Birdsong Trivia Quiz

Answer: Wraysford

The opening chapters cover the time Stephen spends in France between 1910 and 1914, in Amiens initially and later in Paris. He has been sent to France to learn about textile production from a local factory owner, a situation which brings him into contact with the woman he is destined to fall in love with. The novel then moves to Stephen's time in the trenches during World War I and his relationships with the men he meets during this time.

The other Stephens are an author (King) and two singers, Harley from Cockney Rebel and Morrissey from The Smiths, who is actually Steven.

Answer: Isabelle is married

Isabelle is the second wife of René Azaire, the factory owner with whom Stephen lodges while learning the textile trade. Azaire is a neglectful husband who sometimes beats Isabelle, leaving her vulnerable to a love affair. She and Stephen run away to Paris, but Isabelle panics when she finds herself pregnant - a pregnancy which she conceals from Stephen - and returns to René after initially spending time with her own family. Stephen, although heartbroken, chooses not to follow her and eventually moves to Paris.

The outbreak of World War I gives him a new purpose in life.

Answer: He is killed

Stephen is an embittered man and has contempt for most of the soldiers under his command, having reached the rank of lieutenant. The only man he has any kind of relationship with is a fellow officer, Michael Weir, who is struggling to cope with the war. Michael is scared of dying and is still a virgin, something which Stephen tries to solve by taking him to visit a prostitute. Stephen has much respect for Weir who meets the challenges he's faced with despite his fears. As the end of the war nears, Weir falls victim to a sniper's bullet.

Sadly, all the other options could easily be correct since many survivors were maimed and some never recovered mentally.

Answer: Miner

Because much of the war was fought in trenches, both sides used tunnels a great deal. Miners were the experts in creating tunnels, and were drafted into the Royal Engineers. The tunnels were deep underground with the risk of collapse ever-present, either naturally or through bombardment. They were used as a means of listening to the enemy's plans and/or to plant explosives, and were a tactic used by both sides in the conflict.

Jack is depicted as a devoted husband and father, a Christian and a kind, caring man. He forms a close friendship with a fellow soldier, Arthur Shaw, and his sorrow at the death of Shaw and of his own son, who dies from diphtheria, is movingly described in the novel.

Answer: Stephen's granddaughter

Elizabeth is the daughter of Françoise, the daughter of Stephen and Isabelle, although she never had the chance to meet her grandfather, who died before she was born. Elizabeth is involved with a married man, and discovers she is pregnant during the events of the novel. Knowing her lover is unlikely to leave his wife, she resolves to raise her child alone. Elizabeth is depicted as an independent and successful woman, running her own business and well able to provide for both herself and her son.

From her grandfather's journals, Elizabeth has discovered Stephen's promise to Jack Firebrace to name any son he (Stephen) has 'John' in memory of Jack's dead child. Elizabeth chooses the name for her own child to fulfil the pledge.

Answer: Yes

Stephen meets Jeanne, Isabelle's sister, while on leave in Amiens and asks her to persuade Isabelle to meet him. Isabelle is no longer with René, who has been arrested by the Germans, and has been left disfigured and partially paralysed by the bombardments which have shattered Amiens. Despite this, she has formed a relationship with a German soldier and eventually goes to Munich to care for him when he has to have his leg amputated.

Although Isabelle and Stephen meet again, Isabelle still conceals the fact that she has a child fathered by him. Isabelle survives the war but dies in the Spanish influenza epidemic with Jeanne taking on responsibility for her child.

Answer: They're in code

Elizabeth has developed an interest in the history of WWI and regrets not having learned more about it. She discovers the journals he has kept throughout his life in her mother's attic, but they are in code. She enlists the help of Bob, her business partner's husband, and he eventually works out that the code is a mixture of French, Greek letters and a code Stephen himself has created. From reading the journals, Elizabeth learns about her grandfather's love for Isabelle and of the bitter reality of warfare.

Answer: German soldiers

Jack and Stephen are deep underground, not knowing that the war is on the brink of being over. A final German explosion causes parts of the tunnel to collapse badly injuring Jack. With Jack's advice, Stephen is able to set some explosions to open up the tunnel, attracting the attention of the Germans, who blast their way in from the other side. Jack succumbs to his injuries, but Stephen is able to escape, meeting a German soldier named Lieutenant Levi.

The two men hug each other as they realise the guns have fallen silent and the war is finally over.

They both hear the birds singing, for the first time in years.

Answer: Brennan

Frustrated with the slow progress being made with Stephen's journals, Elizabeth contacts his old regiment and is given the name of Brennan as someone who knew Stephen. She finds Brennan has been in a nursing home since the war ended sixty years ago and visits him a few times. Although he is unable to directly answer any of her questions, she does feel some sort of connection to Stephen through the few memories Brennan is able to recall. Once Elizabeth learns that the journals have been decoded, she discontinues the visits.

Brennan's inclusion is the novel gives another glimpse of the toll of the war. Even the survivors did not necessarily return to a normal life.

Answer: Jeanne

Jeanne is Isabelle's older sister, by two years, and is the only member of the family to take care of Isabelle. She takes Isabelle in initially when she returns, pregnant and having left Stephen, before Isabelle goes back to René. She is also the go-between when Stephen returns to Amiens and wishes to see Isabelle again.

Jeanne falls in love with Stephen, although he never feels the same way about her. She provides the support and friendship he needs after the traumas of the war and is described by him in his journals as 'kind and gentle'. Marriage to Jeanne also means Stephen is able to raise his own child with Isabelle as Jeanne has taken on the responsibility of caring for their daughter. His health, though, has been shattered and Stephen dies aged only forty-eight. Elizabeth has never been told that Jeanne is not her real grandmother and is surprised to discover the truth from her mother towards the end of the story. This occurs when Elizabeth breaks the news of her pregnancy and is surprised by her mother's calm acceptance. Her mother then tells Elizabeth that her own parents weren't married.

Lisette is Isabelle's stepdaughter and Mathilde is another of her sisters.