The Mill on the Floss MCQs

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Author: Nasir Iqbal | Assistant Professor of English Literature

The Mill on the Floss MCQs
Updated on: October 22, 2025
Estimated Reading Time: 21 min

The Mill on the Floss MCQs

1. In which year was The Mill on the Floss first published?

A. 1855
B. 1860
C. 1865
D. 1870

B. 1860
The novel appeared in three volumes, following the great success of Eliot’s first novel, Adam Bede.

2. What are the first names of the two Tulliver children who are the novel’s central characters?

A. Luke and Lucy
B. Tom and Maggie
C. Stephen and Philip
D. Bob and Bessy

B. Tom and Maggie
The siblings’ complex and conflicting relationship forms the emotional core of the entire novel.

3. What is the name of the river that flows past Dorlcote Mill?

A. The Ripple
B. The Avon
C. The Floss
D. The Trent

C. The Floss
The river is a powerful symbol of fate and time, and it is the central force in the novel’s tragic climax.

4. Which character is the miller and proud owner of Dorlcote Mill at the start of the novel?

A. Mr. Deane
B. Mr. Riley
C. Mr. Glegg
D. Mr. Tulliver

D. Mr. Tulliver
He is the hot-tempered patriarch whose pride and ill-advised lawsuits lead to the family’s financial ruin.
5. What is Maggie’s most notable and defining physical feature as a child?

A. Her blue eyes
B. Her blonde, curly hair
C. Her dark, unruly hair and dark eyes
D. Her pale complexion

C. Her dark, unruly hair and dark eyes
Her appearance symbolizes her passionate and unconventional nature, which clashes with the standards of her family.

6. What is the main educational resolution Mr. Tulliver makes for Tom?

A. To make him a miller and farmer.
B. To apprentice him to Lawyer Wakem.
C. To send him to a good school.
D. To send him abroad to study.

C. To send him to a good school.
He believes a “gentleman’s education” will help Tom navigate the complex world that he himself does not understand.

7. What is the name of the lawyer whom Mr. Tulliver frequently mentions as his rival and adversary?

A. Mr Glegg
B. Mr Riley
C. Lawyer Wakem
D. Mr Pivart

C. Lawyer Wakem
Wakem represents the cunning legal world that Mr. Tulliver despises and ultimately falls victim to.

8. Mr. Tulliver confesses to Mr. Riley that he chose his wife Bessy for what specific intellectual quality?

A. Because she wasn’t too clever.
B. Because she was clever at domestic affairs.
C. Because she was as clever as her sisters.
D. Because she was clever enough to handle lawyers.

A. Because she wasn’t too clever.
This choice reveals Mr. Tulliver’s traditional views and foreshadows the family’s struggles.

9. What is the name of the clergyman whom Mr. Riley recommends as a suitable tutor for Tom?

A. Mr Stelling
B. Mr Jacobs
C. Mr Timpson
D. Mr Gore

A. Mr Stelling
Mr. Stelling’s impractical classical education is ill-suited to Tom’s practical mind, highlighting a critique of educational methods.
10. After being told her unruly hair would not curl, what specific act of rebellion did Maggie perform in frustration?

A. She cut it all off with her scissors.
B. She ran away from home.
C. She refused to speak for a day.
D. She dyed it a different color.

A. She cut it all off with her scissors.
This impulsive act demonstrates Maggie’s passionate nature and her struggle against her family’s conventional expectations.

11. Upon his return from the academy, what unfortunate news does Tom deliver to Maggie?

A. That he was not coming home to stay.
B. That his pet rabbits are all dead.
C. That the mill’s machinery was broken.
D. That the river Floss was flooding.

B. That his pet rabbits are all dead.
The death of the rabbits, due to Maggie’s neglect, establishes the pattern of her actions causing pain to Tom, for which he harshly judges her.

12. What physical feature of Wakem’s son did Mrs. Pullet suggest made it “more nat’ral” for him to be sent to a clergyman?

A. He was slow-witted.
B. He had a hump-back.
C. He was sickly.
D. He was bookish.

B. He had a hump-back.
This introduces Philip Wakem and the prejudice he faces due to his physical deformity, a key aspect of his character.
13. After the incident with Lucy in the mud, where does Maggie intend to run away to?

A. London
B. To the Gypsíes at Dunlow Common
C. To the sea
D. Back to school

B. To the Gypsíes at Dunlow Common
This episode illustrates Maggie’s romantic imagination and her desire to escape her family’s judgment.

14. What was the name of the new, physically deformed schoolfellow Tom meets at King’s Lorton?

A. Stephen Guest
B. Mr Stelling
C. Philip Wakem
D. Bob Jakin

C. Philip Wakem
Philip, the sensitive and artistic son of his father’s enemy, becomes a crucial figure in both Tom’s and Maggie’s lives.
15. Philip’s peevish susceptibility was caused by nervous irritability and what other emotional burden?

A. A lack of money
B. Heart-bitterness due to his deformity
C. Missing his father’s company
D. Difficulty with his Latin studies

B. Heart-bitterness due to his deformity
This explains his initial defensiveness and the deep pain that Maggie’s kindness and friendship begin to soothe.

16. Maggie told Philip that she loved Tom because her very first memory was of doing what with him?

A. Fishing by the Floss, while he held her hand
B. Reading together in the large attic
C. Playing with their dolls in the nursery
D. Going to school for the first time

A. Fishing by the Floss, while he held her hand
This memory establishes the deep, foundational bond between the siblings that Maggie can never escape.
17. As he left, Mr. Tulliver warned Tom not to befriend Philip because he had what inherent flaw?

A. His mother’s temperament.
B. His father’s blood in him.
C. A lack of proper education.
D. Too much personal conceit.

B. His father’s blood in him.
Mr. Tulliver’s prejudice sets up the central conflict for Maggie’s later relationship with Philip.

18. What news in Mr. Gore’s letter caused Mr. Tulliver to lose consciousness and fall from his horse?

A. That his outstanding debts had doubled.
B. That the mortgage on his property had been transferred to his enemy, Wakem.
C. That Tom had run away from school.
D. That the river Floss was about to flood.

B. That the mortgage on his property had been transferred to his enemy, Wakem.
The news that his sworn enemy now holds power over him is what physically and mentally breaks him.

19. When Mr. Tulliver first regained consciousness, which family member did he look for and mutter the name of?

A. His wife, Bessy
B. His son, Tom
C. His daughter, the little wench (Maggie)
D. His sister-in-law, Mrs Glegg

C. His daughter, the little wench (Maggie)
In his moment of deepest distress, he calls for Maggie, revealing their special bond and intuitive understanding.
20. What vengeful request did Mr. Tulliver make to Tom regarding Wakem, which Tom then wrote in the family Bible?

A. That Tom should make Wakem smart for what he did and wish him evil.
B. That Tom should find a way to reconcile with Wakem.
C. That Tom should hire Wakem as the family’s new lawyer.
D. That Tom should forget the debt owed to Wakem.

A. That Tom should make Wakem smart for what he did and wish him evil.
This vow of revenge becomes a defining mission for Tom and a source of immense conflict for Maggie.

21. Tom resolved to emulate which relative’s success by getting a situation in a great business and rising quickly?

A. Uncle Glegg
B. Uncle Pullet
C. Uncle Deane
D. His father

C. Uncle Deane
Tom looks to his successful uncle as a practical role model, rejecting his father’s failed path as a miller.

22. Who visited Tom and Maggie during the sale of their belongings, offering Tom ten sovereigns?

A. Luke
B. Mr Riley
C. Bob Jakin
D. Mr Glegg

C. Bob Jakin
Bob, Tom’s humble childhood friend, demonstrates true loyalty in the family’s darkest hour, contrasting with their wealthy relatives.

23. In the end, who successfully purchased Dorlcote Mill and all the adjoining land?

A. Mr Pivart
B. Mr Deane
C. Wakem
D. Mr Glegg

C. Wakem
This is the ultimate humiliation for the Tullivers, as their enemy takes possession of their ancestral home.

24. What violent act was Mr. Tulliver engaged in just before he suffered his final, fatal collapse?

A. Reading his Bible aloud.
B. Whipping his enemy Wakem with his riding-whip.
C. Giving Tom a final message of vengeance.
D. Arguing fiercely with his wife.

B. Whipping his enemy Wakem with his riding-whip.
After years of humiliation, Mr. Tulliver’s rage explodes in a physical assault on Wakem, leading directly to his own death.
25. On his deathbed, what final request did Mr. Tulliver ask Tom to promise him?

A. To sell the Mill immediately.
B. To avenge his death by ruining Wakem.
C. To try and get the old mill back from Wakem.
D. To forgive Wakem for his actions.

C. To try and get the old mill back from Wakem.
His dying wish changes from vengeance to restoration, setting Tom on his life’s mission.

26. Who returned to the mill and gave Maggie a parcel of books to replace the ones that were sold?

A. Philip Wakem
B. Tom
C. Luke
D. Bob Jakin

D. Bob Jakin
Bob’s thoughtful gift of books, knowing Maggie’s love for reading, is an act of profound friendship.
27. What small, old-fashioned devotional book did Maggie discover among Bob Jakin’s prints?

A. The Christian Year
B. Rasselas
C. Télémaque
D. Thomas à Kempis

D. Thomas à Kempis
*The Imitation of Christ* is a pivotal discovery, offering Maggie a philosophy of self-denial to cope with her suffering.

28. What key insight about the source of her misery did Maggie gain from reading this devotional book?

A. That her miseries came from fixing her heart on her own pleasure.
B. That God had unfairly punished her family.
C. That she needed a better and more practical education.
D. That she should seek out spiritual help from the clergy.

A. That her miseries came from fixing her heart on her own pleasure.
This idea provides Maggie a framework for her suffering, leading her to adopt an ascetic lifestyle.

29. What is the name of the old stone-quarry where Maggie often walked and met Philip again?

A. The Hill
B. The Red Deeps
C. Dorlcote Common
D. St Ogg’s Woods

B. The Red Deeps
This secluded spot becomes the secret meeting place for Maggie and Philip, a world apart from their feuding families.
30. Who did Tom successfully partner with in his first speculative trading venture?

A. Mr Deane
B. Philip Wakem
C. Uncle Glegg
D. Bob Jakin

D. Bob Jakin
His partnership with the shrewd Bob Jakin allows him to start earning the money needed to pay off his family’s debts.

31. When Tom forces Maggie to make a solemn vow about Philip, what sacred object did she lay her hand upon?

A. A cross
B. A lock of her hair
C. Her father’s Bible
D. Her mother’s wedding ring

C. Her father’s Bible
By making her swear on the same Bible containing their father’s curse, Tom forces her to choose between love and family duty.

32. After her father’s death, which cousin does Maggie go to visit at St. Ogg’s for a change of scene?

A. Lucy Deane
B. Mary Tulliver
C. Lizzy Moss
D. Sophy Glegg

A. Lucy Deane
Her visit to Lucy’s home brings Maggie back into society and sets the stage for the novel’s final tragic conflicts.

33. Who is Lucy’s charming and wealthy suitor, considered the most eligible bachelor in St. Ogg’s?

A. Tom Tulliver
B. Mr Stephen Guest
C. Philip Wakem
D. Dr Kenn

B. Mr Stephen Guest
Stephen’s attraction to Maggie, despite his informal engagement to Lucy, creates the central moral dilemma of the story.

34. Where had Maggie been working for nearly two years before she came to stay with Lucy?

A. As a governess in a dreary and unpleasant situation.
B. As a helper at Dorlcote Mill.
C. In one of the factories in St Ogg’s.
D. As a paid companion to her Aunt Glegg.

A. As a governess in a dreary and unpleasant situation.
This experience of hardship and intellectual isolation explains her vulnerability to the world of culture and passion she finds at Lucy’s.
35. What did Maggie state was the “only reason” that would ultimately keep her and Philip apart forever?

A. That she had never truly loved him.
B. Her strong and unbreakable tie to her brother.
C. She would not marry a man with his deformity.
D. His father would never give his consent.

B. Her strong and unbreakable tie to her brother.
Maggie feels her duty to Tom and her father’s memory is a sacred bond that she cannot break, even for love.

36. How did Stephen Guest travel to reach Maggie at Aunt Moss’s house so quickly?

A. He drove a chaise.
B. He came on a tall bay horse, streaked from fast riding.
C. He arrived by public coach.
D. He came by boat on the Floss.

B. He came on a tall bay horse, streaked from fast riding.
This image emphasizes the urgency and uncontrollable nature of his passion for Maggie, which overrides all social propriety.
37. Stephen argues that he and Maggie should marry, claiming their fatal passion came upon them without what?

A. Their seeking
B. The knowledge of others
C. Sin
D. Obstacles

A. Their seeking
Stephen justifies their betrayal by arguing their love is a powerful, natural force beyond their control, a “law of nature.”

38. What news caused the family to celebrate Tom’s imminent return as master of the Mill?

A. Wakem had retired from business.
B. Wakem’s manager, Jetsome, was injured in a drunken fall.
C. Tom had finally paid off all the family debt.
D. Mr Deane had bought the Mill for Tom.

B. Wakem’s manager, Jetsome, was injured in a drunken fall.
This event provides the opportunity for Tom to fulfill his father’s dying wish, creating a moment of triumph just before Maggie’s social ruin.

39. When Maggie and Stephen passed their stop, what reason did Stephen give the Dutch vessel’s mate for needing passage?

A. That the lady (his wife) would be exhausted.
B. That they had lost their oars.
C. That their small boat was leaking.
D. That the river Floss was flooding.

A. That the lady (his wife) would be exhausted.
By calling Maggie his wife, Stephen makes their “elopement” a public fact, making it incredibly difficult for her to return without social ruin.
40. Upon Maggie’s return to the Mill after her elopement, what was Tom doing?

A. He was inside, talking to his mother.
B. He was arguing with Mr. Wakem.
C. He was standing on the gravel-walk outside the house.
D. He was rowing his boat on the Floss.

C. He was standing on the gravel-walk outside the house.
In a powerful scene, Tom stands as a rigid judge, barring Maggie from her home and casting her out from the family.

41. After being rejected by Tom, where did Maggie and her mother find lodging?

A. Luke’s cottage
B. Aunt Glegg’s house
C. Bob Jakin’s house
D. The Rectory

C. Bob Jakin’s house
The humble Bob Jakin and his wife prove to be Maggie’s most loyal friends when society has abandoned her.

42. The incessant rains and rising waters recalled what historical natural event from sixty years prior?

A. The great floods
B. A devastating drought
C. A sudden and unexpected freeze
D. A widespread wheat blight

A. The great floods
The river Floss becomes a terrifying force of destruction, setting the stage for the novel’s tragic climax.

43. The author listed for the novel The Mill on the Floss is the pen name for Mary Ann Evans. What is that name?

A. Mrs Gaskell
B. Charlotte Brontë
C. George Eliot
D. Daniel Defoe

C. George Eliot
Evans used a male pseudonym to ensure her work was judged on literary merit, not her gender or controversial personal life.

44. The narrative opens with a view of a specific building that is central to the Tulliver family’s identity. What is its name?

A. Garum Firs Mill
B. Dorlcote Mill
C. Ripple Mill
D. St Ogg’s Mill

B. Dorlcote Mill
The mill is more than a home; it represents the Tulliver family’s history, their connection to the land, and the traditions Tom fights to reclaim.
45. What was the nickname given to Mr. Jacobs, Tom’s former teacher, due to his spectacles?

A. Old Rascal
B. Old Goggles
C. Old Birch
D. Old Scholard

B. Old Goggles
This detail highlights the simplistic and somewhat dismissive way Tom viewed his early, inadequate education before being sent to Mr. Stelling.

46. What crucial business skill did Mr. Deane immediately note that Tom lacked?

A. Latin
B. Book-keeping and accounts
C. Engineering
D. Fluent speaking

B. Book-keeping and accounts
This highlights the uselessness of Tom’s expensive classical education in the practical world of commerce, a central theme of the novel.
47. What did Maggie say was her “only reason” that would ultimately keep her and Philip apart?

A. That she had never truly loved him.
B. Her unbreakable tie to her brother.
C. She would not marry a man with his deformity.
D. His father would never give his consent.

B. Her unbreakable tie to her brother.
Maggie feels her duty to Tom and her father’s memory is a sacred bond she cannot break, even for her own happiness.

48. What specific act of sympathy did Bob Jakin perform when the ostracized Maggie arrived at his home?

A. He gave her a significant sum of money.
B. He offered her his dog, Mumps, for company.
C. He asked her to hold his baby, who was named after her.
D. He promised to go and fight Tom on her behalf.

C. He asked her to hold his baby, who was named after her.
This act is a powerful symbol of acceptance and honor, showing that the simple, working-class Bob has a truer moral compass than “polite” society.

49. Why did Mr. Wakem finally concede to his son’s request to pursue Maggie?

A. Philip argued Wakem’s resistance was worthy only of Tom Tulliver.
B. Philip argued Wakem’s resistance was worthy only of wandering savages.
C. Philip argued Wakem’s resistance was worthy only of women.
D. Philip argued Wakem’s resistance was worthy only of lawyers.

B. Philip argued Wakem’s resistance was worthy only of wandering savages.
Philip appeals to his father’s sense of being a sophisticated gentleman, suggesting his prejudice is prímitive and beneath him.
50. At which public event did Maggie appear conspicuously dressed in white muslin?

A. A dance
B. The bazaar
C. A wedding
D. A musical performance

B. The bazaar
The bazaar is a key social event where Maggie’s beauty and conduct are publicly scrutinized, attracting both admiration and gossip.

Brief Overview

The Mill on the Floss is a novel written by George Eliot (the pen name of Mary Ann Evans) and was published in 1860. The story is set in the fictional town of St. Ogg’s and centers on the lives of siblings Maggie and Tom Tulliver.

Their father owns a mill on the River Floss, which plays an important role in their lives and symbolizes both stability and struggle. Maggie is intelligent, emotional, and imaginative, while Tom is practical, strict, and responsible.

Financial difficulties and misunderstandings within the family test their strong sibling bond. When Mr. Tulliver loses the mill due to debt, Tom works hard to repay the family’s losses, but he often criticizes Maggie for her emotional nature.

As Maggie grows older, she faces inner conflicts between her desires and societal expectations. She is torn between her love for Philip Wakem and her attraction to Stephen Guest. However, Maggie tries to remain morally strong, even when society judges her harshly.

In the tragic ending, Maggie and Tom are reunited when a flood strikes the town, and they die together. The Mill on the Floss explores themes of family duty, gender roles, morality, and the struggle between emotion and responsibility.

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