The Caretaker MCQs
1. Where was The Caretaker first presented?
A. Dublin
B. New York
C. Paris
D. London
2. On what date was The Caretaker first presented in London?
A. 30 May 1960
B. 15 March 1961
C. 10 January 1959
D. 27 April 1960
3. The action of the play takes place in a house in which part of London?
A. North London
B. West London
C. South London
D. East London
4. Which item is hanging from the ceiling in the room?
A. A light fitting
B. A bucket
C. A plant pot
D. A birdcage
5. What object is found on the gas stove in the room?
A. A statue of Buddha
B. A kettle
C. A saucepan
D. A stack of plates
6. Which character is alone in the room at the beginning of Act One?
A. Aston
B. Mick
C. Davies
D. No one
7. Who enters the room after Mick exits, and in what order?
A. Mick, then Aston
B. Aston, then Davies
C. Davies, then Aston
D. Davies, then Mick
8. What is Davies’s complaint about finding a seat at “that place”?
A. He was too tired to sit.
B. All them aliens had it.
C. The seats were all broken.
D. The manager wouldn’t let him sit.
9. Why did Davies leave his wife, according to him?
A. She spent all his money.
B. He found her unwashed underclothing in the vegetable pan.
C. She was unfaithful.
D. She constantly nagged him.
10. What was Davies’s job where he “got the bullet”?
A. Cleaning the floor, clearing tables, washing-up
B. Taking out buckets
C. Cooking meals
D. Cleaning windows
11. Who does Davies claim saved him from cracking his head on the pavement?
A. A passing stranger
B. Mick
C. The police
D. Aston
12. What does Aston offer to do regarding Davies’s lost belongings?
A. Pop down sometime and pick them up for you.
B. Buy him new ones
C. Call the police
D. Write a letter of complaint
13. What does Aston say about the people living next door?
A. They are from Ireland.
B. Family of Indians live there.
C. He doesn’t know them.
D. They are his relatives.
14. Where does Davies claim “them bastards at the monastery” let him down?
A. Sidcup
B. Luton
C. London
D. Watford
15. What specific item was Davies hoping to get from the monastery?
A. Shoes
B. Food
C. Clothing
D. Money
16. What is Davies’s main complaint about the shoes Aston offers him?
A. They are too pointed and would cripple him.
B. They are too heavy.
C. They are dirty.
D. They are the wrong colour.
17. What is Davies waiting for before he can get down to Sidcup?
A. News from his friend
B. A lift from Aston
C. More money
D. The weather to break
18. What does Aston say he might build out the back?
A. A greenhouse
B. A shed
C. A garage
D. A new kitchen
19. What is Davies’s concern about the lavatory?
A. It’s too cold.
B. He doesn’t want to share it with ‘them Blacks.’
C. It’s too far away.
D. It’s broken.
20. What essential items does Davies claim are in Sidcup?
A. His savings
B. His family
C. His papers, which prove who he is
D. A new job offer
21. What name has Davies been going under?
A. Bernard Jenkins
B. Robert Smith
C. Arthur Jones
D. Michael Davies
22. What is Davies’s real name?
A. Arthur Smith
B. Bernard Jenkins
C. John Brown
D. Mac Davies
23. Who does Davies blame for the noises Aston heard during the night?
A. Aston himself
B. The wind
C. Ghosts
D. Them Blacks. Next door.
24. What does Aston say he is going to do when he leaves?
A. Go to work
B. Take a stroll to a shop for a jigsaw
C. Visit friends
D. Go to the café
25. Who enters the room silently while Davies is rummaging?
A. Aston
B. A neighbour
C. Mick
D. No one
26. How does Mick initially confront Davies?
A. He seizes his arm and forces it up his back.
B. He politely asks what he’s doing.
C. He shouts at him.
D. He calmly observes him.
27. What is Mick’s first line of dialogue to Davies?
A. What’s the game?
B. Who are you?
C. What are you doing here?
D. Get out!
28. What name does Davies initially give Mick when asked?
A. Sidcup
B. Jenkins
C. Bernard
D. Mac Davies
29. What does Mick claim about the room Davies is in?
A. It belongs to Aston.
B. It’s unfurnished.
C. “This is my room.”
D. It’s a temporary lodging.
30. What happens when Mick snatches Davies’s bag?
A. A struggle ensues where the bag is passed between the three men.
B. Davies immediately gives up.
C. Aston tells Mick to give it back.
D. Mick throws it out the window.
31. What is Aston’s relationship to Mick?
A. Cousin
B. Friend
C. Brother
D. Neighbour
32. What does Aston offer Davies a job as?
A. A cleaner
B. A gardener
C. Caretaker
D. A builder’s assistant
33. What item suddenly starts humming in the dark?
A. A vacuum cleaner
B. A radio
C. A washing machine
D. An Electrolux
34. What does Mick ask Davies for to satisfy his solicitor?
A. His real name
B. His medical history
C. References
D. A deposit
35. What does Mick say the house would be if his plans were realised?
A. A comfortable home.
B. A profitable investment.
C. “It wouldn’t be a flat it’d be a palace.”
D. A modern residence.
36. What is missing from the shoes Aston brings back for Davies?
A. The soles
B. The heels
C. Laces
D. They are the wrong size.
37. Why does Aston wake Davies up in the middle of the night?
A. He wants to talk.
B. “You’re making noises.”
C. He wants to offer him food.
D. He wants to tell him to leave.
38. What shocking accusation does Davies make against Aston?
A. Aston stole his money.
B. They can put the pincers on your head again.
C. Aston is lazy.
D. Aston has been lying to him.
39. What does Davies pull out to threaten Aston?
A. A piece of wood
B. His knife.
C. A blow-lamp
D. A heavy book
40. What does Aston tell Davies it’s time for him to do?
A. Get a proper job.
B. “Find somewhere else.”
C. Clean the room.
D. Apologise to Mick.
41. What is Aston’s final reason for telling Davies to go?
A. Davies is too aggressive.
B. You make too much noise… You stink.
C. Davies keeps insulting him.
D. He needs the room for his brother.
42. What does Mick do to the Buddha statue at the end of the play?
A. He polishes it.
B. He sells it.
C. He smashes it on the gas stove.
D. He gives it to Davies.
43. What is the final image of the play?
A. Mick and Aston reconcile.
B. Davies leaves the house.
C. A long silence, with Davies standing, and the curtain falling.
D. Aston begins to build his shed.
44. Aston’s monologue reveals he underwent what procedure against his will?
A. Brain surgery
B. A leg amputation
C. Electro-shock treatment
D. A dental operation
45. What was the result of Aston’s treatment in the hospital?
A. He was completely cured.
B. His thoughts became clearer.
C. My thoughts… had become very slow… I couldn’t sleep.
D. He became more sociable.
46. The play explores the theme of:
A. Romantic love
B. Political revolution
C. Power, identity, and communication
D. Historical events
47. What is the significance of Davies’s papers in Sidcup?
A. They contain a large sum of money.
B. They represent his hope for a stable identity and place in society.
C. They are a legal document for the house.
D. They are a collection of old letters.
48. How does Mick use language as a weapon?
A. He uses simple, clear language.
B. He speaks in long, confusing monologues to intimidate and dominate.
C. He only speaks when necessary.
D. He uses physical threats instead of words.
49. What does Aston’s endless tinkering with the toaster plug represent?
A. His skill as a handyman.
B. His attempt to connect and communicate is ultimately ineffective.
C. His desire for a hot meal.
D. His boredom.
50. The play is often categorized within which theatrical movement?
A. Realism
B. Naturalism
C. Theatre of the Absurd
D. Expressionism
Brief Overview
The Caretaker is a three-act play by Harold Pinter. It takes place entirely in a cluttered, decaying room in a large, neglected house in West London. The play focuses on the strange and tense relationships among three men.
Aston, a quiet man who has had electroshock therapy, is the owner of the house. He invites Davies, an old, homeless tramp, to stay with him and eventually become the caretaker. Davies is a selfish, prejudiced man who complains constantly about everything.
Mick is Aston’s younger brother. Mick is a mysterious character, sometimes violent and aggressive, sometimes charming. He also claims ownership of the house and constantly harasses Davies, often in long, confusing monologues.
The central conflict of the play is the role of caretaker. Both Aston and Mick offer the job to Davies, but their offers are vague and misleading. Davies keeps talking about going to Sidcup to get his “papers,” but he constantly delays the trip.
As the play goes on, Davies tries to manipulate the brothers and play them against each other. He tries to ally himself with Mick, but both brothers eventually grow tired of his complaining and his failure to do any work. The play ends with both brothers rejecting Davies, leaving him alone and begging as he is finally forced out of the house.
