View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What has happened to Finny as a result of the fall?

2. What punishment is issued as a result of Finny and Gene missing dinner?

3. How long has it been since Gene was last at this school?

4. What is the one thing that comes easily to Finny?

5. Who loses his balance in this jump?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is the narrator of "A Separate Peace"?

2. As Gene and Finny are getting ready to sleep on the beach, what does Finny reveal to Gene?

3. What does Finny decide to do in celebration of the first Allied bombing of Central Europe?

4. What does Finny convince Gene to do that is forbidden by the school?

5. What does the doctor say about the outcome of Finny's injury?

6. What sport does Finny create in order to make up for the appalling sport in #14?

7. Who are the four boys that are with Gene as he stands by the tree?

8. What position has Gene volunteered for?

9. What is Finny's mistake that he makes when having tea with the substitute headmaster Mr. Patch-Wilders?

10. What does Gene remember as he pauses near the river on his way to an appointment at the Crew House?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The perception of the war is one that seems to change during the novel as well as fluctuate from the start to the finish of the novel.

Part 1: List the people in the novel who support the war. How do they show this support?

Part 2: List the people in the novel who do not support the war. How do they show their displeasure?

Part 3: What do you think the boys think of the war in general? Is this a 'good' or a 'bad' war? Support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

While Gene is the narrator of the story, it seems most of the action and reaction in the story is related to Finny.

Part 1: Why is Gene the more important character in this novel?

Part 2: Why doesn't Finny make sense as the main character in this book?

Part 3: Is there another character you feel is even more important? Support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

The tree by the river is the site of many victories and one foreboding accident. Juxtaposing nature with tragedy seems to cause the reader to react more strongly than they might have had the accident occurred in another setting.

Part 1: What might the symbolism of the tree mean in the story? What might the tree represent to the characters and to the plot?

Part 2: Describe the victories that occur at the place of the tree.

Part 3: How does the tree affect each of the main characters in this novel?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 717 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample