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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 Gene's roommate?

2. What does Finny accuse Gene of wanting?

3. Who confesses to the trip to the beach?

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

5. Where does Finny land during the jump?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

5. Why does Mr. Prud'homme come into Gene and Finny's room the next morning?

6. What does Gene realize about the rivalry between Finny and himself?

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

8. What position has Gene volunteered for?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The theme of jealousy is one that comes up often in the story itself. Longing for something that someone else has is natural, but it can have tragic consequences.

Part 1: Describe the jealousy that Gene and Finny feel.

Part 2: What does the jealousy of these two characters seem to cause for them and for their lives?

Part 3: What other ways is jealousy shown to affect the other characters in the novel?

Essay Topic 2

The two rivers in the book provide different elements and symbols to the storytelling.

Part 1: List the names of the two rivers in the novel and describe the location of each.

Part 2: What does each river seem to symbolize for the story?

Part 3: How is Gene comparable to each river?

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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