Boyhood MCQs

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Author: Nasir Iqbal | Assistant Professor of English Literature

Boyhood MCQs
Updated on: November 1, 2025
Estimated Reading Time: 17 min

Boyhood MCQs

1. Who travels in the coach at the start of the trip from Petrovskoye?

A. Papa, Volodya, Vasily
B. Mimi, Katenka, Lyubochka
C. Masha, Yakov, Volodya
D. Filipp, Mitka, Mimi

B. Mimi, Katenka, Lyubochka.
Mimi, Katenka, and Lyubochka travel in the coach along with Masha and Yakov, the steward.

2. What mode of transportation carries Volodya and the narrator?

A. Coach
B. Barouche
C. Britzka
D. Phaeton

C. Britzka.
Volodya and the narrator ride in the britzka, joined by the new footman Vasily, for their trip.

3. What feeling replaces the narrator’s painful memories during the trip?

A. Renewed grief
B. Joyful sense of life
C. Fear and anxiety
D. Ashamed merriment

B. Joyful sense of life.
The narrator feels a joyful sense of life, strength, vitality, and hope as they leave painful memories behind.

4. What specific object made the narrator wary of expressing life?

A. The samovar
B. The closed door
C. Mourning clothes
D. The piano

D. The piano.
The piano could not be looked at without dread, reminding them vividly of Mama’s irreparable loss.
5. Who woke the narrator early on the second morning?

A. Mitka the postilion
B. Yakov the steward
C. Vasily the footman
D. Filipp the coachman

C. Vasily the footman.
Vasily, described as pitiless and overly zealous due to his new job, yanks the blanket off the narrator early.

6. What is Filipp doing when the narrator observes him by the well?

A. Blowing the samovar
B. Feeding the horses
C. Cranking a bucket
D. Exerting himself greatly

C. Cranking a bucket.
Filipp is seen cranking a bucket from the deep well and pouring the glistening water into an oak trough.

7. What provokes the narrator’s “fiercest indignation” in the britzka?

A. Vasily’s snoring
B. The tea caddy lid
C. Lack of seating
D. The britzka’s sour odor

B. The tea caddy lid.
The walnut tea caddy with a triangular lid, placed under the narrator in the britzka, caused fierce indignation.

8. Why does the narrator cross himself under his jacket while saying prayers?

A. Due to a cold
B. He is ashamed
C. So no one will see
D. Habitual practice

C. So no one will see.
The narrator removes his cap and prays, crossing himself under his jacket so no one else will see the ritual.

9. How many horses pull the britzka, and what are their names?

A. Three: Sexton, Filipp, Apothecary
B. Four: Neruchinskaya, Sexton, Left Shaft, Apothecary
C. Two: Left Shaft and Neruchinskaya
D. Four: Mitka, Vasily, Filipp, Yakov

B. Four: Neruchinskaya, Sexton, Left Shaft, Apothecary.
The four horses are named Neruchinskaya, Sexton, Left Shaft, and Apothecary, observed in detail by the narrator.
10. What characteristic of Sexton prevents him from being harnessed on the left?

A. He pulls too much
B. He isn’t the right kind
C. He is shaggy and black
D. He must rest often

B. He isn’t the right kind.
Filipp explains that Sexton cannot be harnessed on the left as he is not “a horse of that kind”.

11. What causes the narrator’s great impatience just before the storm?

A. Hot sun
B. Impatience for the inn
C. Thunderstorms
D. Dust in the air

C. Thunderstorms.
Thunderstorms produced an indescribably oppressive feeling of anguish and fear, which increased his desire to reach the inn.

12. What terrifying physical event does the narrator experience after the great thunder crack?

A. Shivering with cold
B. Feeling profound sadness
C. Trembling and catching his breath
D. Blinded by the lightning

C. Trembling and catching his breath.
A majestic, deafening crack of thunder right overhead made the narrator tremble and literally catch his breath.

13. Why were the carriages forced to stop briefly on the bridge?

A. To wait out the rain
B. A swingletree came loose
C. The horses balked
D. To give alms to the beggar

B. A swingletree came loose.
Despite the constant thunder, they were forced to stop on the bridge because a swingletree had come loose.

14. What visual detail makes the beggar unforgettable to the narrator?

A. His filthy shirt
B. A demented face
C. His stumbling walk
D. A shiny red stump

D. A shiny red stump.
The terrifying beggar, who appeared from under the bridge, had a shiny red stump instead of a hand.
15. What sensory details characterize the air after the thunderstorm?

A. Damp and earthy
B. Smoky and dusty
C. Fresh and fragrant
D. Sour and metallic

C. Fresh and fragrant.
The air is now fresh and fragrant, carrying the beautiful smell of birches, violets, and bird cherry.

16. Who is sitting next to the narrator in the britzka after the storm?

A. Lyubochka
B. Vasily
C. Volodya
D. Katenka

D. Katenka.
Katenka was sitting beside the narrator in the britzka, observing the dusty road with a thoughtful, sad expression.

17. What makes Katenka uneasy about staying at the grandmother’s house?

A. The journey
B. Fear of Moscow
C. The grandmother’s pride
D. Mimi’s illness

C. The grandmother’s pride.
Katenka is scared because Mimi said the grandmother, whom they will live with, is very proud and possibly grumpy.

18. What reason does Katenka give for why they cannot always live together?

A. Different teachers
B. Her mother’s job
C. Differing fortunes
D. Impending marriage

C. Differing fortunes.
Katenka explains that they are poor while the narrator’s family is rich, suggesting they will inevitably have to part.

19. What is Katenka’s chosen plan for her future life if they part?

A. Becoming a teacher
B. Being an actress
C. Entering a convent
D. Marrying Volodya

C. Entering a convent.
Katenka rejects her childhood dream of being an actress, choosing instead to enter a convent someday.
20. What major realization marks the beginning of the narrator’s boyhood?

A. Meeting Nekhlyudov
B. The trip to Moscow
C. The fight with Volodya
D. The new view of life

D. The new view of life.
This period began when he realized his family wasn’t the center of the world; other lives existed independently.

21. Upon seeing Grandmother in Moscow, what feeling replaced the narrator’s fear?

A. Immediate respect
B. Renewed dread
C. Compassion
D. Discomfort

C. Compassion.
Seeing Grandmother’s thin, wrinkled face replaced the narrator’s servile respect and fear with deep compassion.

22. What visible change had Karl Ivanych made in Moscow, making him look ridiculous?

A. His dressing gown
B. A new black coat
C. A light-brown wig
D. Foot straps on his trousers

C. A light-brown wig.
Karl Ivanych, previously venerable and bald, now wears a ridiculous light-brown wig with a central parting.

23. What item did Volodya receive that the narrator envied, creating a barrier between them?

A. New books
B. Foot straps
C. Linen shirts
D. A silver watch

C. Linen shirts.
Volodya received fine linen shirts with pleats, which the narrator envied, causing internal mental suffering.

24. What item of Volodya’s did the narrator break, leading to a major quarrel?

A. A porcelain plate
B. A knick-knack bottle
C. A drawing tool
D. His watch key

B. A knick-knack bottle.
The narrator accidentally broke an empty little multicoloured bottle that was part of Volodya’s desk collection.
25. How did Volodya end the serious quarrel with the narrator?

A. He ignored him
B. He cried
C. He apologized
D. He bought a new bottle

C. He apologized.
Volodya showed his “nobly forthright character” by initiating reconciliation, apologizing, and offering his hand.

26. At what age did the narrator begin to see Masha as a woman?

A. Twelve
B. Fifteen
C. Fourteen
D. Sixteen

C. Fourteen.
The narrator states he was fourteen when the event occurred that completely altered his view of the chambermaid Masha.

27. What did the narrator overhear Volodya doing with Masha on the stairway landing?

A. Reading her a novel
B. Giving her alms
C. Flirting and restraining her
D. Discussing lessons

C. Flirting and restraining her.
The narrator heard Masha complain that Volodya was up to his “tricks again,” whispering and restraining her.

28. Why does the narrator believe Masha ignores him compared to Volodya?

A. He was too young
B. He was bashful
C. His bad appearance
D. He studied too much

C. His bad appearance.
The narrator was convinced he was ugly—having a broad nose and cowlicks—which increased his bashfulness.

29. What object was Mimi stamping on in a ‘resolute’ expression?

A. A broken bottle
B. Scattered shot
C. A live coal
D. A small packet

B. Scattered shot.
Mimi, believing it was dangerous gunpowder, went with long strides to stamp on the scattered shot.
30. What did Papa determine the “gunpowder” actually was?

A. Gunpowder
B. Shot
C. Snuff
D. Coal dust

B. Shot.
Papa took the shot, smiled, and informed Grandmother that it was merely a shot and “completely harmless”.

31. Who does Grandmother blame for the children’s misbehaviour with the shot?

A. Papa
B. Mimi
C. The coachman
D. Karl Ivanych

D. Karl Ivanych.
Grandmother scornfully blamed Karl Ivanych, referring to him contemptuously as “this tutor, whatever his name is”.

32. Who replaces Karl Ivanych as the new teacher/governor?

A. Doctor Blumenthal
B. Prince Ivan Ivanych
C. St-Jérôme
D. Lebedev

C. St-Jérôme.
St-Jérôme, a young French dandy who had previously given lessons, replaced Karl Ivanych as gouverneur.

33. Before relating his life story, Karl Ivanych expresses sadness that his good deeds were repaid with what?

A. Generosity
B. Meanness
C. Indifference
D. Betrayal

B. Meanness.
Karl Ivanych sighed heavily, stating that the good he had done for people had always been repaid with meanness.

34. What ‘noble blood’ did Karl Ivanych claim flowed in his veins?

A. Austrian royalty
B. Counts of Sommerblat
C. Russian nobility
D. French soldiers

B. Counts of Sommerblat.
Karl Ivanych claimed, “In my veins flows the noble blood of the Counts of Sommerblat!” (In meinen Adern fliesst das edel Blut).
35. Why did Karl Ivanych’s stepfather not love him?

A. Karl was disobedient
B. He was born prematurely
C. Mama’s shame
D. He was cruel to Johann

C. Mama’s shame.
His mother’s shame was the cause, as Karl was born six months after the wedding, implying illegitimacy.

36. Why did Karl Ivanych volunteer to serve as a soldier instead of his brother Johann?

A. Karl drew the bad lot
B. He wanted to escape
C. Johann refused to serve
D. To replace Johann

D. To replace Johann.
Johann drew the bad lot, but Karl volunteered instead, saying no one needed him at home.

37. Which three major battles does Karl Ivanych claim to have fought in?

A. Waterloo, Jena, Vienna
B. Ulm, Austerlitz, Wagram
C. Wagram, Ems, Frankfurt
D. Sommerblat, Ulm, Vienna

B. Ulm, Austerlitz, Wagram.
Karl Ivanych tells the narrator that he was present at the battles of Ulm, Austerlitz, and Wagram.

38. What personal possessions did a French soldier take from Karl Ivanych during his captivity?

A. Gold coins and boots
B. Silver watch and clothes
C. Boots and a sword
D. Madeira and a gun

B. Silver watch and clothes.
A French soldier took his good cloth tunic, blue trousers, fifteen thalers, and the silver watch, a gift from his papa.

39. Why did Karl Ivanych decide to run away from his employer, Herr L., at the rope factory?

A. To find his mother
B. Frau L. was rude
C. Avoid ingratitude
D. He hated the factory

C. Avoid ingratitude.
He ran away to avoid repaying Herr L.’s kindness with low ingratitude, spurred by Frau L.’s flirtatious advances.
40. What happened when Karl Ivanych confronted the spy at the coffee house?

A. He was arrested
B. They exchanged words
C. He killed the sentry
D. He struck the spy

D. He struck the spy.
Karl Ivanych, grabbing his sword, struck the spy three times, causing the man to fall to the ground.

41. What mark did the history teacher, Lebedev, give the narrator for the history lesson?

A. A three
B. A two
C. A five
D. A one

D. A one.
The teacher, Mikhail Larionych, entered a beautifully inscribed one for achievement and another for behavior.

42. What calamity did the narrator commit in Papa’s study regarding the portfolio?

A. Stole money
B. Broke the desk
C. Tore the papers
D. Broke the little key

D. Broke the little key.
The narrator, using the small key, turned it the wrong way in the padlock, breaking off the top part.

43. The narrator compared his emotional state after his bad luck to that of whom?

A. A triumphant general
B. A desperate gambler
C. A starving beggar
D. An anxious father

B. A desperate gambler.
His irritated state was like a gambler who keeps playing desperate cards to avoid calculating his losses.

44. What insult did the narrator shout at St-Jérôme and the entire company when ordered upstairs?

A. I hate you all!
B. You’re vile and disgusting!
C. Leave me alone!
D. I’ll kill you all!

B. “You’re vile and disgusting!”.
In a frenzy of rage, the narrator shouted through his tears that “You’re all vile and disgusting!” to the group.
45. Where was the narrator locked up after hitting St-Jérôme?

A. The attic
B. The basement
C. The bedroom
D. The storage-closet

D. The storage-closet.
Following the fit of rage and hitting St-Jérôme, the storage-closet door was closed behind the narrator.

46. During his confinement, what absurd idea provided the narrator melancholy solace?

A. Becoming a general
B. Running away
C. Being an orphan
D. Killing St-Jérôme

C. Being an orphan.
He found solace in the idea that he was a wretched orphan or foundling taken in for charity’s sake.

47. What did Grandmother do with her hand when the narrator tried to kiss it before his official punishment?

A. She pulled him closer
B. She hid it
C. She turned away
D. She struck him

C. She turned away.
Grandmother turned away and put her hand under her mantilla when the narrator approached to kiss it.

48. What determined the true depth of Vasily’s love for Masha, despite his peculiar behavior?

A. He bought her gifts
B. His job as a tailor
C. He started drinking
D. He fought Nikolay

C. He started drinking.
When Nikolay refused Vasily, Vasily took to drink, haunted taverns, and suffered jail time from grief.

49. What philosophical idea did the narrator adopt to tolerate suffering?

A. Scepticism
B. Enjoying the present
C. Inner tolerance of pain
D. Symmetry in life

C. Inner tolerance of pain.
To inure himself to suffering, he decided happiness depends on attitude, holding lexicons at arm’s length.
50. What unique quality did Dmitry Nekhlyudov say was the reason for his friendship with the narrator?

A. Intelligence
B. Pride
C. Candour
D. Shyness

C. Candour.
Nekhlyudov highly valued the narrator’s honesty and openness, calling candor a “remarkable, rare quality.”

Brief Overview

Boyhood is the second novel in Leo Tolstoy‘s autobiographical trilogy, published in 1854. This text is an essential work of Bildungsroman. It documents the complex psychological and social development of the protagonist, Nikolenka, during his transition from childhood to adolescence.

The narrative commences with a journey following the death of his mother. This trip lessens his sadness as he observes pilgrims and carters. He is terrified by a cripplèd beggar on a bridge, marking a symbolic shift in his experience.

A conversation with Katenka, the chambermaid’s daughter, makes him realize that his family is not the center of the world. This recognition of social hierarchy is presented as the true initiation into his boyhood stage.

Later in Moscow, Nikolenka grapples with new emotional complexities. He notices changes, such as his tutor wearing a silly wig. He fights with his brother, Volodya, but they quickly reconcile.

The narrator experiences an infatuation with the chambermaid, Masha. He overcomes his shyness to ask his father for permission for Masha to marry Vasily.

The novel concludes with Nikolenka establishing a foundational intellectual relationship with Dmitry Nekhlyudov, signalling his continuing philosophical development.

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