Carpentaria Quizzes

Carpentaria Quiz 1

1 Why does Norm hate the location where Angel builds their family home?
Because it's too far from his favorite fishing spot

Because he hates the bug-filled swamp

It's on top of a serpent spirit's nest

Because it's next to Stan Bruiser's house
2 How did Mayor Bruiser get his wealth?
By selling Desperance to southern politicians

Through early investing in mining

By setting a high ransom for Will's capture

By keeping a herd of goats
3 What is Norm's overall view of his children for most of the novel?
That they are stupid and disappointing failures

That they are the unfortunate victims of white racism

That they are intelligent but have fallen from grace

That they are intelligent and filled with potential
4 Why does Angel Day leave the Phantom house?
She starts a romance with Stan Bruiser

She goes to live with Mozzie Fishman

She decides to go out to sea

She wants to leave Desperance to live in a big city
5 Who is the Phantoms' seventh and final child?
Will

Girlie

Janice

Kevin
6 What was Kevin's reputation as a young boy?
Stupid

Cocky

Smart

Handsome
7 Why does Will light the garbage dump on fire?
To attract the attention of his love interest Hope

To stop the fighting and protect his mother

To destroy the Gurfurrit mining operation

As an act of rebellion against the city of Desperance
8 Why does Kevin decide to work at the mine?
Because he wants to spy on the mining operations

Because his father Norm Phantom tells him to

Because he wants to make enough money to leave Desperance

Because he doesn't know what to do with himself after finishing school
9 Why does Norm disown Will?
Because Will takes a job at the Gurfurrit mine

Because Will goes to live with Hope on the Eastside

Because Will kills Elias Smith

Because Will starts a fire at the garbage dump
10 How does the author describe the mining company's relationship with Desperance?
The mine respects townspeoples' decisions

The mine leaves Desperance because the town lacks infrastructure

The mine owns the town

The mine pays for social services in Desperance
11 What are Mozzie's views of reconciliation with white people?
Mozzie believes that reconciliation and resistance can go hand in hand

Mozzie believes that reconciliation is the only way to establish peace

Mozzie is opposed to reconciliation and promotes outright resistance

Mozzie believes that reconciliation works on the federal level but not on the local level
12 What does Angel do to the statue of the Virgin Mary?
She gifts it to Mozzie Fishman's convoy

She repaints it into an Aboriginal Mary that resembles her

She sells it on the black market

She returns it to the council office in Desperance
13 Why is Angel excited to find a large mantelpiece clock at the dump?
Because she believes her kids will finally get to school on time

Because Mozzie Fishman wants a clock for the Law Ceremony

Because telling time will be useful for her new job

Because Norm Phantom always wanted a clock in their home
14 What does Angel say that starts the fight at the dump?
That she is sick and tired of Norm Phantom abandoning her family

That the others are trespassing and don't belong on this land

That she hates all members of Joseph Midnight's family

That she is opposed to the new laws imposed by the government of Desperance
15 How does the novel most frequently describe Angel Day?
As a pawn

As a queen

As a lover

As a witch
16 What it the main goal of Mozzie Fishman's convoy?
To destroy the Gurfurrit mine

To perform and preserve the spiritual Law Ceremony

To take revenge against Joseph Midnight

To petition the government for Aboriginal rights
17 Why do politicians come to take pictures of Angel Day's house?
Because they see her as an example of "criminal attitudes"

Because they want to destroy the Westside encampment

Because they want to promote Angel's sale of her house

Because they see her as an example of "blackfella advancement"
18 What causes all the clocks to stop in Desperance?
Elias Smith's ship blocks the sun

Mozzie destroys the town's ability to tell time

Storm Bruno

Storm Leda
19 What do the residents of Desperance believe about Elias Smith at first?
That he's stupid

That he is an evil man

That he works for the mining company

That he is their savior
20 Why does Elias Smith's arrival to Desperance make white residents so emotional?
It makes them reconsider their relationship with Black residents

Elias reminds them of their own storm survival stories

It reminds them of their colonial origin story

Elias inspires them to reconnect with the sea
21 What alerts residents of Desperance to Elias's arrival?
Nicoli Finn rings the bell

Mayor Bruiser calls a meeting

Norm Phantom blows his foghorn

Constable Truthful arrests Elias
22 Name two events during which someone repeatedly rings the Desperance town bell
Norm Phantom's disappearance and Will's sabotage of the mine

Elias Smith's arrival and Norm Phantom's disappearance

Elias Smith's arrival and Gordie's death

Mozzie's destruction of the mine and Truthful's suicide
23 Why does Truthful commit suicide?
He is afraid that Mozzie Fishman will take revenge on him

He believes that Mayor Bruiser will arrest and jail him for his crimes

He is heartbroken by the suicide of his three young prisoners and tormented by visions

He is afraid that Joseph Midnight will take revenge on him
24 Why do Truthful and Mayor Bruiser arrest three young boys?
Because the boys helped to burn the mine down

They are searching for someone to arrest for Gordie's death

Because the boys are responsible for selling drugs in town

Because they believe the boys have information about Will's whereabouts
25 Why does Joseph Midnight send Hope and Bala away?
Because he knows a huge storm will destroy Desperance

Because the police are bothering Hope

Because he doesn't want them to join Mozzie's convoy

Because he doesn't want Will to put them in danger

Carpentaria Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Carpentaria is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Ask Your Own Question

Study Guide for Carpentaria

Carpentaria study guide contains a biography of Alexis Wright, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

Read the Study Guide for Carpentaria…