Vigil by George Saunders: 20-Question Quiz
Quiz
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(Plot, multiple-choice) What is the name of the spirit narrator?
a) Miss Eva
b) Jill "Doll" Blaine
c) Clyda
d) Viv -
(Plot, short-answer) What object stands in the fountain outside K.J. Boone’s estate?
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(Plot, multiple-choice) The Frenchman, who appears in Boone’s room, invented:
a) the printing press
b) the engine
c) the airplane
d) the telephone -
(Plot, multiple-choice) Which of the following is NOT one of the extinct bird species the Frenchman displays to Boone?
a) Allen’s hummingbird
b) dodo
c) bobolink
d) Nashville warbler -
(Plot, short-answer) What is the name of Boone’s wife?
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(Plot, multiple-choice) Boone’s dead associates who visit him to urge him to stay unrepentant are named:
a) G. and R.
b) A. and B.
c) Conrad and Ed Dell
d) Paul Bowman -
(Plot, multiple-choice) Boone gives a speech defending fossil fuels in which city?
a) Jakarta
b) Copenhagen
c) Cheyenne
d) Aarhus -
(Plot, short-answer) What does the narrator physically do to G. and R. during their visit?
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(Character motivation, multiple-choice) Why does the Frenchman want the narrator to make Boone recognize his environmental sins?
a) Because the Frenchman regrets inventing the engine, which contributed to environmental damage.
b) Because the Frenchman wants Boone to fund bird conservation.
c) Because the Frenchman is being paid by activists.
d) Because the Frenchman is jealous of Boone’s wealth. -
(Character motivation, short-answer) Why does Boone refuse to repent, even as death approaches?
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(Character motivation, multiple-choice) Boone’s father appears to him primarily to:
a) apologize for being harsh and ask for forgiveness
b) berate him for his sins
c) request money for the family
d) guide him toward repentance -
(Character motivation, multiple-choice) Why does Miss Eva, Boone’s childhood teacher, appear to him?
a) To comfort him in his final hours
b) To confront him about his lies and minor sins
c) To take him to the afterlife
d) To ask for a larger house -
(Character motivation, short-answer) What motivates Jill (the narrator) to perform her vigil?
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(Theme/Symbol, multiple-choice) The gold-plated statue of a dog with a duck in its mouth in the fountain symbolizes:
a) the beauty of nature
b) the inevitability of death
c) the artificiality of Boone’s world
d) both b and c -
(Theme/Symbol, multiple-choice) The extinct birds the Frenchman conjures primarily symbolize:
a) the consequences of human greed and shortsightedness
b) the Frenchman’s personal regret
c) the fragility of life
d) All of the above -
(Theme/Symbol, multiple-choice) The petition with fake scientist signatures (Bugs Bunny, Elvis) that Boone uses represents:
a) his willingness to deceive for his cause
b) the ignorance of climate science
c) the power of persuasion
d) the humor of the situation -
(Theme/Symbol, short-answer) What does the narrator mean when she calls life a “lavish jailing”?
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(Synthesis, multiple-choice) How does Boone’s childhood (caddying, slaughtering goats, feeling embarrassed by his father) relate to his adult actions?
a) He remained humble despite success.
b) He resented his humble origins and sought to distance himself through wealth and power.
c) He was traumatized by his father and used business as therapy.
d) He overcame poverty to become successful, justifying all his methods. -
(Synthesis, short-answer) How do the ghostly visitations (father, Miss Eva, G. and R.) challenge Boone’s self-image?
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(Synthesis, multiple-choice) The novel’s ending indicates that Boone:
a) remains defiant and unrepentant
b) finally repents and finds peace
c) is rescued by the narrator
d) dies in agony
Answer Key
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a) Jill "Doll" Blaine – The narrator identifies herself as Jill “Doll” Blaine in the chapter 2 excerpt.
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A gold-plated statue of a dog holding a golden duck in its mouth. – The opening of chapter 2 describes the fountain with this exact statue.
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b) the engine – The Frenchman is introduced as the inventor of the engine, and he laments its environmental impact.
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b) dodo – The dodo is not listed among the extinct birds the Frenchman displays; the species mentioned include Allen’s hummingbird, bobolink, Nashville warbler, and many others.
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Viv (Vivvy, Momma Lifeforce, Angel). – Boone’s thoughts refer to his wife with these affectionate names.
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a) G. and R. – The chapter outline and evidence confirm that Boone’s dead associates are named simply G. and R.
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d) Aarhus – The outline identifies Boone’s notorious speech as the “Aarhus speech.”
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She kicks them. – The narrator kicks G. and R. when they try to influence Boone.
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a) Because the Frenchman regrets inventing the engine, which contributed to environmental damage. – The Frenchman says “I was you… shortsighted and greedy” and calls his invention “Quelle horreur.”
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He is defiant and dismisses the need for change; he believes his accomplishments justify his actions and avoids regret to maintain power. – The outline states Boone “remains defiant, dismissing the need for change.”
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a) apologize for being harsh and ask for forgiveness – The father says “I was too harsh. With you. Was I?” and seems lighter and kinder.
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b) To confront him about his lies and minor sins. – Miss Eva presses Boone about the fake petition and says “Do you find it honorable… to confess only the most minor of your sins?”
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She feels a generalized fondness for the dying person and wants to comfort them to help them attain peace. – The narrator describes “the old, familiar, generalized fondness” and her cherished task of comforting.
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d) both b and c – The dog is gold-plated (artificial) and the duck is depicted in death, suggesting both mortality and the constructed opulence of Boone’s life.
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d) All of the above – The birds represent loss due to human activity (greed/shortsightedness), the Frenchman’s regret, and the fragility of life; the Frenchman explicitly links them to a call for repentance.
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a) his willingness to deceive for his cause – Boone admits the petition included obvious fake names but continued to use it as a “white lie” to serve his cause.
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She means that our choices are severely limited by our given mind, body, and disposition; pride in accomplishments also confines us. Disavowing the self frees us from blame or glory. – This paraphrases the narrator’s speech in chapter 2 about “lavish jailing” and self-disavowal.
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b) He resented his humble origins and sought to distance himself through wealth and power. – The evidence shows Boone felt his childhood was “too small” and he aspired to join the secret society of powerful men.
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They force him to confront his past lies and sins, undermining his defiant self-assurance. His father apologizes but also exposes his guilt about the Aarhus speech; Miss Eva exposes his minor confession; G. and R. push him to stay firm but highlight his moral compromises. – The outline and excerpts show each ghost challenges Boone’s self-justifying narrative.
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a) remains defiant and unrepentant – The outline confirms Boone’s final state despite the narrator’s efforts.