Sanctuary MCQs

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Author: Nasir Iqbal | Assistant Professor of English Literature


Updated on: November 16, 2025
Estimated Reading Time: 16 min

Sanctuary MCQs

1. What item protruded from one pocket of Horace Benbow’s coat when he met Popeye?

A. Crushed felt hat
B. Gallon jug
C. Orange stick
D. Empty flask

A. Crushed felt hat.
A crushed felt hat and a book protruded from the pockets of Benbow’s tweed coat.

2. What sound was characteristic of the invisible bird near the spring?

A. Loud, short chirps
B. Three monotonous notes
C. Continuous mournful caws
D. Faint, nervous rustling

B. Three monotonous notes.
A bird sang three notes and ceased from somewhere hidden and nearby, later repeating three bars monotonously.

3. What characteristic defined Popeye’s appearance when seen across the spring?

A. Tall, rugged build
B. Vicious, depthless quality
C. Worn gray suit
D. Sunburned face

B. Vicious, depthless quality.
Popeye had the “vicious depthless quality of stamped tin” in his black suit and slanted straw hat.

4. How long did Horace Benbow and Popeye squat facing each other across the spring?

A. Fifteen minutes
B. Just one hour
C. Approximately two hours
D. Until almost dawn

C. Approximately two hours.
They squatted facing one another across the spring for about two hours on an afternoon in May.
5. What was Horace Benbow’s profession and hometown when he met Popeye?

A. Kinston teacher
B. Jefferson merchant
C. Kinston lawyer
D. Memphis salesman

C. Kinston lawyer.
Horace Benbow stated his name and that he was a lawyer in Kinston, on his way to Jefferson.

6. What location was known as the Old Frenchman’s place, where Popeye brought Benbow?

A. A busy saloon
B. A looted ruin
C. A small farm
D. A modern house

B. A looted ruin.
The house was a “gutted ruin” and a landmark known as the Old Frenchman’s place.

7. What name did Popeye use when introducing Horace Benbow to the three men on the porch?

A. The stranger
B. The professor
C. The lawyer
D. Horace

B. The professor.
Popeye said, “Here’s the professor,” upon mounting the steps with Benbow.

8. What was the name of the woman Benbow met at the Old Frenchman’s place?

A. Belle Stevens
B. Miss Jenny
C. Ruby Lamar
D. Narcissa

C. Ruby Lamar.
Popeye referred to the woman who cooked there, Lee Goodwin’s partner, as “Ruby Lamar”.

9. Why did Horace Benbow say he left his wife?

A. She was dishonest
B. He lacked courage
C. She ate shrimp
D. She was too wealthy

C. She ate shrimp.
Horace stated he left his wife because “she ate shrimp,” and he disliked carrying the dripping package every Friday.
10. Where did the woman at the Old Frenchman’s place keep her child?

A. In a small crib
B. Behind the stove
C. Under the bed
D. In the barn loft

B. Behind the stove.
The sleeping child was kept in a wooden box behind the stove to protect it from rats.

11. What kind of relative was Little Belle to Horace Benbow?

A. Daughter
B. Sister
C. Step-daughter
D. Niece

C. Step-daughter.
Horace married a divorced woman; Little Belle is his step-daughter, whose actions troubled him greatly.

12. What specific item did the woman at the Old Frenchman place ask Horace to send her from Jefferson?

A. A fur coat
B. A cigar
C. An orange stick
D. A dress

C. An orange stick.
Ruby asked Horace to send her an orange stick, mentioning that her hands were rough from dishwater and washing.

13. Gowan Stevens was known to have attended which University before visiting Narcissa?

A. Tulane University
B. Oxford University
C. State University
D. Virginia University

D. Virginia University.
Gowan Stevens went to school at Virginia, where he claimed they had taught him to “drink like a gentleman”.

14. What was the reason Narcissa gave for rejecting Gowan Stevens’ proposal?

A. She lacked funds
B. One child was enough
C. He drank too much
D. She loved another

B. One child was enough.
Miss Jenny reported that Narcissa told Gowan Stevens “that one child was enough for her”.
15. How did Horace describe the appearance of his sister, Narcissa?

A. Serene and stùpid
B. Charming and witty
C. Fragile and pale
D. Demure and silent

A. Serene and stùpid.
Horace’s sister Narcissa had a face displaying “serene and stùpid impregnability” like heroic statuary.

16. Temple Drake’s face during the Letter Club dances was described as what by observers?

A. Bold painted mouth
B. Fearful and anxious
C. Tired and worried
D. Plain and shy

A. Bold painted mouth.
Temple Drake was noted for her “high delicate head and her bold painted mouth and soft chin”.

17. What object did the second town boy break and spread fragments of across the road after seeing Temple?

A. A soda bottle
B. A gin flask
C. A beer glass
D. A car mirror

B. A gin flask.
The second man caught the last man’s arm and carefully broke a flask bottle across the road.

18. What was Gowan Stevens’ destination the morning after the dance, which he missed?

A. Jackson
B. Taylor
C. Memphis
D. Starkville

D. Starkville.
Gowan was supposed to arrive in Starkville for a baseball game before the special train arrived.

19. What item did Gowan buy and drink at Dumfries?

A. Milkshake
B. Hair-oil
C. Cheap whiskey
D. Water

B. Hair-oil.
Temple observed Gowan buying a bottle of hair-oil at Dumfries, which he then proceeded to drink.
20. What was blocking the narrow road that Gowan Stevens crashed his car into?

A. A fallen tree
B. A rock slide
C. A mud puddle
D. A wagon

A. A fallen tree.
The road was blocked by a tree that had been recently felled, which Gowan drove into at high speed.

21. What was the name of the simple-minded man in overalls who lived at the Old Frenchman place?

A. Jack
B. Lee
C. Tommy
D. Van

C. Tommy.
The barefoot man in overalls was named Tommy, although Popeye sometimes called him Jack.

22. What did Tommy reveal that Popeye had done to his dog coming up the path?

A. Hit it hard
B. Shot it dead
C. Kicked it viciously
D. Ignored it completely

B. Shot it dead.
Tommy explained that Popeye was frightened by the dog and instantly shot it with his automatic pistol.

23. What insult did Temple use when taunting Popeye about his appearance after he refused her request?

A. Yellow dog
B. Mean old thing
C. Scared man
D. River faller

D. River faller.
Temple asked Popeye, “What river did you fall in and with that suit on?” during her taunting.

24. What happened to Gowan Stevens after Van struck the plate of food from Tommy’s hand?

A. He fled home
B. Goodwin hit him
C. He fought Van
D. He got drunk

B. Goodwin hit him.
When Gowan stood up to challenge Van, Goodwin flung Gowan aside with a backhanded blow to maintain order.
25. What kind of clothes did Temple Drake put on over her own coat before lying down in the small room?

A. A nightdress
B. A dinner jacket
C. A raincoat
D. A dress

C. A raincoat.
Temple put on the khaki-covered raincoat over her coat before getting into the bed in the locked room.

26. Why did Ruby Lamar, the woman, hold her hand over Temple’s mouth in the dark room?

A. To silence her
B. To kiss her
C. To stop her struggle
D. To soothe her

A. To silence her.
The woman put her hand over Temple’s mouth because she was afraid Temple would scream if she struggled.

27. What item did the blind man clutch at his waist as he scuffled past Temple at the barn?

A. A stick
B. His braces
C. A cup
D. His trousers

B. His braces.
The blind man was scuffling past Temple with “his braces dangling about his hips,” holding his trousers.

28. What act by Popeye made Temple realise that he had approached her in the dark room earlier?

A. Showing his gun
B. Brilliantine smell
C. Stealing her clothes
D. Speaking loudly

B. Brilliantine smell.
The woman knew Popeye had entered the room because she began to smell the brilliantine he used on his hair.

29. What sound was made when Popeye shot Tommy?

A. Loud report
B. Striking of a match
C. A thunderous crash
D. A dull thud

B. Striking of a match.
The sound of the gunshot to Temple was “no louder than the striking of a match,” isolating the instant.
30. What material filled the mattress in the crib where Temple was later housed in the barn?

A. Soft feathers
B. Cottonseeds and shucks
C. Sheep’s wool
D. Dry leaves

B. Cottonseeds and shucks.
The mattress gave a faint, dry whisper of shucks when touched, and Temple sat among cottonseed hulls.

31. Where did Popeye take Temple Drake after leaving the Old Frenchman’s place?

A. Jackson
B. Kinston
C. Pensacola
D. Memphis

D. Memphis.
Popeye started the car on the Memphis road in mid-afternoon, taking Temple away from the house.

32. Who was Miss Reba Rivers?

A. A Baptist minister
B. A hotel clerk
C. A brothel keeper
D. A shop owner

C. A brothel keeper.
Miss Reba was the keeper of the house where Temple was taken, boasting of her many influential clients.

33. What did Miss Reba tell Temple the blood on her clothes would be worth?

A. Two hundred
B. Ten dollars
C. One thousand
D. Nothing

C. One thousand.
Miss Reba told Temple, “That blood’ll be worth a thousand dollars to you honey,” implying financial opportunity.

34. What name did Miss Reba give to the small, fluffy dogs she owned?

A. Mister Binford
B. Red and Reba
C. Billy and Jane
D. Popeye’s dogs

A. Mister Binford.
Miss Reba named one dog “Mr. Binford” and the other “Miss Reba,” after her deceased man.
35. Where did Temple tell Popeye she had gone when she secretly left Miss Reba’s house?

A. To the store
B. To the Grotto
C. To the library
D. To the college

B. To the Grotto.
Popeye asked Temple if they were going to the “Grotto” after she got into the car.

36. Who was Red?

A. Temple’s father
B. Popeye’s accomplice
C. The new lover
D. A taxi driver

C. The new lover.
Red was the man Temple desired, who was seen standing in the dancehall door at the Grotto.

37. What location did Horace describe as smelling like honeysuckle, where he felt isolated?

A. The jail
B. His Jefferson house
C. His Kinston house
D. Miss Reba’s

B. His Jefferson house.
The scent of honeysuckle filled Horace’s old Jefferson house, where he returned after Memphis.

38. What object was offered as evidence by the District Attorney in Goodwin’s trial?

A. A knife
B. A shotgun
C. A corn-cob
D. A brass knuckle

C. A corn-cob.
The District Attorney offered a corn-cob, which was described as being “dipped in dark brownish paint”.

39. What did Popeye do immediately before Temple began to scream at him in the car?

A. Smiled broadly
B. Turned the mirror
C. Swung the car
D. Stopped the car

B. Turned the mirror.
Popeye swung the mirror on the windshield around and commanded Temple to look at her reflection.
40. Who was Temple Drake seen with after she testified in court?

A. Red’s lawyer
B. Her four brothers
C. Her father
D. Popeye

C. Her father.
Temple’s father, Judge Drake, appeared and took her away from the witness stand after her testimony.

41. What did Horace advise Ruby to get for her child when they arrived in Jefferson?

A. A new toy
B. A new home
C. A nurse
D. More milk

C. A nurse.
Horace told the woman he would get a nurse for the child, suggesting she held it too much.

42. Why did Goodwin refuse to let Horace use Popeye’s presence as a defense?

A. He was guilty
B. He wanted to confess
C. Fear of Popeye
D. Horace was foolish

C. Fear of Popeye.
Goodwin feared Popeye would instantly shoot him from the outside if he testified against him in court.

43. Who was the District Attorney prosecuting Lee Goodwin’s case?

A. Gowan Stevens
B. Clarence Snopes
C. Eustace Graham
D. Tull

C. Eustace Graham.
The District Attorney, Eustace Graham, was known for his club foot and political ambition to win convictions.

44. What did Horace Benbow tell Miss Jenny he was doing to battle injustice?

A. Passing a law
B. Running for office
C. Studying law
D. Moving away

A. Passing a law.
Horace claimed he would pass a law making it obligatory to shoot any man involved in the whiskey trade.
45. Who was Senator Snopes?

A. An Oxford professor
B. A Memphis lawyer
C. Horace’s brother
D. A political contact

D. A political contact.
Senator Clarence Snopes was a political figure who attempted to extort Horace using information about Temple.

46. In which city was Popeye arrested for the murder of a policeman?

A. Memphis
B. Pensacola
C. Birmingham
D. Jackson

C. Birmingham.
Popeye was arrested in Birmingham, Alabama, for killing a policeman in another Alabama town.

47. What was Popeye’s father’s profession, according to Popeye’s backstory?

A. Lawyer
B. Strike-breaker
C. Store clerk
D. Plantation owner

B. Strike-breaker.
Popeye’s father was identified as a professional strike-breaker hired by the street railway company.

48. What specific physical trait made the doctor predict Popeye would “never be a man”?

A. Severe asthma
B. Delicate stomach
C. Weak eyesight
D. Short stature

B. Delicate stomach.
The doctor said Popeye had a delicate stomach and could not tolerate alcohol, and would never be a man.

49. What was Popeye doing when he was found in the locked bathroom during his childhood party?

A. Hiding money
B. Cutting up birds
C. Reading a book
D. Setting a fire

B. Cutting up birds.
He had cut up the two lovebirds in the wicker cage using bloody scissors.
50. What was Popeye’s final action before the sheriff sprung the trap?

A. He confessed
B. Asked for water
C. Fixed his hair
D. Said goodbye

C. Fixed his hair.
Popeye jerked his head and asked the sheriff to “Fix my hair, Jack,” right before his execution.

Brief Overview

Sanctuary is a novel by William Faulkner, published in 1931. It is a highly controversial and dark work that focuses on themes of violence, corruption, moral decay, and the complete breakdown of Southern social traditions.

The novel begins in Mississippi. Horace Benbow, a disillusioned lawyer, meets the small, vicious criminal Popeye near a ruined old house. The house is a hideout for bootleggers, including Lee Goodwin.

The story follows Temple Drake, a college student, who is forced into this criminal underworld after crashing a car nearby with a drunk boy. Popeye forces them to stay at the house, and Temple is terrified.

Popeye commits a terrible, sexual crime against Temple. The helper, Tommy, is then murdered by Popeye. Goodwin is wrongly arrested for Tommy’s death, and Horace Benbow becomes his lawyer.

Popeye takes Temple to a brothel in Memphis. Goodwin’s trial starts, but Temple lies in court. She falsely claims that Goodwin shot Tommy and assaulted her. Goodwin is quickly found guilty based on her testimony.

A mob takes Goodwin from jail and burns him alive. Popeye is later arrested in Alabama for a different murder. He is swiftly convicted and hanged, maintaining his silent, detached demeanor to the end. Temple is last seen in Paris with her father, now completely disconnected from her past trauma.

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