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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 is the school located?

2. What do Finny and Gene get for themselves by using forged draft cards?

3. Who jumps into the river first?

4. What do the two boys want to form?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did people jump from the tree to the river in previous years?

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

3. What does Gene do one night that leads him to conclude he "will never stumble through the confusions of [his] own character again?"

4. After Gene leaps from the branch into the water, how does Finny respond?

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

6. What position has Gene volunteered for?

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

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

It is Gene who feels responsible for Finny's fall, and the guilt follows him throughout the book.

Part 1: What happened to case Gene's guilt about Finny's fall?

Part 2: Do you think Gene caused Finny to fall? Why or why not?

Part 3: Even though Finny tells Gene that it wasn't his fault, why can't Gene let go of his guilt?

Essay Topic 2

With World War II looming in the background of this novel, the darker nature of the world outside of Devon is hard to escape.

Part 1: What does World War II symbolize in this novel?

Part 2: What is the significance of World War II to each of the characters in the novel?

Part 3: How does the war relate to the title of this book?

Essay Topic 3

When one first reads "A Separate Peace," it seems Finny and Gene could not be more different in terms of their lives, goals, and outlooks. Is this really the case?

Part 1: Compare and contract Finny and Gene.

Part 2: How does the friendship between Finny and Gene change during the book?

Part 3: Would you say that Finny and Gene are more alike or more different? Support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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