The Darkness Within Us Quiz: 20 Questions on Plot, Characters, and Themes

Test your knowledge of Tricia Levenseller's The Darkness Within Us with this comprehensive quiz. Questions span the entire book, covering plot sequence, character motivations, themes, and synthesis. An answer key with explanations follows.

Plot & Sequence (Questions 1–8)

1. (Multiple Choice) In Chapter 1, how does Chrysantha kill the Duke of Pholios?

A) She poisons his wine.
B) She smothers him with a pillow.
C) She pushes him down the stairs.
D) She stabs him with a letter opener.

2. (Multiple Choice) After the duke's death, what does Chrysantha do with the staff's wages?

A) She cuts them by 10%.
B) She raises them by 20%.
C) She keeps them the same.
D) She gives each servant a bonus.

3. (Multiple Choice) Who arrives at the estate claiming to be the new Duke of Pholios?

A) Kyros
B) Vander
C) Eryx Demos
D) Sandros

4. (Multiple Choice) What does Chrysantha discover in Eryx's hidden quarters in the cellar?

A) A treasure map
B) A hit list of names
C) A love letter from his mother
D) A diary of his childhood

5. (Multiple Choice) How does Chrysantha attempt to kill Eryx during dinner?

A) She slips poison into his curry.
B) She shoots him with a revolver.
C) She stabs him with a fork.
D) She pushes him off the balcony.

6. (Multiple Choice) What happens to Sarkis at the end of the novel?

A) He escapes into the woods.
B) He is decapitated by Eryx.
C) He is arrested by the king's guards.
D) He becomes an ally of Chrysantha.

7. (Multiple Choice) What is the truth about Eryx's parentage?

A) He is the Shadow King's son.
B) He is the son of a demon.
C) He is a vampire.
D) He is a wizard.

8. (Multiple Choice) How does the novel conclude for Chrysantha and Eryx?

A) They part ways permanently.
B) They reconcile and declare their love.
C) Chrysantha kills Eryx and takes the dukedom.
D) Eryx marries Alessandra instead.

Character Motivation (Questions 9–13)

9. (Short Answer) Why does Chrysantha pretend to be a simpleton for seven years?

10. (Multiple Choice) Why does Eryx initially want to get rid of Chrysantha?

A) He hates her for her wealth.
B) He fears she will expose his secret.
C) He is in love with someone else.
D) He wants the estate entirely to himself.

11. (Multiple Choice) What is Chrysantha's initial motive for offering to help Eryx control his monster?

A) She genuinely loves him.
B) She wants to learn his secrets to destroy him.
C) She feels pity for his suffering.
D) She hopes to gain a larger allowance.

12. (Short Answer) Why does Eryx agree to let Chrysantha help him with his shifting?

13. (Multiple Choice) Why does Chrysantha refuse to remarry after the duke's death?

A) She is still in love with the late duke.
B) She wants to maintain her independence.
C) She is afraid of all men.
D) She plans to become a nun.

Theme & Symbol (Questions 14–17)

14. (Multiple Choice) The epigraph from Damon Salvatore (“There’s no such thing as a bad idea, just poorly executed awesome ones”) suggests which theme?

A) Love conquers all.
B) Execution matters more than the idea itself.
C) Power corrupts absolutely.
D) Revenge is always justified.

15. (Short Answer) What do Eryx's glowing amber eyes symbolize?

16. (Multiple Choice) Which of the following best illustrates the theme of “performance” in Chrysantha's character?

A) Her feigned stupidity.
B) Her love of reading.
C) Her friendship with the staff.
D) Her desire for a lover.

17. (Multiple Choice) What does the “hit list” in Eryx's cellar represent?

A) A list of wedding guests.
B) Eryx's quest for revenge.
C) A shopping list for the estate.
D) A list of enemies of the kingdom.

Synthesis (Questions 18–20)

18. (Short Answer) How does the theme of freedom versus control play out in Chrysantha and Eryx's relationship?

19. (Multiple Choice) Which character serves as a foil to Chrysantha's desire for independence?

A) Alessandra
B) Medora
C) Kyros
D) Lady Evadne

20. (Short Answer) What does the novel suggest about the nature of monstrosity?

Answer Key

1. B — Chrysantha smothers the duke with a pillow after he gropes her and demands marital duties (Chapter 1).

2. B — She raises staff wages by twenty percent after inheriting the fortune (Chapter 2).

3. C — Eryx Demos arrives claiming to be the late duke's grandson (Chapter 4).

4. B — She finds a hit list naming lords, General Kaiser, Sarkis, Barlas, and the Shadow King (Chapter 18).

5. A — She poisons his curry after brewing a concentrated poison from foxglove, water hemlock, and nightshade (Chapter 13).

6. B — Eryx decapitates Sarkis, revealing that decapitation is the only way to kill someone with his powers (Chapter 20).

7. B — Eryx confesses that his mother consorted with a demon to conceive him (Chapter 23).

8. B — They reconcile after Chrysantha interrupts the fight with Kallias and they declare their love (Chapter 25).

9. Chrysantha feigned stupidity to gain independence and freedom, to escape the restrictions men placed on her, and to secure a wealthy marriage that would give her control over her own life (Chapters 1, 11, 16).

10. B — Eryx fears Chrysantha will expose his supernatural secret, so he tries to marry her off or drive her away (Chapters 5, 8).

11. B — Initially, Chrysantha plans to use her acting skills to gain Eryx's trust, learn his secrets, and find proof of his inhumanity to destroy him (Chapter 14).

12. Eryx agrees because he wants to control his shifting, sees Chrysantha as someone who can help him rein in his emotions, and is increasingly drawn to her (Chapters 17–18).

13. B — Chrysantha refuses to remarry because she wants to maintain her independence and avoid being trapped in another marriage (Chapters 5, 8).

14. B — The epigraph emphasizes that ideas are only as good as their execution, a theme reflected in Chrysantha's careful schemes and Eryx's struggle for control.

15. The glowing amber eyes symbolize Eryx's demonic nature, his loss of control, and the monster within him that he must learn to master (Chapters 8, 13, 18).

16. A — Chrysantha's feigned stupidity is her central performance, a survival tactic she maintains for seven years to achieve her goals (Chapters 1, 11).

17. B — The hit list represents Eryx's quest for vengeance against those who wronged him, including General Kaiser and Lord Barlas (Chapter 18).

18. Both Chrysantha and Eryx seek freedom from their pasts and control over their lives. Chrysantha wants freedom from male domination; Eryx wants freedom from his mother's vengeance and his own monstrous impulses. Their relationship evolves from mutual manipulation to a partnership where they choose each other, finding freedom in love and trust (Chapters 23–25).

19. A — Alessandra, who chooses love and marriage with the Shadow King, contrasts with Chrysantha's initial rejection of romantic entanglement in favor of independence (Chapters 15–16).

20. The novel suggests that monstrosity is not inherent but shaped by circumstances and choices. Eryx, despite his demonic heritage, is not truly monstrous—he shows restraint and care. In contrast, humans like the late duke and Sarkis commit monstrous acts. The book implies that true monstrosity lies in cruelty and lack of control, not in physical form (Chapters 20, 23).

The Darkness Within Us Quiz: 20 Questions on Plot, Characters, and Themes