Quiz Gallows Hill Darcy Coates

Gallows Hill Quiz: 20 Questions on Plot, Characters, Themes & More

Quiz

Test your knowledge of Darcy Coates's Gallows Hill with these 20 questions covering plot, characters, themes, and symbols. Answers are at the bottom.

Plot & Sequence

  1. On her first night at Gallows Hill, what does Margot find suspended from the porch beams?

  • A. Bells

  • B. Nooses

  • C. Lanterns

  • D. Wind chimes

  1. What object does Margot discover beneath a cloth in the living room?

  • A. A painting

  • B. A deer-skull effigy

  • C. A grandfather clock

  • D. A birdcage

  1. What does Margot find hidden in the attic that reveals the curse's origin?

  • A. A photograph

  • B. A journal

  • C. A key

  • D. A map

  1. What is the significance of the date November 26?

  • A. Margot's birthday

  • B. The anniversary of the Hull family murders

  • C. The day the winery was founded

  • D. The day the curse began

  1. What does Margot discover inside the six oak barrels in the old cellar?

  • A. Wine

  • B. The bodies of the Hull family

  • C. Gold

  • D. Old documents

  1. After reading the journal, what does Margot do with it?

  • A. Burns it

  • B. Posts it online

  • C. Hides it again

  • D. Gives it to Kant

  1. Who wrote the journal found in the attic? (Short answer)

  2. What action does Margot take to break the curse? (Short answer)

Character Motivation

  1. Why did Margot's parents send her away to live with her grandmother?

  • A. They were too busy with the winery

  • B. To protect her from the curse

  • C. They didn't love her

  • D. To attend a better school

  1. Why does Kant continue to work at Gallows Hill despite the dangers?

  • A. He is trapped by the curse

  • B. He enjoys the work and finds meaning in it

  • C. He is paid extremely well

  • D. He hopes to break the curse

  1. What motivates Ephraim Hull to kill his brother Ezra?

  • A. Revenge for a past betrayal

  • B. Jealousy over the inheritance and success

  • C. Fear of being exposed

  • D. A desire for the winery's wine

  1. Why does Witchety perform blessings on Gallows Hill?

  • A. To earn money

  • B. To protect the residents from the curse

  • C. To gain fame

  • D. To appease the spirits

  1. Why does Margot choose to stay and face the curse instead of leaving? (Short answer)

Theme & Symbol

  1. In the novel, the dead oak tree is a recurring symbol. What does it primarily represent?

  • A. The winery's success

  • B. The history of executions and the curse

  • C. The family's resilience

  • D. The changing seasons

  1. What do the nooses that appear around the property symbolize?

  • A. A warning of death and the curse

  • B. The town's superstitions

  • C. A practical tool for farming

  • D. A reminder of the winery's past

  1. The Watcher effigy, made of bones and trinkets, serves what symbolic purpose?

  • A. It represents the family's wealth

  • B. It is a protective talisman against evil

  • C. It is a decoration

  • D. It is a warning to intruders

  1. The wine aged in the barrels made from the gallows oak symbolizes what?

  • A. The prosperity of the winery

  • B. The family's connection to the land

  • C. The curse's link to the family's wealth and secrecy

  • D. The quality of the wine

Synthesis

  1. How does the novel use the setting of Gallows Hill to explore themes of inheritance and responsibility? (Short answer)

  2. Compare the roles of Kant and Witchety in guiding Margot. How do they differ? (Short answer)

  3. What does the resolution suggest about the importance of confronting the past? (Short answer)

Answer Key

  1. B. Nooses – Margot finds six nooses hanging from the porch beams on her first night (Chapter 11).

  2. B. A deer-skull effigy – In the living room, she uncovers a monstrous effigy made of bones, teeth, and other objects, topped with a deer skull (Chapter 6).

  3. B. A journal – In the attic, she finds a leather-bound journal written by a young girl (Chapter 24).

  4. B. The anniversary of the Hull family murders – The journal's final entry is dated November 26, 1772, the night Ephraim killed Ezra's family; Margot realizes it is the same date 250 years later (Chapter 40).

  5. B. The bodies of the Hull family – In the old cellar, she breaks open the barrels and finds preserved corpses of the six family members (Chapter 44).

  6. B. Posts it online – Margot and Nora decide to scan and post the journal online to fulfill Esther's wish (Chapter 41).

  7. Esther Hull – The journal belongs to Ezra Hull's youngest daughter, Esther (Chapter 40).

  8. She reveals the bodies and plans to give them proper burials, create a memorial for the hanged, and excavate the land – Margot decides to expose the truth and honor the dead, which breaks the curse (Chapter 45).

  9. B. To protect her from the curse – Kant explains that Margot's parents sent her away to break the curse and give her a normal life (Chapter 29).

  10. B. He enjoys the work and finds meaning in it – Kant tells Margot he has always been happy working there and wants to continue (Chapter 45).

  11. B. Jealousy over the inheritance and success – Ephraim believed he deserved half the inheritance and grew bitter as Ezra prospered (Chapter 23).

  12. B. To protect the residents from the curse – Witchety performs blessings to ward off bad things and keep the land safe (Chapter 15).

  13. She wants to uncover the truth about her parents and the curse, and she feels responsible for the land and its people – Margot decides to stay and face the curse rather than run away (Chapter 29).

  14. B. The history of executions and the curse – The dead oak tree is where hangings took place, and its wood was used for the wine barrels, linking it to the curse (Chapter 12).

  15. A. A warning of death and the curse – The nooses appear as ominous warnings, tied to the land's execution history (Chapter 12).

  16. B. It is a protective talisman against evil – Witchety explains that the Watcher is made of significant objects to ward away bad things (Chapter 15).

  17. C. The curse's link to the family's wealth and secrecy – The wine from the gallows oak barrels symbolizes the prosperity built on hidden deaths and the curse (Chapter 45).

  18. The setting of Gallows Hill, with its history of executions and family secrets, forces Margot to confront the weight of her inheritance. She must decide whether to continue the cycle of secrecy or take responsibility for the past, ultimately choosing to expose the truth and honor the dead.

  19. Kant is practical and grounded, offering Margot guidance about the land and its history, while Witchety provides spiritual protection through blessings and talismans. Kant is more skeptical and pragmatic, whereas Witchety is deeply superstitious and believes in the curse's power.

  20. The resolution suggests that confronting the past, even when it is painful and destructive, is necessary for healing and breaking cycles of guilt. By revealing the bodies and giving the dead proper burials, Margot frees herself and the land from the curse, showing that truth and justice are more important than preserving a tainted legacy.

For deeper discussion, see the ending explained or browse common questions.

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