Quiz The Davenports Krystal Marquis

The Davenports Quiz: 20 Questions on Plot, Characters, and Themes

The Davenports Quiz: 20 Questions on Plot, Characters, and Themes 1910 Chicago, four young Black women navigate love, ambition, and social change in Krystal Marquis's debut novel. This quiz spans the entire story, from the opening chapter to the author's note, testing your recall of key events, character motivations, and the novel's deeper themes. After the questions, you'll find a complete answer key with brief explanations. For further discussion, see the study guide and questions and answers.

Quiz

Plot and Sequence (Questions 1–8)

  1. In which city and year is The Davenports set?

  • A) New York, 1905

  • B) Chicago, 1910

  • C) Detroit, 1912

  • D) Atlanta, 1908

  1. What incident at Marshall Field's prompts Olivia to make a large purchase?

  • A) She sees a dress she loves

  • B) A shop attendant condescends to her, assuming she is a servant

  • C) She is meeting a friend for tea

  • D) She is asked to leave the store

  1. What is Helen's secret passion?

  • A) Painting

  • B) Poetry

  • C) Mechanics and automobiles

  • D) Fashion design

  1. Why does Ruby's family face financial strain?

  • A) A fire destroyed their factory

  • B) They lost their fortune in a bank failure

  • C) Her father's mayoral campaign and failing cotton crops

  • D) They invested in a failed railroad

  1. What does Amy-Rose plan to do with her savings?

  • A) Open a hair salon

  • B) Buy a house

  • C) Travel to California

  • D) Start a dress shop

  1. What does John give Amy-Rose after she loses the barbershop lease?

  • A) A train ticket to California

  • B) A deed to a larger salon

  • C) A ring

  • D) A job at the carriage company

  1. What happens at the protest Olivia attends?

  • A) She gives a speech

  • B) Police attack protesters and she is injured

  • C) She meets her father's brother

  • D) She is arrested

  1. How does the novel end for Ruby?

  • A) She reconciles with Harrison and they get engaged

  • B) She marries John

  • C) She moves to California

  • D) She becomes a suffragist

Character Motivation (Questions 9–13)

  1. What motivates Ruby to try to win John's affection early in the novel?

  • A) She genuinely loves him

  • B) Her parents pressure her to marry him to save the family's finances

  • C) She wants to make Olivia jealous

  • D) She hopes to inherit the Davenport fortune

  1. Why does Helen hide her mechanical work from her father?

  • A) She fears he will disapprove because it's not considered ladylike

  • B) She wants to surprise him

  • C) She is ashamed of it

  • D) She thinks John will take credit

  1. What drives Amy-Rose's ambition to open a salon?

  • A) To honor her mother's memory and achieve independence

  • B) To compete with Olivia

  • C) To impress John

  • D) To leave Chicago

  1. Why does Olivia become involved in civil rights activism?

  • A) She is inspired by Washington DeWight and wants purpose beyond charity

  • B) She wants to rebel against her parents

  • C) She is forced by her sister

  • D) She wants to impress Mr. Lawrence

  1. Why does John give Amy-Rose the deed to a salon?

  • A) He loves her and cannot bear her leaving

  • B) He wants to keep her as a servant

  • C) He feels guilty for his father's actions

  • D) He wants to invest in her business

Theme and Symbol (Questions 14–17)

  1. What does the ruby necklace symbolize for Ruby?

  • A) Family heritage and loss

  • B) Wealth and status

  • C) Love and romance

  • D) Rebellion

  1. What does the garage represent for Helen?

  • A) Freedom and self-fulfillment

  • B) A place to avoid her family

  • C) A symbol of rebellion

  • D) A reminder of her father's disapproval

  1. What theme is explored through the contrast between Olivia's charitable work and Washington DeWight's activism?

  • A) The difference between safe charity and risky activism

  • B) The importance of wealth

  • C) The role of women in society

  • D) The value of education

  1. What does the mud fight between Helen and Jacob Lawrence symbolize?

  • A) Authenticity and breaking free from propriety

  • B) The messiness of love

  • C) The dangers of the outdoors

  • D) A rejection of wealth

Synthesis (Questions 18–20)

  1. In what ways do Olivia, Helen, Amy-Rose, and Ruby each defy the expectations placed on them?

  • A) Olivia challenges class privilege through activism; Helen challenges gender roles through mechanics; Amy-Rose challenges class and race through entrepreneurship; Ruby challenges parental control by choosing love over duty.

  • B) They all refuse to marry.

  • C) They all leave Chicago.

  • D) They all become activists.

  1. The author's note mentions the real C.R. Patterson & Sons company. How does this historical inspiration shape the novel's themes?

  • A) It highlights Black entrepreneurship and erased history

  • B) It shows the importance of family businesses

  • C) It explains the setting of Chicago

  • D) It focuses on the automobile industry

  1. How do class and social status create obstacles for the main couples?

  • A) John and Amy-Rose face class barriers; Helen and Jacob face deception and social expectations; Ruby and Harrison face parental opposition; Olivia and Washington face activism and risk.

  • B) All couples are from the same social class.

  • C) Class only affects Ruby and Harrison.

  • D) Social status is not a major obstacle.

Answer Key

  1. B) Chicago, 1910 – The opening chapter establishes this setting as the backdrop for the story.

  2. B) A shop attendant condescends to her, assuming she is a servant – Olivia responds by ordering expensive items, including the yellow silk, to assert her identity as a Davenport.

  3. C) Mechanics and automobiles – Helen works on cars in the garage and dreams of contributing to the family business.

  4. C) Her father's mayoral campaign and failing cotton crops – These strain the Tremaines' resources, forcing Ruby to reuse dresses and sell possessions.

  5. A) Open a hair salon – Amy-Rose has saved money to lease Mr. Spencer's barbershop and start her own hair-care business.

  6. B) A deed to a larger salon – John buys a salon outright and gives it to Amy-Rose, saying he cannot bear her absence.

  7. B) Police attack protesters and she is injured – During the march, a brick is thrown, police attack, and Olivia is knocked down, injuring her hands.

  8. A) She reconciles with Harrison and they get engaged – Ruby confesses her love, and Harrison proposes with a ruby ring; she accepts.

  9. B) Her parents pressure her to marry him to save the family's finances – Her father plans to announce her engagement to John, and her mother insists the marriage could save the family.

  10. A) She fears he will disapprove because it's not considered ladylike – Her father forbids her from entering the garage, saying it's no place for a lady.

  11. A) To honor her mother's memory and achieve independence – Amy-Rose dreams of opening a salon to be self-sufficient and carry on her mother's legacy.

  12. A) She is inspired by Washington DeWight and wants purpose beyond charity – Olivia realizes her charitable work is safe and unrisky, and she seeks a more meaningful role in the Cause.

  13. A) He loves her and cannot bear her leaving – John confesses his feelings and gives her the deed, saying he cannot bear her absence.

  14. A) Family heritage and loss – The necklace is a family heirloom that Ruby's mother sells, and its return symbolizes lost connections and reconciliation.

  15. A) Freedom and self-fulfillment – In the garage, Helen feels at home and is treated as an apprentice, finding purpose outside societal expectations.

  16. A) The difference between safe charity and risky activism – Olivia's soup-kitchen work contrasts with DeWight's calls for political action and protest, highlighting the novel's critique of privilege.

  17. A) Authenticity and breaking free from propriety – The mud fight allows Helen to shed etiquette and be herself, symbolizing her rebellion against constraints.

  18. A) Olivia challenges class privilege through activism; Helen challenges gender roles through mechanics; Amy-Rose challenges class and race through entrepreneurship; Ruby challenges parental control by choosing love over duty. – Each protagonist defies expectations in her own way, as shown throughout the novel.

  19. A) It highlights Black entrepreneurship and erased history – The author's note explains that the novel is inspired by real Black success stories like the Pattersons, emphasizing themes of resilience and forgotten contributions.

  20. A) John and Amy-Rose face class barriers; Helen and Jacob face deception and social expectations; Ruby and Harrison face parental opposition; Olivia and Washington face activism and risk. – Each couple navigates obstacles rooted in class, race, and societal norms, driving the novel's conflicts.

For a deeper look at the ending and key turning points, see the ending explained.

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