Sons and Lovers MCQs

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Author: Nasir Iqbal | Assistant Professor of English Literature

Sons and Lovers MCQs
Updated on: October 12, 2025
Estimated Reading Time: 16 min

Sons and Lovers MCQs

1. The novel Sons and Lovers was written by:

A. Jean Ingelow
B. D. H. Lawrence
C. Thomas Hardy
D. Walter Scott

B. D. H. Lawrence.

D.H. Lawrence is the author of this famous modern novel. The story is partly based on his own life.

2. The village where the Morel family lives is named:

A. Greenhill
B. Carston
C. Nottingham
D. Bestwood

D. Bestwood.

The story takes place in the small coal-mining town of Bestwood, England.

3. What did the boy (William) buy for his mother at the stall?

A. Two egg-cups with moss-roses
B. A spin of toffee
C. A pistol
D. Marbles

A. Two egg-cups with moss-roses.

This small, thoughtful gift shows William’s deep love for his mother, even as a young boy.

4. Mrs. Morel’s maiden name was:

A. Gertrude Field
B. Gertrude Western
C. Gertrude Coppard
D. Gertrude Radford

C. Gertrude Coppard.

This was Mrs. Morel’s name before she married Walter Morel and her life changed.

5. What item did Mrs. Morel preserve, given to her by John Field?

A. A locket
B. A Bible
C. A letter
D. A ring

B. A Bible.

This gift represents the intellectual and spiritual life Mrs. Morel left behind when she married a coal miner.

6. What attracted Gertrude Coppard to Walter Morel when they met?

A. His handsome father’s likeness
B. His rich, ringing laugh and vigour
C. His intellectual conversation
D. His quiet, reserved nature

B. His rich, ringing laugh and vigour.

She was drawn to his energy and vibrant life, which was very different from her own serious nature.

7. What secret did Mrs. Morel discover in Morel’s Sunday coat pocket?

A. A season ticket
B. Unpaid household furniture bills
C. A pledge to stop drinking
D. A note from a friend

B. Unpaid household furniture bills.

This discovery was her first big disappointment. It showed he had lied about owning their house.

8. Mrs. Morel was filled with rage after Morel had done what to their first baby, William?

A. Given him away
B. Cropped his hair like a sheep
C. Spilled liquor on him
D. Left him alone

B. Cropped his hair like a sheep.

This was one of the first times she stood up to her husband to protect her beloved son.

9. Which flowers’ perfume charged the air as Mrs. Morel stood out in the moonlight?

A. White roses
B. Phlox
C. White lilies
D. Forget-me-nots

C. White lilies.

This is a famous scene. She feels a deep connection with nature after being locked out of the house by her husband.

10. Which of the Morel children did Mrs. Morel treat differently due to his “fits” of crying?

A. Arthur
B. William
C. Annie
D. Paul

D. Paul.

Paul was a sensitive and sickly baby. This made his mother’s bond with him very strong from the start.

11. At nineteen, William left the Co-op. office for a better situation in:

A. London
B. Derby
C. Nottingham
D. Sheerness

C. Nottingham.

This was the first step in William’s journey away from the mining town and toward a more middle-class life.

12. How did Paul feel when his mother was fretting?

A. Angry
B. Attentive and lacking peace
C. Distant
D. Glad

B. Attentive and lacking peace.

This shows the deep, almost painful connection between Paul and his mother. Her unhappiness becomes his.

13. Paul often loved to be with his father when Morel was cobbling boots or mending kettles, because then Morel was his:

A. Generous self
B. Real self again
C. Humble self
D. Drunk self

B. Real self again.

When sober and working with his hands, Morel showed the happy, skillful side that his family rarely saw.

14. When Paul was ill with bronchitis, his mother admitted she felt a mixture of anguish and perhaps even relief if he had:

A. Been more clever
B. Never been born
C. Died
D. Moved away

C. Died.

This shocking thought shows how exhausted and desperate Mrs. Morel was with her difficult life and sickly son.

15. Mrs. Morel was worried that William’s fiancée, Gýp, was:

A. Too old
B. Too ugly
C. Too expensive and elegant
D. Too intellectual

C. Too expensive and elegant.

Mrs. Morel felt William’s fiancée was superficial and did not truly love him for who he was.

16. Paul found his first job at Thomas Jordan and Son, Manufacturers of:

A. Ironmongery
B. Surgical Appliances
C. Groceries
D. Lace

B. Surgical Appliances.

Paul’s first job is at a factory for fake limbs. It is a cold, unnatural place for a young artist.

17. What did Paul say he loved about the pit, telling his mother it was “like something alive almost”?

A. The work
B. The danger
C. The feel of men on things
D. The depth

C. The feel of men on things.

As an artist, Paul is interested in the powerful connection between the miners and their physical work.

18. The intense intimacy Paul experienced with Miriam focused on the spiritual and mystical, making their connection:

A. Frivolous
B. Chastened and chaste
C. Brutal and physical
D. Confused and contradictory

B. Chastened and chaste.

Their early relationship was based on the soul and mind, not on physical love.

19. What was Paul’s emotional state when he saw his mother after William’s coffin was carried in?

A. Furious
B. Full of rage
C. Unable to breathe
D. Deeply confused

C. Unable to breathe.

William’s death from pneumonia is a huge shock. It is the first major tragedy for the family.

20. After William’s death and before Paul’s illness, Paul was driven almost insáne by his mother’s:

A. Irritability
B. Mute, shut-off state
C. Constant demands
D. Lack of affection

B. Mute, shut-off state.

Mrs. Morel’s grief over William was so deep that she ignored her other children, including Paul.

21. When Paul came home late after being with Miriam, his mother flashed into anger and contempt, calling their relationship:

A. Childish
B. Too passionate
C. Disgusting
D. Too intellectual

C. Disgusting.

Mrs. Morel is jealous of Paul’s love for Miriam. She sees their spiritual connection as unnatural.

22. The Morel family spent their first family holiday together at:

A. Skegness
B. London
C. Mablethorpe
D. Wingfield

C. Mablethorpe.

This trip to the seaside is a rare moment of happiness and freedom for the family away from the mines.

23. When Clara Dawes was introduced to Paul, what feature of hers did he admire as an “artist”?

A. Her long, black hair
B. Her pale skin and magnificent stature
C. Her full, passionate mouth and throat
D. Her delicate hands

C. Her full, passionate mouth and throat.

Paul is attracted to Clara’s physical and proud nature. She is the opposite of the spiritual Miriam.

24. What did Clara Dawes do for a living while separated from her husband?

A. Seamed stockings
B. Jennying/lace work
C. Teaching
D. Serving in a bar

B. Jennying/lace work.

Clara is a working woman and a suffragette. She represents a modern and independent type of woman.

25. What was Paul celebrating when the work-girls bought him a box of paint-tubes?

A. The sale of a picture
B. His twenty-first birthday
C. Easter
D. His promotion

B. His twenty-first birthday.

This gift from his female co-workers shows their affection for him and supports his artistic ambitions.

26. When Paul and Clara walked in the cowslip field, what did he scatter over her hair and neck?

A. Cowslips
B. Cherries
C. Water
D. Pollen

A. Cowslips.

This scene shows the playful and sensual side of Paul’s relationship with Clara, connecting their passion to nature.

27. Paul’s painting was sold to Major Moreton for:

A. Fifty pounds
B. Ten shillings
C. Eight guineas
D. Twenty guineas

D. Twenty guineas.

Selling a painting is a major success for Paul. It proves he can be a professional artist.

28. Paul stated that his soul’s deepest love belonged to his mother, and her “pivot and pole” prevented him from:

A. Working
B. Loving another woman freely
C. Painting
D. Going abroad

B. Loving another woman freely.

This is a key theme. Paul’s deep bond with his mother stops him from fully loving anyone else.

29. What reason did Paul give Miriam for ending their relationship?

A. He found her too passionate.
B. He felt tied up and suffocated.
C. He had found a higher love.
D. His mother forced him.

B. He felt tied up and suffocated.

Paul feels that Miriam’s spiritual and possessive love is too demanding and does not allow him to be himself.

30. What did Miriam confess to Paul was her mother’s one piece of advice about marriage?

A. It brings great joy.
B. There is one thing that is always dreadful, but must be borne.
C. It guarantees children.
D. It requires sacrifice.

B. There is one thing that is always dreadful, but must be borne.

This shows Miriam was taught to fear physical intimacy, which badly affects her relationship with Paul.

31. When Paul confessed to his mother that he was going to break off with Miriam, what was his mother’s reaction?

A. Anger
B. Great relief
C. Grief
D. Indifference

B. Great relief.

Mrs. Morel is happy because she has won the battle for her son’s soul. She wants to be the most important woman in his life.

32. What was Baxter Dawes’s emotional state when Paul saw him in the pub?

A. Tired and full of hate
B. Jovial and welcoming
C. Confused and embarrassed
D. Indifferent and bored

A. Tired and full of hate.

Baxter Dawes is Paul’s rival for Clara’s love. This hatred leads to a violent conflict between them.

33. Paul’s mother suggested that he would never meet the right woman while she:

A. Was poor
B. Was alive
C. Lived in Bestwood
D. Supported him

B. Was alive.

Mrs. Morel admits, in a moment of clarity, that her powerful presence in his life prevents him from finding a wife.

34. As Paul and Clara talked by the canal, what did Paul reveal he was planning to do soon?

A. Get married
B. Go abroad
C. Quit painting
D. Go back to Miriam

B. Go abroad.

Paul thinks about leaving England to find freedom, a common desire for him when he feels trapped.

35. When Paul asked Clara about divorce, she said she did not want one, because she felt that Baxter:

A. Belonged to her
B. Loved her still
C. Was too ill
D. Would never allow it

A. Belonged to her.

Clara feels a deep, unbreakable bond with her husband, even though they are separated and their relationship is difficult.

36. When Mrs. Morel was lying ill, she revealed to Paul and Annie that she had a:

A. Tumor
B. Cancer
C. Heart condition
D. Gastric ulcer

A. Tumor.

This is the first sign of Mrs. Morel’s fatal illness. It begins the final, tragic part of the story.

37. Dr. Ansell and Dr. Jameson eventually concluded that Mrs. Morel’s heart condition made what procedure impossible?

A. Chemotherapy
B. An operation
C. A consultation
D. Moving her home

B. An operation.

The doctors realize her cancer is too advanced to be cured. There is no hope for her recovery.

38. After Paul and Clara broke up, Clara sought to make restitution and do penance by humbling herself to:

A. Paul’s mother
B. Miriam
C. Baxter Dawes
D. Mr. Jordan

C. Baxter Dawes.

Clara eventually goes back to her husband to care for him. This shows her sense of duty and their lasting bond.

39. What painful sound broke the silence as Paul watched his mother dying?

A. The clock ticking
B. The great, snoring breath
C. Morel’s loud sobs
D. A cart clanking

B. The great, snoring breath.

This sound, known as a death rattle, is a sign that Mrs. Morel is very close to death.

40. After his mother’s death, Paul felt the weeks pass mostly as a:

A. Nuit blanche
B. Great relief
C. Period of clarity
D. Total liberation

A. Nuit blanche.

This French term means “white night” or a sleepless night. It describes Paul’s state of empty, endless grief.

41. What did Paul feel about his life after the reconciliation of Clara and Dawes?

A. Triumphant
B. Full of hope
C. Like he was on the rocks soon
D. Peaceful

C. Like he was on the rocks soon.

With his mother dead and both his lovers gone, Paul feels completely lost and without direction.

42. Paul told Miriam that if they married, her desire to own him would lead to him:

A. Being happy
B. Being smothered
C. Being financially secure
D. Being satisfied

B. Being smothered.

In their final conversation, Paul tells Miriam that her type of love would consume him and he would not be able to be himself.

43. What did Morel always keep secret from his wife regarding his earnings?

A. His total stoppages
B. The amount spent on beer
C. The week’s total amount
D. His butties’ earnings

C. The week’s total amount.

Morel always lied about his earnings so he could keep extra money for himself to spend on drink. This was a constant source of conflict.

44. Which of her children did Mrs. Morel love best of all?

A. Annie
B. Paul
C. William
D. Arthur

C. William.

William was Mrs. Morel’s first and favorite son. She poured all her hopes and dreams into him.

45. When Paul drew a beautiful stenciled curtain, Miriam thought the rose design seemed:

A. Elegant
B. Wicked-looking
C. Religious
D. Simple

B. Wicked-looking.

Miriam sees sensuality and danger in Paul’s art, which frightens her spiritual and timid nature.

46. Paul characterized himself as being “Norman,” while he described Miriam as:

A. Gothic
B. English
C. Celtic
D. French

A. Gothic.

Paul sees himself as strong and direct (like the Normans). He sees Miriam as complex, spiritual, and dark (like a Gothic cathedral).

47. When Paul broke off with Miriam, what did she call him in her anger?

A. A selfish egoist
B. A child of four
C. A mean fellow
D. A fool

B. A child of four.

Miriam criticizes Paul for being emotionally immature and unable to commit to a relationship without his mother’s influence.

48. Paul hated Miriam’s love for him because he felt it was too good for him and he was:

A. Afraid
B. Weak
C. Inadequate
D. Clumsy

C. Inadequate.

Paul felt he could not live up to the pure, spiritual ideal that Miriam had of him.

49. Paul found everything he loved growing “shadowy,” except for which figure, the “pivot and pole” of his life?

A. Clara
B. Miriam
C. His mother
D. His art

C. His mother.

This is the central idea of the book. Paul’s life revolves entirely around his mother.

50. When Mrs. Morel sat reading in her chair at night, what sound characterized the intense silence with Morel?

A. The sharp “pop” of his lips as he let out smoke
B. The bang of the poker
C. The thud of pit-boots
D. The clinking of money

A. The sharp “pop” of his lips as he let out smoke.

This small sound highlights the tense and silent conflict between husband and wife as they sit together in the same room.

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