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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. Finny admits that he chose not to believe in the war because he couldn't ________ in it.

2. What does Finny insist must have made Gene bounce the branch that day?

3. Where has the writer of the cryptic telegram gone?

4. What does Finny decide to throw?

5. What does the doctor reveal later to Gene?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Finny do during the snowball fight with Gene and the others?

2. Where is the secret Christmas Location that Leper refers to?

3. What do Gene and the other boys volunteer to do to support the war effort?

4. Why does Leper decide to enlist in the war?

5. What does Gene offer as an explanation for his disheveled appearance when Finny returns?

6. What does the cryptic telegram reveal?

7. How does Finny response when Gene sneaks in to visit him?

8. What does Gene conclude about Leper's admittance that he escaped?

9. What does Gene do when Finny expresses his shock and disappointment in the idea of Finny enlisting?

10. What does Brinker say to Gene about his new living situation?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

There is a vast difference in the personalities of the boys between the Summer and Fall sessions.

Part 1: Compare and contrast the rules at Devon at the Summer and Fall Sessions.

Part 2: How do the characters change between these two sessions?

Part 3: What does the change between these two sessions seem to symbolize in reference to the time period and the characters?

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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