Ophie's Ghosts Quiz: 20 Questions on Plot, Character, and Theme
Test your knowledge of Justina Ireland's Ophie's Ghosts with this 20-question quiz. Questions cover plot, character motivation, theme, and synthesis, drawing on the full arc of Ophie's journey from Georgia to Pittsburgh and her work at Daffodil Manor. An answer key with brief explanations follows the quiz. Good luck!
If you need a refresher, check the book overview, Q&A, or ending explained.
Plot and Sequence Questions (1–8)
1. What event forces Ophie and her mother to flee their Georgia home?
A. A flood destroys their house.
B. Ophie's father is killed by white men because he voted, and the house is burned.
C. Ophie's mother loses her job.
D. Ophie is accused of theft.
2. Who is the first ghost Ophie ever sees?
(Short answer)
3. What is the name of the mansion where Ophie works as a housemaid?
A. Rosewood Manor
B. Daffodil Manor
C. Magnolia House
D. Hilltop Estate
4. Which ghost does Ophie befriend in the attic?
A. Colin
B. Isabel
C. Clara
D. Edward Caruthers
5. What object does Clara ask Ophie to retrieve from the attic?
(Short answer)
6. What happens to Aunt Rose near the end of the book?
A. She moves to another city.
B. She dies and passes on with her husband's ghost.
C. She loses her sight.
D. She is arrested.
7. Who is revealed to have killed Clara?
A. Richard Caruthers
B. Mr. Henry
C. Mrs. Caruthers
D. Penelope
8. After the engagement party, what does Ophie do with her free time?
(Short answer)
Character Motivation Questions (9–13)
9. Why does Ophie's mother make her leave school and start working?
A. Ophie is failing her classes.
B. The family is living on charity and needs money.
C. Ophie wants to work at the manor.
D. The school closes.
10. Why does Aunt Rose warn Ophie to avoid ghosts?
A. She thinks ghosts are dangerous and selfish.
B. She wants Ophie to focus on school.
C. She is jealous of Ophie's ability.
D. She believes ghosts are imaginary.
11. Why does Clara remain as a ghost in the attic?
A. She is waiting for her family.
B. She has unfinished business—she wants to know who killed her.
C. She is afraid of the afterlife.
D. She is bound to the house by a spell.
12. Why does Colin stay as a ghost?
(Short answer)
13. Why does Ophie decide to help Clara despite Aunt Rose's warnings?
A. She wants to prove Aunt Rose wrong.
B. She believes it is the right thing to do and wants justice for Clara.
C. She hopes to gain a reward.
D. She is forced by Clara.
Theme and Symbol Questions (14–17)
14. What does the haint blue paint symbolize in the story?
A. Wealth and status
B. Protection from spirits
C. Sadness and grief
D. The ocean
15. What does the attic of Daffodil Manor represent?
A. A place of joy and play
B. Hidden secrets and forgotten history
C. The family's wealth
D. A storage room for old furniture
16. What role do the trolley cars play in the novel?
(Short answer)
17. What does the rose garden symbolize?
A. The passage of time
B. Love and memory, especially Aunt Rose's husband's anchor
C. The dangers of nature
D. The wealth of the Caruthers family
Synthesis Questions (18–20)
18. How does Ophie's ability to see ghosts affect her relationships with living people?
(Short answer)
19. Compare Ophie's father's ghost with Clara's ghost. Why does one move on and the other does not?
(Short answer)
20. What is the central theme of the book regarding justice?
(Short answer)
Answer Key
1. B — Ophie's father is killed by white men because he voted, and their house is burned down, forcing them to flee to Pittsburgh. (Prologue)
2. Her father (Robert) — Ophie sees her father's ghost in her bedroom the night he is killed. (Prologue)
3. B — The mansion is called Daffodil Manor. (Chapter 1)
4. C — Ophie befriends Clara, the ghost of a former maid, in the attic. (Chapter 12)
5. A tortoiseshell hair comb — Clara recalls losing it near a gray bureau in the attic. (Chapter 20)
6. B — Aunt Rose dies and her spirit reunites with her husband's ghost, and they pass on together. (Chapter 18)
7. C — Mrs. Caruthers killed Clara, as revealed in Chapter 25.
8. She helps the remaining ghosts pass on and finally tells her mother the truth about her father's death. (Chapter 26)
9. B — The family is living on charity at Aunt Rose's house, so Ophie must work to help support them. (Chapter 1)
10. A — Aunt Rose believes ghosts are dangerous, selfish shadows that can sap a person's strength. (Chapter 10)
11. B — Clara is trapped because she was murdered and wants to know who killed her and why. (Chapter 13)
12. Colin stays to protect his younger brother Henry from Mrs. Caruthers. (Chapter 26)
13. B — Ophie believes helping Clara is the right thing to do, even though it is dangerous. (Chapter 17)
14. B — Haint blue paint is used to keep spirits out, as Aunt Rose explains. (Chapter 4)
15. B — The attic holds forgotten objects and secrets, including Clara's hidden body and the truth of her death. (Chapters 12, 25)
16. The trolley cars are a nexus for ghosts, where the dead gather and sometimes seek help or possession. (The Trolley Car interlude)
17. B — The rose garden is where Aunt Rose's husband's ghost tends to the plants, symbolizing his love and memory of Rose. (The Rose Garden interlude)
18. Ophie's ability isolates her from living people who don't understand, but it also connects her to the dead and gives her purpose. (Throughout)
19. Ophie's father moved on because he had no unfinished business—he was at peace. Clara remains because she was murdered and wants justice, so she is stuck until the truth is revealed. (Chapter 16, 25)
20. The central theme is that justice requires uncovering hidden truths and helping the dead find peace, even when it is difficult or dangerous. (Throughout)