
A) To recruit new cadets
B) To find hidden reserves of supplies left by Haven’s creators
C) To assassinate Commander Burdon
D) To scout for enemy survivors above ground
5. How does Sasha save Levi after he is impaled by a trap in Chapter 18?
A) She carries him to a medical facility
B) She performs a field transfusion using her own blood
C) She radios for a rescue team
D) She uses a healing pod
6. What does Sasha discover inside the hidden bunker in Chapter 34?
A) A stockpile of weapons
B) A human woman in a pod labeled TABITHA
C) A map of the surface
D) A radio transmitter
7. Who does Sasha identify as the spy (“Snake”) in Chapter 37?
A) Kaleo
B) Rumi
C) Henderson
D) Jaxon
8. At the end of the epilogue, what question does Kaleo ask Phoenix?
A) “Do you believe in second chances?”
B) “Have you considered dying?”
C) “Will you join my mutiny?”
D) “Do you still love Tristian?”
2. Character Motivation Questions (5 questions)
9. Why does Sasha initially refuse Tristian’s offer to join the Force in Chapter 1?
A) She does not trust men
B) She hates humanity and wants to be left alone
C) She is loyal to the Expansion sector
D) She fears the above-ground mission
10. What motivates Tristian to keep Sasha’s transfer classified for as long as possible?
A) He wants to protect her from the burden of knowing Haven’s deadline
B) He is ashamed of his feelings for her
C) He plans to use her as a bargaining chip
D) He suspects she is a spy
11. Why does Ingrid attack Sasha in Unit Seven’s living quarters in Chapter 4?
A) She believes Sasha stole her ID band
B) She thinks Sasha is taking Lily’s place and sleeping around
C) She is under orders from Burdon
D) She resents Sasha’s medical skills
12. What does Rumi reveal about her relationship with Kaleo in Chapter 35?
A) They are siblings
B) They have been secretly working together for two years
C) She was forced to betray him
D) He is her former commander
13. Why does Sasha agree to “try” at the end of Chapter 10?
A) Tristian threatens her with punishment
B) She remembers Lily’s words about trust
C) Levi challenges her pride
D) Burdon offers her a promotion
3. Theme & Symbol Questions (4 questions)
14. What does the epigraph from George Orwell’s 1984 primarily foreshadow?
A) The importance of family bonds
B) The manipulation of history and memory by those in power
C) The destruction of the surface world
D) The need for rebellion against nature
15. The term “Death’s Angel” is a symbol for what?
A) Sasha’s ability to kill
B) Her role as a protector who stays with the dying
C) The curse she carries from her family
D) The weapon she uses in combat
16. What does the “beast” inside Sasha represent?
A) Her physical strength
B) Her trauma, self-hatred, and emotional armor
C) The enemy above ground
D) The hunger for power
17. How does the “flower metaphor” (introduced by her father in Chapter 19) connect to Sasha’s arc?
A) It teaches her to grow from suffering
B) It reminds her to stay hidden
C) It symbolizes romantic love
D) It encourages conformity
4. Synthesis Questions (3 questions)
18. How does the command “Conform” in Chapter 1 relate to the novel’s critique of social systems?
A) It shows that conformity is always beneficial
B) It introduces the pressure to obey that leads to corruption and hidden truths
C) It is only about military discipline
D) It suggests the characters are happy underground
19. In what way does Sasha’s final declaration in the epilogue—that she is now living for others—challenge her father’s mantra of “survive”?
A) She rejects mere survival in favor of purpose and connection
B) She adopts a more selfish approach
C) She honors his teaching exactly
D) She decides to leave the shelter
20. Based on the themes of Beneath, what might the title itself suggest about the story?
A) The physical tunnels under Haven
B) The hidden layers of truth, trauma, and humanity beneath surfaces of control
C) The underground bunkers
D) The romance between Sasha and Tristian
Answer Key with Explanations
1. B) Conform
Beneath opens with the single word “Conform,” setting up the novel’s central theme of obedience and the hidden depths beneath compliance.
2. B) Tristian Hayes
During the lockdown, Tristian offers Sasha nutrient paste and asks her to join his Force unit as a medic.
3. B) A hostage hologram that reminds her of her brother Eli
In the House simulation, a hologram of a young boy triggers a traumatic flashback to Eli’s death, causing Sasha to freeze.
4. B) To find hidden reserves of supplies left by Haven’s creators
Tristian reveals that Haven has less than a year of supplies, and Unit Seven’s real mission is to locate secret caches.
5. B) She performs a field transfusion using her own blood
Sasha uses a tourniquet, cleans the wound, and transfuses her own blood while keeping Levi alive.
6. B) A human woman in a pod labeled TABITHA
In the bunker, Sasha activates a pod with her chip and finds a living woman inside.
7. C) Henderson
Henderson inadvertently reveals knowledge of Kumar’s death, leading Sasha to identify him as the spy.
8. B) “Have you considered dying?”
Kaleo asks Phoenix if she has thought about dying, a chilling question that hangs over the epilogue.
9. B) She hates humanity and wants to be left alone
Sasha’s hatred of humans and her desire to avoid connection drive her initial refusal.
10. A) He wants to protect her from the burden of knowing Haven’s deadline
Tristian’s secrecy is meant to give Sasha a choice and shield her from the classified knowledge that would trap her.
11. B) She thinks Sasha is taking Lily’s place and sleeping around
Ingrid accuses Sasha of replacing Lily and of promiscuity, sparking a physical confrontation.
12. B) They have been secretly working together for two years
Rumi confirms her intimate relationship and collaboration with Kaleo, a hidden alliance against Burdon.
13. B) She remembers Lily’s words about trust
After the hearing, Sasha recalls Lily’s advice about trust and decides to try cooperating with the unit.
14. B) The manipulation of history and memory by those in power
The quote warns about controlling the past and present, directly linking to Haven’s falsified reports and buried secrets.
15. B) Her role as a protector who stays with the dying
Dr. Kumar reveals he gave her the name because she sat with patients who others abandoned.
16. B) Her trauma, self-hatred, and emotional armor
The beast is an internalized response to loss and pain, keeping others at a distance.
17. A) It teaches her to grow from suffering
Her father’s flower metaphor emphasizes resilience and blooming despite hardship, which Sasha eventually embraces.
18. B) It introduces the pressure to obey that leads to corruption and hidden truths
The command frames the novel’s exploration of how conformity suppresses individuality and enables systemic abuse.
19. A) She rejects mere survival in favor of purpose and connection
Phoenix declares she is no longer just surviving but living for others, directly opposing her father’s survival-only mantra.
20. B) The hidden layers of truth, trauma, and humanity beneath surfaces of control
The title points to what lies beneath conformity—the characters’ buried pain, the shelter’s secrets, and the hope underneath despair.
Ready to dive deeper? Explore the full summary of Beneath or check out the ending explained. For more discussions, visit our Q&A page.