R C Sherriff

Journey’s End: Multiple Choice Quizzes to complete

Name: _____________________________
Teacher: ___________________________
1
 Simple Plot Summary
‘C’ Company of the 9th Battalion are moving into a dugout close to the front lines Monday 18 th
March 1918. An outgoing officer is drying his socks over the candle and singing happily to himself
as he awaits the incoming officers. Osborne arrives in the dugout and they great each other.
The two officers joke together but at the mention of Stanhope’s drinking, tensions begin to
grow between the two men. After some discussion of Stanhope, a quick handover and advice,
Hardy leaves Osborne to await the arrival of the rest of the men. Raleigh, an officer newly
arrived from England, arrives in the dugout. Mason, the officer’s cook, enters the dugout
discussing dinner and panicked that he has apricots for pudding rather than pineapple and so is
fearful of Stanhope’s response. Raleigh explains how he is excited to have been attached to C
Company as he knows Stanhope from home and Osborne tries to prepare Raleigh for the changes
he will see in the Captain Stanhope.
Stanhope arrives in the dugout and immediately calls to Mason to bring whiskey. He initially
doesn’t notice Raleigh but when he does, he is cold and distant. Trotter welcomes him warmly
and after dinner, the two officers go out on patrol together. Hibbert enters the dugout
complaining about his neuralgia (Stanhope believes this is an excuse to be sent home but
Osborne is more sympathetic) and goes to bed without eating. Osborne and Stanhope discuss
Raleigh and his sister. Stanhope reveals his love for Raleigh’s sister and his fear that Raleigh will
betray him in letters home and decides to censor them. Osborne tries to comfort and calm
Stanhope explaining that hero worship lasts even longer than the illusion of heroes and suggests
he goes to bed. Both men go to bed.
Tuesday morning Stanhope is on duty in the trench and the other officers are having breakfast.
They discuss Stanhope who looks ill and discuss his strange behaviour toward Raleigh the
previous night. Their conversation turns to topics from home. Trotter reminisces about nature
and gardening at home when he returned on leave and then leaves to take over from Stanhope.
Raleigh and Osborne talk and Osborne explains he was a schoolmaster and played rugby for
Harlequins and England. Raleigh’s youthful and naïve views of war are revealed before he leaves
to finish a letter home. Stanhope enters as he leaves and Osborne and he discuss the impending
German attack. Stanhope is drinking whiskey again and is concerned about Raleigh will write in
his letter. When Raleigh returns, Stanhope tells him to leave his letter open. After a discussion
and a struggle, Raleigh is forced to give up the letter and leaves. Stanhope is too ashamed of his
behaviour to look and eventually Osborne reads it. Unexpectedly, it is full of praise for
Stanhope.
In the afternoon, Stanhope issues work details to a sergeant major which he wants carried out
before the attack. The colonel arrives and instructs Stanhope to organise a raiding party to
attack the German trench the following day. The colonel suggests Osborne and (despite
Stanhope’s objections) Raleigh lead the party. Stanhope is to have supper with the colonel, who
will return to speak to both Osborne and Raleigh in the morning.
Hibbert enters the dugout after having been asleep. He complains about his neuralgia and asks
Stanhope to go down the line to seek medical help. Stanhope not only refuses but informs him
that he has spoken to the doctor and the doctor will not send him home. Hibbert presses
Stanhope further and Stanhope threatens to shoot him by accident if he tries to leave. Hibbert
breaks down and cries. Stanhope confided in Hibbert that he understands how he feels as he
feels it too. He explains that his drinking is the only way he can cope with the fear that he feels
too. Hibbert agrees to stay and try to help the other men.
Osborne returns to the dugout and is told of the raid by Stanhope. Trotter follows soon after and
is told which he feels is badly timed. The men settle down for the evening and Trotter questions
Osborne on what he is reading. He is reading Alice in Wonderland. Trotter cannot understand
why Osborne is reading ‘a kid’s book’ and suggests that it is nonsense and pointless, Osborne
explains that this is the point. Stanhope and Hibbert leave to relieve Raleigh, and Osborne
writers a letter. Raleigh returns to the dugout and is excited by the raid.
On Wednesday afternoon the colonel arrives with last minute instructions and words of
encouragement for the raiding party. Osborne asks Stanhope to send his wedding ring and letter
home to his wife is he dies during the raid and Stanhope jokes about not being able to carry on
without Osborne. The truth of his words lies heavily on the two men. Osborne and Raleigh sit
together before the raid. The difference between their emotional states is clear and
pronounced. With encouragement from Osborne, they talk about home and trivial things.
Osborne puts his wedding ring on the table and the two men leave for the raid.
Gunfire and explosions are heard offstage and the colonel and Stanhope arrive on stage with a
captured German soldier who Stanhope leaves the colonel to question. When he returns, he
bitterly tells the colonel that Osborne and six other men have been killed. Raleigh enters the
dugout and is congratulated by the colonel but is unable to speak. The colonel guides Raleigh to
sit down on Osborne’s bed and leaves. Stanhope and Raleigh stand in silence for a few minutes
and Stanhope comments that he is sitting on Osborne’s bed.
That evening, Trotter, Hibbert and Stanhope are eating a celebratory dinner after the ‘success’
of the raid. They share stories and jokes about women. Raleigh has not eaten with them and has
remained on duty in the trench. Hibbert and Stanhope argue and Hibbert is sent to bed. Trotter
is unceremoniously made second in command after Osborne’s death and goes to relieve Raleigh.
Stanhope is angry that Raleigh has not eaten dinner with the officers. The two men argue and
Raleigh doesn’t understand Stanhope’s reaction to Osborne’s death – or seeming lack of
response. Stanhope makes is clear that his drinking helps him cope with everything. Raleigh
tries to apologise but is told to leave and they part on bad terms.
On Thursday morning the officers wake. The sound of German shells is heard signalling the
attack. Trotter and Raleigh go out to the front line. Hibbert holds back but eventually he and
Mason leave.
Stanhope remains alone in the trench and is then told that Raleigh has been hurt. Stanhope has
him brought to the dugout when it becomes clear, even though Raleigh himself doesn’t know it,
his wounds are serious. Stanhope comforts Raleigh and gives him water but he dies of his
wounds. Stanhope leaves the dugout as the sound of shells increases. The play ends with the
dull rattle of machine guns and we assume that the whole of C Company have met with their
deaths.
 Multiple Choice – Act 1
L/o: To recall and use knowledge of the events of Act 1
1. What is Hardy doing at the beginning of
the scene?
a. Drinking whiskey
b. Sweeping up the trench
c. Drying his socks
d. Packing his things to leave
2. Why does Hardy suggest Osborne not drink
too much water?
a. It is polluted with microbes
b. The disinfectant is very strong
c. The latrine is unhygienic
d. There is no easy way to get more
3. How does Hardy describe the line?
a. Quiet and nothing happens
b. Busy and constantly under attack
c. Nothing happens and then an attack
occurs from nowhere
d. Harmonious and they are friendly with
the Germans
4. How does Hardy describe the men as
being when the bombs exploded in their
tea?
a. Angry and ready to fight
b. Frightfully annoyed
c. Peeved
d. Irked
5. What animal does Hardy compare
Stanhope to?
a. Fish
b. Lion
c. Chicken
d. Peacock
6. Why does Hardy think this is funny?
a. It gives him and the others a way to
entertain them
b. Stanhope tells lewd jokes
c. Stanhope’s father is a vicar
d. Stanhope drinks cocktails
4
7. What reason does Osborne give for
Stanhope’s drinking?
a. There is nothing else to do
b. He dislikes the taste of the water
c. His nerves are shot
d. He enjoys drinking
8. How does Osborne feel about Stanhope?
a. He thinks he is an excellent Captain
b. He thinks his drinking makes him
ineffective
c. He thinks he is immature
d. He is worried about him
9. What nickname do the officers have for
Osborne?
a. Papa
b. Brother
c. Auntie
d. Uncle
10.How does Raleigh know Stanhope?
a. They knew each other at school
b. Raleigh dated Stanhope’s sister
c. Stanhope played rugby against Raleigh
d. They used to live next door
11.How did Raleigh come to be in Stanhope’s
company?
a. Stanhope requested he be sent there
b. Raleigh asked his uncle
c. Coincidence
d. The General doesn’t like Raleigh
12.Osborne tries to warn Raleigh that:
a. Stanhope is a hard task master
b. Stanhope insists that the trench is
kept clean
c. Stanhope has changed
d. Stanhope has an awful temper
13.What shocks Raleigh most about the
trenches?
a. The rats
b. The noise
c. The silence
d. The mud
14.Why is Mason concerned about dinner?
a. The meat is unidentifiable
b. The pineapple is actually apricots
c. The apricots are actually pineapple
d. It is full of dirt
15.Why is Stanhope angry with Hardy?
a. The dugout and trenches were poorly
maintained
b. He insulted him
c. He is was inefficient and disinterested
d. The men didn’t respect him
16.What is missing from the mess box?
a. Pepper
b. Salt
c. Tea
d. Chocolate
20.Why is Stanhope angry that Raleigh is in
his company?
a. He couldn’t stand him at school
b. He thinks he is just a kid
c. He is worried about what he will tell
his sister
d. He is worried about what he will tell
the men
21.How does Osborne try to comfort
Stanhope?
a. He says that hero worship outlasts
everything
b. He says that hero worship makes
people blind
c. He says that no one listens to little
brothers
d. He gives him whiskey

17.What is in the middle of No Man’s Land? 22.How does Stanhope plan to stop Raleigh
a. A ruin telling anyone?
b. A church a. Won’t let him write letters
c. A tank b. Will read and censor his letters
d. A hospital c. Will threaten him
d. Will have him shot
18.How does Trotter decide to pass their 6
days in the trench? 23.What is Stanhope doing at the end of Act
a. He drinks 1?
b. He plays cards a. Drinking
c. He draws hourly circles b. Sleeping
d. He writes letters c. Smoking
d. Reading Raleigh’s letter
19.Why does Hibbert say he can’t eat any
dinner? 24.What is Osborne doing at the end of Act 1?
a. He doesn’t trust the meat a. Winding his watch
b. He hates apricots b. Writing a letter
c. His neuralgia is too painful c. Sleeping
d. His teeth are too painful d. Drinking
 Act 2 Multiple Choice Questions
L/o: To recall and use knowledge of the events of Act 2
1. What are the men having for breakfast? 7. Why does Trotter remember seeing a
a. Bacon and porridge May-tree?
b. Bread and jam a. Reminds him of home
c. Bacon sandwiches b. He thought it was a phosgene gas
d. Nothing attack
c. It was there when he first arrived
2. What reason does Trotter give for there d. He was by a May tree when war was
being no bacon only fat in his bacon? declared
a. The food is poor quality
b. Bad cooking 8. What does Trotter say he would prefer?
c. He likes it that way a. Silence
d. The pig was fat b. Whizz-bangs
c. Bacon
3. How has Osborne told Mason to wash the d. Porridge
dishcloth? 9. How does Raleigh describe the Front line?
a. He shouted at him a. Quiet and Uncanny
b. He threw it away b. Loud and Scary
c. He asked his wife to send some c. Muddy and Claustrophobic
washing powder d. Friendly and Happy
d. He told Stanhope to tell him
10. What do Osborne and Raleigh bond over?
4. How does Trotter confirm that he is not a a. Rugby
commissioned officer? b. Football
a. He talks about the promotion c. Cricket
ceremony d. Boxing
b. He mentions ‘being in the ranks’
c. The others call him a commoner 11. Who did Osborne play for?
d. He talks about his youth a. Harlequins and England
b. Wasps and Wales
5. Why are Trotter and Osborne worried c. Harlequins and England
about Stanhope d. London Irish and England
a. He is talking to himself
b. He is shouting at everyone 12. Raleigh thinks Trotter makes it feel:
c. He looks unwell a. Fun and friendly
d. He is drinking heavily b. Happy and jokey
c. Natural and genuine
6. How does the sound of the birds make d. Normal and homely
Trotter feel?
a. Angry that he’s not at home 13. How did the German’s react to the
b. Missing his family and garden wounded man?
c. Determined to win the war a. They jeered and shot at the rescuers
d. Buoyed and confident b. They captured him and took him for
questioning
c. They told the rescuers to carry him
d. They helped the rescuers to carry him
14. What does Stanhope think about the
smell of the smell of bacon?
a. Foul
b. Pleasant
c. Delicious
d. Disgusting
15. Why does Stanhope plan to run wire
down the sides of the trench
a. The other company left it in poor
condition
b. The attack is coming tonight
c. He doesn’t trust the other companies
d. He wants to give the men something
to do
16. What orders were the company given
for the attack?
a. Send word and wait for help
b. Retreat at the first opportunity
c. Fight and wait for support
d. Expect no support and don’t retreat
17. What does Stanhope draw on Trotter’s
chart?
a. A penis
b. A bomb
c. Trotter being blown up
d. Trotter running away
18. Why does Stanhope think Trotter is
different?
a. He has no imagination
b. He is of a different social class
c. He likes bacon
d. He speaks differently
19. What does Stanhope would be ‘rotten’
for worms?
a. Not having any blood
b. Thinking you were going up but
actually going down
c. Having your head throb
d. Being blown up by a bomb
20. Why does Osborne tell Stanhope he’s
not going ‘potty’?
a. He isn’t crying all the time
b. He is too good a leader
c. He is talking about it
d. He has been there too long
21. Why does Stanhope call for whisky?
a. He is about to break down from panic
b. He is bored
c. He is celebrating
d. He is overwhelmed by Raleigh’s letter
22. What did Osborne do on leave?
a. Played with his kids
b. Watched films
c. Drank in the pub with his friends
d. Went to Paris
23. Who reads Raleigh’s letter?
a. Stanhope
b. Raleigh keeps it
c. Osborne
d. The Colonel
24. What does Raleigh say about Stanhope?
a. He is shocked by him
b. He is nice
c. He is angry
d. He is proud to be his friend
25. When is the attack expected?
a. Monday
b. Tuesday
c. Wednesday
d. Thursday
26. What sarcastic comments do Stanhope
and the Sergeant-Major share?
a. The food is gourmet
b. They will past the Germans and win
the war
c. They will poison the attacking army
with Mason’s dish cloth
d. The support they will get from the
other companies will be excellent
27. What does Stanhope say to the Colonel
about bacon smell?
a. It stinks like the dead
b. It makes him think of home
c. It clings to the walls
d. Keeps reappearing
28. When did the Colonel suggest would be
a better time for the raid?
a. Tonight at dusk
b. Tomorrow morning at dawn
c. Tomorrow afternoon
d. Tomorrow night
29. Which two officers are chosen for the
raid?
a. Osborne and Trotter
b. Osborne and Hibbert
c. Raleigh and Trotter
d. Raleigh and Osborne
30. Where does Hibbert say he is going?
a. To visit the mess tent
b. To complete a rifle check
c. To visit the doctor
d. To catch the train home
31. What does Stanhope threaten Hibbert
with?
a. Taking his rations away
b. ‘Accidently’ shooting him
c. Court marshal
d. The firing squad
34. What is wrong with the tea?
a. It tastes of soil
b. It tastes of petrol
c. It tastes of bacon
d. It tastes of onions
35. How does Osborne react to the news of
the attack?
a. Excitement
b. Panic
c. Laughter
d. He doesn’t
36. What did the German soldiers do to the
previous hole in the wire?
a. Put lights on it
b. Covered it up again
c. Tied red ribbon to it
d. Lined up a sniper with it
37. What book is Osborne reading?
a. Oliver Twist
b. Alice in Wonderland
c. Poetry
d. Just So Stories
38. Why does Osborne say he’s reading it?
a. It takes him away from the horror
b. There is no point in it
c. He read it to his children
d. He has nothing else to do

32. What does Stanhope confess to Hibbert? 39. Where do Stanhope and Hibbert go?
a. That he read Raleigh’s letter a. To dinner
b. That he hates him b. To the hospital
c. That he understands his fear c. To the Front line
d. That he wants to run away d. To the Colonel

33. How does Stanhope convince Hibbert to 40. How does Raleigh react to the new of
stay? the attack
a. To stand with the other men a. Excitement
b. He will send him home after the b. Panic
attack c. Laughter
c. He will let him stay in the dugout d. He doesn’t
d. He promises a promotion
 Act 3 Multiple Choice Questions
L/o: To recall and use knowledge of the events of Act 3

1. Why do Stanhope and the Colonel 7. What does Osborne want to talk about?
disagree? a. The raid
a. Stanhope thinks the Colonel is lazy b. The future
b. Stanhope thinks that he is only c. The past
interested in drinking d. Anything else
c. Stanhope disagrees with the raid plan
d. Stanhope thinks the raid plans should 8. How does Sherriff highlight the violence
be changed of the raid while it is happening?
a. He uses men’s shouting
2. Where does the Colonel plan to watch b. He uses a narrator
the raid from? c. He uses bombs and gunfire
a. The dug out d. He uses silence
b. The front line
c. The trench behind 9. How does the Colonel feel about the raid?
d. HQ a. He thinks it was a success
b. He thinks it was a disaster
3. What reason does Stanhope give for 7 c. He doesn’t think about it; only the
being the deadline for reports? men
a. They need time to strategize and send d. He wishes it hadn’t happened
out orders
b. They can’t have their dinner 10. How does Raleigh act when he returns
interrupted to the dugout?
c. They want to inform the Prime a. He is excited and volunteers for
Minister of the attack future raids
d. The Colonel needs to be back in the b. He leaves to write a letter home
trenches for inspection about it
c. He can’t speak
4. What does the Colonel say he will d. He is crying and shaking
recommend Osborne and Raleigh for if
they succeed? 11. What does Stanhope say to Raleigh?
a. Leave a. He congratulates him
b. Military Cross b. He tells him he can speak to him if he
c. Command of their own Company needs to
d. Future missions c. He doesn’t say anything
d. He asks if he has to sit on Osborne’s
5. What does Osborne ask Stanhope to take bed
care of for him
a. His copy of Alice in Wonderland 12. How does Sherriff highlight the
b. His washing powder celebration of the evening?
c. His pipe a. The men are in ‘dress’ uniforms
d. His wedding ring, watch and letter b. The lighting is brighter
c. They are playing music
6. How does Osborne describe his emotions d. They are singing
about the raid?
a. Excited and pent up
b. Anxious to get going
c. Empty
d. Worried
 13. What body part are the men discussing
being happy with?
a. Legs
b. Arms
c. Penis
d. Eyes
14. How do the men ‘bond’ after dinner?
a. They look at pictures of women
b. They talk about their lives
c. They talk about Osborne
d. They ridicule Raleigh
15. What does Raleigh tell Hibbert about
the men?
a. They’re lazy
b. They’re beneath him
c. He likes being with them more than
the officers
d. He wishes that he was more like them
16. Why does the atmosphere change after
this?
a. Stanhope is angry and shouts at the
others
b. Stanhope begins to insult Raleigh
c. Stanhope is too drunk and breaks
down
d. Stanhope talks about Osborne
17. How does Sherriff suggest that the men
don’t know each other?
a. Stanhope doesn’t know Trotter’s
name
b. Stanhope doesn’t know how Trotter
really feels
c. Trotter doesn’t know Stanhope’s
name
d. Trotter doesn’t know what Hibbert is
thinking
18. What does Trotter become before he
leaves?
a. Second in command
b. Captain
c. Lieutenant
d. Colonel
19. What technique does Sherriff use when
he describes the ‘mist rising’?
a. Pathetic Fallacy
b. Rhetorical parallelism
c. Synecdoche
d. Tricolon
20. What does Raleigh say that Sergeant
Baker suggested?
a. He go back to the dugout
b. He eat with the men
c. He try and get sent home
d. He went out on another raid
21. Why is Stanhope angry with Raleigh?
a. He insulted him
b. He took the men’s food
c. He was insulting the men
d. He showed weakness
22. What reason does Raleigh give for not
eating his dinner?
a. He is too full after eating with the
men
b. He doesn’t like chicken
c. He can’t forget Osborne’s death
d. He is too broken by the raid
23. What reason does Stanhope give for
drinking and smoking?
a. Osborne would have wanted them to
b. He doesn’t want to waste it
c. To forget that Osborne is dead
d. He doesn’t care that Osborne is dead
24. Why does Stanhope say he was half
awake?
a. Too worried about the attack
b. Too upset about Osborne
c. Too cold in the dugout
d. Too loud with the guns
25. What reason does Hibbert give for
wanting water?
a. Nervous about the attack
b. Dried out mouth from champagne
c. Feels sick after the tea
d. He has a headache
26. What reason does Stanhope give for
Hibbert’s water?
a. Wasting as much time as possible
b. He drank too much last night
c. The tea was bad
d. He is dehydrated
 27. How does Stanhope react to the news of
Corporal Ross’ injury?
a. He is panicked and wants to make sure
he is OK
b. He doesn’t initially react and remains
calm
c. He suggests they bring him into the
dugout to shelter
d. He doesn’t care
28. What injury has Raleigh suffered?
a. Shrapnel in the face
b. Shrapnel in the back
c. Shrapnel in the leg
d. Shrapnel in the arm
29. What does Stanhope tell the Sergeant-
Major to do with Raleigh?
a. Put him with the injured Ross
b. Take him down the Fosse Way
c. Leave him where he is
d. Bring him into the dugout
30. Where does Stanhope have Raleigh put?
a. In his bed
b. On the table
c. On the floor
d. On Osborne’s bed
31. What does Stanhope do to Raleigh?
a. Shakes him
b. Ignored him
c. Covers him with a blanket
d. Uses his jacket as a pillow
32. What does Raleigh compare his wound to?
a. Being hit by a car
b. A previous rugby injury
c. Being bitten by a bug
d. Being hit by his sister
33. What reason does Stanhope give for
Raleigh going home?
a. He is too young
b. He doesn’t want him there
c. He has got a Blighty one
d. He will never walk again
34. Why does Raleigh tell Stanhope he
doesn’t have to stay?
a. If he wants to be getting on
b. He was horrible to him
c. He clearly doesn’t want him there
d. He wants to join the others
35. How does Stanhope show his sorrow at
Raleigh’s death?
a. He cries
b. He kisses his forehead
c. He touches his head
d. He screams
36. How does Sherriff end the play?
a. With a voice over
b. With the sound of birds tweeting
c. With the sound of gunfire
d. With the sound of men screaming