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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. Who is the one person Finny asked for by name?

2. How many other boys are with Gene when they go to the tree?

3. Who is the witness to Finny's breaking of the school record?

4. Who is the substitute teacher for the summer?

5. Who is the narrator of this story?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the opening scene of Devon when the Fall Session convenes.

2. What is Gene the only witness to?

3. What happens when Gene and Finny decide to try another double jump from the branch?

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

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

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

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

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

9. What does Finny convince Gene they should do before they head back to Devon?

10. Compare and contrast Brinker and Leper.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The idea of the war and enlisting seems to be on every boy's mind as they progress through the novel.

Part 1: List the characters who state they want to enlist in the war effort.

Part 2: Which of these characters actually do enlist in the war effort?

Part 3: What does the act of enlisting seem to symbolize for the boys in this story?

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

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?

(see the answer keys)

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