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

Short Answer Questions

1. Where do Finny and Gene sleep during their excursion away from school?

2. What is the game Finny invents?

3. What does Finny convince Gene to do?

4. Who does Finny say is his best friend?

5. What does Gene notice that seems much smaller than it used to?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Who can not believe that the allies bombed Central Europe?

3. What does Gene fear Finny is trying to do when Finny tries to waste Gene's time?

4. Who does Gene describe the tree when he was younger and standing in front of it with other boys?

5. What is Gene the only witness to?

6. What does Finny say when Gene asks him what he remembers about the fall?

7. What seemed so much larger to Gene, as told by him, when he was younger as opposed to now?

8. When Gene is working hard to catch up on his trigonometry, what does Finny accuse him of?

9. What is one of the main rules for the secret club that Finny and Gene have created?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Leper is certainly a compelling character in this novel, causing the reader to be diverted from the stories of Finny and Gene from time to time.

Part 1: Why do you think Leper got his nickname? What does this seem to say about his personality and reputation?

Part 2: Why do you think Leper is a significant character in this story? What is his purpose in the story?

Part 3: Is Leper a sympathetic character? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

The death of Finny is a scene that shocks the reader, and yet at the same time, it almost seems a blessing for this character.

Part 1: Why was Finny's original accident the worst thing that could have happened to him?

Part 2: How does Finny handle his initial accident as compared to his second accident?

Part 3: Do you think the death of Finny was necessary to tell this story? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

The relationship between Finny and Gene is a complex one, even bordering on codependent in nature, with one having to help the other in order for the other to cope.

Part 1: Describe the ways in which Gene relies on Finny for his sense of self esteem, and vice versa with Finny.

Part 2: Would you consider their friendship healthy or unhealthy? Support your answer.

Part 3: What changes might be made to their friendship that might make it more positive?

(see the answer keys)

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