Name _____________________________________
Due Date:
Mrs. Edwards
English 9, Period _______
_____ October _________
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Guided Reading
Directions

Answers that are not thorough and/or are not written in complete sentences will receive a zero.
Chapter 1
Tacit (p 1 old; p 9 new)—
Prodigious (p 7 old; p 15 new)—
Inveigle (p 7 old; p 15 new)—
1. How long ago did the narrator attend school at Devon? How does the school look now?
2. The narrator remembers feeling fear back when he was a teenager. What two places does he associate with
that feeling?
3. After thinking about the tree, the narrator flashes back to a different time in his life. What is the setting of
the memory that the narrator invokes?
4. What does Finny try to persuade the other boys to do? What might it symbolize?
5. Who is the only one, besides Finny, to jump that day? Develop a logical argument to explain why he let
Finny talk him into it.
Chapter 2
6. Describe Finny’s personality using details from the text (use page numbers).
7. What does Mrs. Patch-Withers notice about Finny while at tea? How does Finny get out of being in trouble?
8. Explain how Gene feels about the fact that Finny doesn’t get in trouble, and thendevelop a logical
argument to explain why he would feel this way about his friend.
9. Summarize the scary incident at the tree that occurs after the boys leave the party.
Name _____________________________________
Due Date:
Mrs. Edwards
English 9, Period _______
_____ October _________
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Guided Reading
Directions

Answers that are not thorough and/or are not written in complete sentences will receive a zero.
Chapter 3
Venerable (p 25 old; p 33 new)—
Inure (p 25 old; p 34 new)—
10. Predict a future problem with the fact that Finny decides on most of the rules for the new club.
11. Finny invents a chaotic game called Blitzball. Identify who ends up being the best at this game, and
explain why this person would be the best.
12. The narrator (“older Gene”) talks about the time in his life that will be in his memory forever: World War
II. List 2 ways in which Gene’s wartime life is different from our wartime life these past few years (Iraq and/or
Afghanistan wars).
13. Finny commands Gene to keep his record-breaking swim a secret. Using text clues,develop a logical
argument to explain why Finny doesn’t want anyone to know.
14. Infer the reason as to why Gene can’t reciprocate Finny’s declaration of friendship at the beach.
Chapter 4
Enmity (p 45 old; p 53 new)—
Effulgence (p 47 old; p 55 new)—
15. Finny’s last-minute visit to the beach causes Gene to flunk his trigonometry test. Finny also assumes that
Gene wants to do a lot of the same things as him (jumping out of a tree every night, skipping class, etc). By
these actions, which character flaw does Finny appear to have?
16. After Gene flunks his test, what suspicion does he develop about Finny’s motive for making him flunk the
test and ruin his academics? What does this say about Gene’s inner personality or character?
17. After Finny tells Gene that he never realized Gene needed to study, what does Gene realize about his
previous suspicions? Infer what Gene might realize about his inner personality versus Finny’s inner
personality.
18. Based on all that has happened in Gene and Finny’s friendship, argue why you think Gene jounced the
limb while Finny was about to jump. Validate your argument with an example from the text.
Name _____________________________________
Due Date:
Mrs. Edwards
English 9, Period _______
_____ October _________
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Guided Reading
Directions

Answers that are not thorough and/or are not written in complete sentences will receive a zero.
Chapter 5
Infirmary (p 53 old; p 61 new)—
19. What is Finny’s injury? Describe why, in 1942, his injury would be so critical.
20. Why does Gene burst into tears when he hears that Finny will never be able to play sports again?
21. When Finny says he had tried to grab Gene to keep his balance before falling, why does Gene quickly
become enraged that Finny would try to take Gene down with him? (Think about psychological defense
mechanisms).
22. What does Finny hint might be the reason he fell? Infer (from the reading) why he might dismiss the idea.
23. What does Gene admit when he visits Finny at his home? Develop a logical argument to explain why this
enrages Finny.
Chapter 6
Sinecure (p 69 old; p 77 new)—
Automaton (p 70 old; p 78 new)—
Skirmish (p 71 old; p 79 new)—
24. What was the mood of the summer semester? What is now the mood of the fall semester?
25. Gene gets into a fight with Quackenbush because Quackenbush called him maimed, and Gene really does
have a friend who is maimed. Explain what might be motivating Gene to defend Finny so aggressively.
26. Give at least two reasons why Mr. Ludsbury scolds Gene.
27. Since Finny can no longer play sports, what can the reader infer that he will do for Gene instead?
28. Interpret the following quote: “…I lost a part of myself to him then, and a soaring sense of freedom
revealed that this must have been my purpose from the first: to become a part of Phineas” (p 77 old; p 85 new).
Name _____________________________________
Due Date:
Mrs. Edwards
English 9, Period _______
_____ October _________
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Guided Reading
Directions

Answers that are not thorough and/or are not written in complete sentences will receive a zero.
Chapter 7
Fratricide (p 81 old; p 89 new)—
Contretemps (p 82 old; p 90 new)—
Burlesque (p 86 old; p 94 new)—
Encumbrance (p 94 old; p 102 new)—
Something to think about while you’re reading: This chapter includes reference to the fear of enemy infiltration
that gripped the U.S. during WWII. There are references to spies and internment camps in this chapter. It’s
important that you notice that the war is not lurking in the background any longer. Instead, it is becoming more
a part of the plot. This causes the mood of the story to become darker as it continues…
29. Explain what Brinker jokingly accuses Gene of, and explain why this situation is terrifying to Gene.
30. What do the boys do for money and for the war effort (2 jobs)?
31. Develop a logical argument to explain why Leper doesn’t help with the war effort. Support your
argument with a detail from the text.
32. Judging by the way Gene has been feeling lately, infer the reason as to why Gene decides to join the
military.
Chapter 8
Opulent (p 102 old; p 110 new)—
Poignant (p 105 old; p 113 new)—
Gibe (p 113 old; p 121 new)—
33. On the morning after Finny arrives back at Devon, he is shocked to hear that Gene might enlisting.
Develop a logical argument as to why he might be so upset.
34. A simile is a figure of speech that compares two things using like or as. Knowles uses an important simile
in Chapter 8 that has to do with war. Identify the two things he is comparing, and explain the simile.
35. Describe how this statement is typical of Finny’s personality: “[W]hen you really love something, then it
loves you back” (103 old, 111 new).
36. Develop a logical argument to explain why Finny would make up an elaborate story about how the war is
all a big lie.
37. At the end of the chapter, Finny displays an unusually defiant attitude toward Mr. Ludsbury. Explain why
Finny acted that way when he is normally a kind person.
Name _____________________________________
Due Date:
Mrs. Edwards
English 9, Period _______
_____ October _________
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Guided Reading
Directions

Answers that are not thorough and/or are not written in complete sentences will receive a zero.
Chapter 9
Vagary (p 115 old; p 123 new)—
Cacophony (p 124 old; p 132 new)—
Multifariously (p 121 old; p 130 new)—
Accolade (p 124 old; p 133 new)—
38. Why is the irony in Devon School’s first recruit to World War II being Leper? Then again, why does it
make sense? (Think about which military branch Leper chose.)
39. Why do the boys mock Leper in the Butt Room by making up scenarios in which Leper is the hero in
WWII? (Think about why you might want to joke about a very serious situation.)
40. Why is Finny unable to joke about Leper along with the other boys?
41. Interpret the message of the telegram from Leper. What has he done?
Chapter 10
Presage (p 131 old; p 139 new)—
Aesthete (p 132 old; p 140 new)—
Something to think about while you’re reading: In this chapter, you will see one of the darkest scenes in the
entire novel, which addresses what can happen to a person after he experiences the reality of war. The
transformation of a man into a soldier is a terrifying and life-changing experience, as can be the transformation
of an adolescent into an adult. This novel is part of a genre of wartime adolescent fiction, so don’t forget to
focus on the psychology of the adolescent mind.
42. Gene has a quick flash-forward into his future in the army. At what point does Gene, and the boys his age,
come into the war? What does Gene consider to be the main reason they all didn’t lose their lives in this war?
43. During Gene’s visit with Leper, what does Gene realize has happened to Leper while he was in the army?
Explain why this terrifies Gene.
44. What accusation does Leper hurl at Gene, for which Gene knocks him over?
45. Leper recounts his experience of trying to conform in the army as though it were a strange nightmare.
Gene eventually can’t take it anymore and screams, “This has nothing to do with me!”(p 143 old; p 151 new).
Explain why it does actually have quite a lot to do with Gene. (Hint: Has Gene ever felt he had to conform to
something/someone that made him uncomfortable?)
Name _____________________________________
Due Date:
Mrs. Edwards
English 9, Period _______
_____ October _________
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Guided Reading
Directions

Answers that are not thorough and/or are not written in complete sentences will receive a zero.
Chapter 11
46. Hanging over Gene’s bed is a picture collage of an old, southern plantation. Describe what Gene admits
about this picture, and explain how this affects how much the reader should trust Gene as a narrator.
47. What reason does Brinker give for Gene’s unwillingness to enlist? What does Brinker say Finny will do if
everyone continues to pretend nothing is wrong with Finny?
48. Explain why Brinker and the rest of the boys take Finny and Gene to the Assembly Room.
49. Why does Brinker want to know “all the facts” surrounding Finny’s fall? Describe what he fails to realize
about the consequences of getting all these facts out into the open.
50. Leper told Brinker, “You’ve never realized it, but I’m important too” (p 168 old; p 176 new). Using this
quote, what can you infer about the way Leper has always felt about himself in regards to this group of boys?
Chapter 12
Animosity (p 180 old; p 188 new)—
51. What happens when Gene tries to talk to Finny at the infirmary?
52. What does Finny reveal to Gene that he has been doing ever since he was hurt the first time? Explain what
this tells us about his theory about the war.
53. How do Finny and Gene describe why Gene jounced the limb?
54. Interpret what Gene might mean when he says, “I could not escape the feeling that this was my own
funeral” (p 186 old; p 194 new).
Name _____________________________________
Due Date:
Mrs. Edwards
English 9, Period _______
_____ October _________
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Guided Reading
Directions

Answers that are not thorough and/or are not written in complete sentences will receive a zero.
Chapter 13
Bellicose (p 188 old; p 196 new)—
55. Explain what Brinker’s father says will shape the rest of the boys’ lives, and explain why it would be that
way.
56. Explain why Brinker apologizes for his father’s lecture.
57. What does Gene admire most about Finny?
58. Describe who or what Gene considers to be the real enemy.
Answer Key for A Separate Peace Guided Reading Worksheets by Mrs. Nick
Chapter 1
Tacit (p 1 old; p 9 new)—unspoken, but understood
Prodigious (p 7 old; p 15 new)—vast; wonderful; impressive in size, degree, or extent
Inveigle (p 7 old; p 15 new)—to trick; to entice or lure; to persuade someone to do something by means of
deception or flattery
1. How long ago did the narrator attend school at Devon? How does the school look now?
The narrator attended school 15 years ago, putting him in his mid-thirties. The school looks newer than when
he went to school there. He wonders if, since the war was on when went to school, there was not enough
money or resources to keep the school looking good back then.
2. The narrator remembers feeling fear back when he was a teenager. What two places does he associate with
that feeling?
He associates fear with the marble staircase in the First Academy Building and a tree out by the Devon River,
behind the playing fields.
3. After thinking about the tree, the narrator flashes back to a different time in his life. What is the setting of
the memory that the narrator invokes?
The setting is the summer of 1942, during WWII. They are in New Hampshire at a boy’s prep school called
Devon. They are out by the Devon River, where Finny is trying to get all the boys to jump out of the tree with
him to prepare for entering the war, where they may have to jump off a torpedoed ship.
4. What does Finny try to persuade the other boys to do? What might it symbolize?
Answers will vary. Finny tries to persuade the boys to jump out of the tree into the river. This might symbolize
being a soldier, as they sometimes had to jump off a torpedoed ship or jump out of airplanes. Other students
might say that it symbolizes the bravery that soldiers will need during the war.
5. Who is the only one, besides Finny, to jump that day? Develop a logical argument to explain why he let
Finny talk him into it.
Gene, the narrator, is the only one to jump out of the tree that day. Answers will vary, although many students
will realize that Gene is not capable of saying no because he is worried about losing face with Finny. Some
students may say he doesn’t want his friend to make fun of him for being scared.
Chapter 2
6. Describe Finny’s personality using details from the text (use page numbers).
Answers will vary.
7. What does Mrs. Patch-Withers notice about Finny while at tea? How does Finny get out of being in trouble?
Mrs. Patch-Withers notices that Finny is wearing his tie as a belt, which is extremely disrespectful. Finny
manages to get himself out of trouble by explaining that his belt ties in with his shirt, which is supposed to
represent Devon’s contribution and dedication to the war effort. Although his answer makes no sense, he does
humor Mr. Patch-Withers enough to elicit a laugh and get himself out of trouble.
8. Explain how Gene feels about the fact that Finny doesn’t get in trouble, and thendevelop a logical
argument to explain why he would feel this way about his friend.
Answers will vary. Gene says he feels a stab of disappointment that Finny was not going to get out of trouble.
Although he also says, “That was because I wanted to see some more excitement; that must have been it,” many
readers will see through this explanation and realize that Gene may be resentful that Finny can get himself out
of trouble so easily. Other students may say that Gene is jealous of his friend’s special ability to get himself out
of trouble.
9. Summarize the scary incident at the tree that occurs after the boys leave the party.
Finny has convinced Gene to jump out of the tree once again. They are going to do a double jump, but Gene
begins to lose his balance out on the limb. Finny’s quickly grabs him and stabilizes him. Had Finny not done
this, Gene could have been seriously injured.
Chapter 3
Venerable (p 25 old; p 33 new)—deserving of respect
Inure (p 25 old; p 34 new)—to grow accustomed to; to toughen
10. Predict a future problem with the fact that Finny decides on most of the rules for the new club.
Answers will vary.
11. Finny invents a chaotic game called Blitzball. Identify who ends up being the best at this game, and
explain why this person would be the best.
Finny ends up being the best at this game because he invented all the rules. He tailored all the rules to fit his
physical abilities, which are much better than everyone else’s, so it makes sense that he would be the best at it.
12. The narrator (“older Gene”) talks about the time in his life that will be in his memory forever: World War
II. List 2 ways in which Gene’s wartime life is different from our wartime life these past few years (Iraq and/or
Afghanistan wars).
Answers will vary.
13. Finny commands Gene to keep his record-breaking swim a secret. Using text clues, develop a logical
argument to explain why Finny doesn’t want anyone to know.
Answers will vary. Many students will say that Finny seems to be a very modest person. He only wanted to see
if he could break the record, but doesn’t seem to want the attention for it. Gene cannot understand this because
he is not the same kind of person as Finny.
14. Infer the reason as to why Gene can’t reciprocate Finny’s declaration of friendship at the beach.
Answers will vary, but most students will say that Gene does not feel the same way. His jealousy and
resentment of his best friend may prevent him from feeling the same way.
Chapter 4
Enmity (p 45 old; p 53 new)—the state of being actively hostile to someone or something
Effulgence (p 47 old; p 55 new)—the quality of being bright or shining forth light; splendor
15. Finny’s last-minute visit to the beach causes Gene to flunk his trigonometry test. Finny also assumes that
Gene wants to do a lot of the same things as him (jumping out of a tree every night, skipping class, etc). By
these actions, which character flaw does Finny appear to have?
Answers will vary. Many students will see that Finny is a bit self-centered or self-absorbed. He does not
realize that people don’t want to do the same things as he does every minute of every day. Many students can
also see that he doesn’t seem to realize that he is this way. He is just a very high-energy kind of person and
doesn’t realize that other people aren’t the same.
16. After Gene flunks his test, what suspicion does he develop about Finny’s motive for making him flunk the
test and ruin his academics? What does this say about Gene’s inner personality or character?
Gene starts to suspect that Finny is out to sabotage him so Finny can be the best in the class. Finny is good at
sports, but not at school, while Gene is okay at sports, but great at school. If Finny can disrupt Gene’s studies,
then perhaps he will come out on top. This shows that Gene is a very dark, suspicious type of person.
17. After Finny tells Gene that he never realized Gene needed to study, what does Gene realize about his
previous suspicions? Infer what Gene might realize about his inner personality versus Finny’s inner
personality.
Gene realizes that his previous suspicions were completely wrong. Gene says, “I was not of the same quality as
he,” which indicates that Gene realizes that he is not a good person on the inside, while Finny is a very innocent
person.
18. Based on all that has happened in Gene and Finny’s friendship, argue why you think Gene jounced the
limb while Finny was about to jump. Validate your argument with an example from the text.
Answers will vary. Considering the previous answer, Gene probably realized that Finny was a better person
than he was, and when that realization is combined with the jealousy and resentment that he has already been
feeling for his friend, it may have culminated in a knee-jerk reaction by Gene to get back at Finny.
Chapter 5
Infirmary (p 53 old; p 61 new)—a hospital located in a school, military base, or other institution
19. What is Finny’s injury? Describe why, in 1942, his injury would be so critical.
Finny’s injury is a broken leg, and is so bad, it is referred to as “shattered.” In 1942, medical attention and
technology would not be as advanced. Many students will wonder if his leg will heal as well as it would
nowadays. Some students will also realize he will not be able to go to the army like the other boys.
20. Why does Gene burst into tears when he hears that Finny will never be able to play sports again?
Considering sports are Finny’s whole life, Gene feels horrible about taking that away from Finny. Finny’s
whole identity revolves around sports, and Gene may think Finny won’t be the same without them. Some
students may also point out that Gene may not have meant to hurt him that badly.
21. When Finny says he had tried to grab Gene to keep his balance before falling, why does Gene quickly
become enraged that Finny would try to take Gene down with him? (Think about psychological defense
mechanisms).
Answers will vary. This is a tough question, because many students don’t consider the psychological part of it.
Gene may be trying to accuse Finny before he is accused, which would make it harder for Finny to accuse Gene
later. Another idea is that Gene would like the idea of Finny trying to take him down so he could pretend Finny
is just as bad a person as Gene is. Perhaps this will make him feel better about what he did to Finny.
22. What does Finny hint might be the reason he fell? Infer (from the reading) why he might dismiss the idea.
Finny hints that Gene may have shaken the branch, but he refuses to actually accuse Gene because he only has a
faint hint that it might have been Gene. He would never accuse a friend on a hunch.
23. What does Gene admit when he visits Finny at his home? Develop a logical argument to explain why this
enrages Finny.
Gene admits that he purposely shook the limb to make Finny fall out of the tree. Answers will vary, but many
students will say that Finny cannot accept that his best friend would do something like this to him. He chooses
to be in denial about what really happened.
Chapter 6
Sinecure (p 69 old; p 77 new)—an extremely easy job requiring little work
Automaton (p 70 old; p 78 new)—someone or something with actions that are entirely mechanical
Skirmish (p 71 old; p 79 new)—a brief or minor battle
24. What was the mood of the summer semester? What is now the mood of the fall semester?
The mood of the summer semester is lighthearted and carefree. It is a fun time for the boys because they are not
so close to entering the war that they can’t have fun. The fall semester is now darker and stricter, since the
regular teachers are back and aren’t allowing as much fun to go on.
25. Gene gets into a fight with Quackenbush because Quackenbush called him maimed, and Gene really does
have a friend who is maimed. Explain what might be motivating Gene to defend Finny so aggressively.
Answers will vary. Many students will say that Gene may feel he has to defend Finny because he hurt him so
badly, and now owes it to him to be the greatest best friend Finny has ever had.
26. Give at least two reasons why Mr. Ludsbury scolds Gene.
Answers will vary. Some possible answers are that Mr. Ludsbury is upset with Gene for disobeying the rules
during the summer. There has been gaming going on in the dormitory and a leaky icebox in Gene’s room. The
boys even took advantage of the substitute, Mr. Prud’homme, who didn’t know the rules.
27. Since Finny can no longer play sports, what can the reader infer that he will do for Gene instead?
Finny says Gene will play sports for him. It sounds like Finny will be Gene’s sports coach.
28. Interpret the following quote: “…I lost a part of myself to him then, and a soaring sense of freedom
revealed that this must have been my purpose from the first: to become a part of Phineas” (p 77 old; p 85 new).
Answers will vary. Gene feels that he is now meant to be a part of Finny, and will let Finny live through him.
Gene has always seemed uncomfortable with his own identity. This provides him the opportunity to become
someone other than himself, who he now despises because of what the darkness inside of him has done to
Finny. Gene doesn’t seem angry or resentful towards Finny anymore, and actually seems to welcome the
opportunity to ditch his own terrible identity.
Chapter 7
Fratricide (p 81 old; p 89 new)—the murder of a sibling, especially a brother
Contretemps (p 82 old; p 90 new)—an unexpected and unfortunate occurrence
Burlesque (p 86 old; p 94 new)—an absurd and comically exaggerated imitation; a parody
Encumbrance (p 94 old; p 102 new)—burden, impediment, or hindrance
Something to think about while you’re reading: This chapter mentions the fear of enemy infiltration that
frightened the U.S. during WWII. There are references to spies and internment camps in this chapter. It’s
important that you notice that the war is not lurking in the background any longer. Instead, it is becoming more
a part of the plot. This causes the mood of the story to become darker as it continues…
29. Explain what Brinker jokingly accuses Gene of, and explain why this situation is terrifying to Gene.
Brinker jokingly accused Gene of knocking Finny out of the tree on purpose in order to get a room all to
himself. This terrifies Gene because he actually did do this act on purpose and doesn’t want anyone to know.
30. What do the boys do for money and for the war effort (2 jobs)?
Since most of the men are gone to war, the boys pick apples, so they don’t rot, and shovel out the rail lines after
a big snow.
31. Develop a logical argument to explain why Leper doesn’t help with the war effort. Support your argument
with a detail from the text.
Answers will vary, but many students will say that Leper seems interested in less frightening activities such as
skiing and taking nature pictures. Leper may be trying to avoid anything to do with the war because he knows
he will be drafted soon.
32. Judging by the way Gene has been feeling lately, infer the reason as to why Gene decides to join the
military.
Gene says that he wants to “slam the door” on his past. He likely wants to escape from what he has done to
Finny, and as long as he stays at Devon, he will always be reminded of the terrible thing he did. He would like
to go to war to escape reality.
Chapter 8
Opulent (p 102 old; p 110 new)—luxurious or lavish
Poignant (p 105 old; p 113 new)—piercing or intense; evoking sadness or regret
Gibe (p 113 old; p 121 new)—a jeer; an insulting or taunting remark
33. On the morning after Finny arrives back at Devon, he is shocked to hear that Gene might enlisting.
Develop a logical argument as to why he might be so upset.
Answers will vary. Many students will say that since Finny doesn’t get to go to the war, he feels hurt or scared
that his friend is leaving him behind.
34. A simile is a figure of speech that compares two things using like or as. Knowles uses an important simile
in Chapter 8 that has to do with war. Identify the two things he is comparing, and explain the simile.
Knowles compares the war entering the boys’ lives to a wave sweeping over the seashore. The war is about to
affect all the boys very soon, yet Gene has “ducked the wave” for now—Finny doesn’t want him to leave, so he
won’t be leaving so soon. Gene says that one wave is usually followed by a more powerful wave, which
foreshadows something bigger happening later in the book.
35. Describe how this statement is typical of Finny’s personality: “[W]hen you really love something, then it
loves you back” (103 old, 111 new).
Finny, as we said before, is a bit self-centered, although he does not seem to realize it. Finny thinks that if he
loves something, it will love him back, but that is not true. The best example of this is how much he cared for
Gene as his best friend, but Gene crippled him for life.
36. Develop a logical argument to explain why Finny would make up an elaborate story about how the war is
all a big lie.
Answers will vary. Many students will realize that since Finny can’t go to the war, it must not be real. This
goes back to this character trait of being self-centered. If it isn’t real for him, then it can’t be real for anyone.
37. At the end of the chapter, Finny displays an unusually defiant attitude toward Mr. Ludsbury. Explain why
Finny acted that way when he is normally a kind person.
Finny did not appreciate it when Mr. Ludsbury indicated that training should not be for sports, but should be for
the war instead. Since Finny cannot go to the war, he would rather focus on getting Gene to the Olympics.
Chapter 9
Vagary (p 115 old; p 123 new)—a whim or an odd notion; unexpected behavior
Cacophony (p 124 old; p 132 new)—discord; a mixture of harsh clanging sounds
Multifariously (p 121 old; p 130 new)—in many and various ways; diverse
Accolade (p 124 old; p 133 new)—praise, merit, or award
38. Why is the irony in Devon School’s first recruit to World War II being Leper? Then again, why does it
make sense? (Think about which military branch Leper chose.)
Leper is a calm guy and has never been interested in the war. It makes sense because if he has to go to war, he
would go into a venue that he knows something about, which is skiing. He must be the oldest of the boys,
because Gene mentions that his birthday is coming up and he will likely be drafted, so he might as well choose
himself before a branch of the military is chosen for him.
39. Why do the boys mock Leper in the Butt Room by making up scenarios in which Leper is the hero in
WWII? (Think about why you might want to joke about a very serious situation.)
By placing Leper into several war scenarios and laughing about it, they are making the war more real to them.
Also, the war is a very scary thing that is hard to identify with, so they make jokes about it to feel more
comfortable with it. They will be going to the war soon themselves, and joking about it may make it easier to
deal with.
40. Why is Finny unable to joke about Leper along with the other boys?
As mentioned before, Finny cannot go to war because of his leg, so he made up a story about the war being
made up by fat, old men. If he jokes along with the other boys about what Leper is doing in the military, it
would be as though he is admitting that the war is in fact real.
41. Interpret the message of the telegram from Leper. What has he done?
He has gone AWOL from the Army, and wants Gene to come help him.
Chapter 10
Presage (p 131 old; p 139 new)—to predict or warn
Aesthete (p 132 old; p 140 new)—a person who has a special appreciation for art and beauty
Something to think about while you’re reading: In this chapter, you will see one of the darkest scenes in the
entire novel, which addresses what can happen to a person after he experiences the reality of war. The
transformation of a man into a soldier is a terrifying and life-changing experience, as can be the transformation
of an adolescent into an adult. This novel is part of a genre of wartime adolescent fiction, so don’t forget to
focus on the psychology of the adolescent mind.
42. Gene has a quick flash-forward into his future in the army. At what point does Gene, and the boys his age,
come into the war? What does Gene consider to be the main reason they all didn’t lose their lives in this war?
Gene and his friends come into the war at the end, when most of the fighting has already been done. Gene
considers the atomic bomb to be the reason they didn’t die in the war, because it ended the war fairly quickly.
43. During Gene’s visit with Leper, what does Gene realize has happened to Leper while he was in the army?
Explain why this terrifies Gene.
Leper has gone crazy while in the military. The pressure must have been too much for him. This is what Gene
and the rest of the boys have to look forward to. If it can happen to Leper, then it may happen to any of the
boys who are about to enter the military.
44. What accusation does Leper hurl at Gene, for which Gene knocks him over?
Leper accuses Gene of being evil on the inside, and gives the example of when Gene knocked Finny out of the
tree.
45. Leper recounts his experience of trying to conform in the army as though it were a strange nightmare.
Gene eventually can’t take it anymore and screams, “This has nothing to do with me!”(p 143 old; p 151 new).
Explain why it does actually have quite a lot to do with Gene. (Hint: Has Gene ever felt he had to conform to
something/someone that made him uncomfortable?)
When Gene gets so upset about it, it is because he can identify with Leper’s nightmare of trying to conform to
something he is not ready to conform to. This is much like Gene’s fear of what is coming next in life. He can
also relate to this because he has been trying to conform to Finny’s identity because he feels sorry for hurting
Finny and confused about why he did it in the first place.
Chapter 11
46. Hanging over Gene’s bed is apicture collage of an old, southern plantation. Describe what Gene admits
about this picture, and explain how this affects how much the reader should trust Gene as a narrator.
Gene admits to pretending to his classmates that this plantation is actually his family’s home. He also acquires
an accent from the Deep South. This accent and the pictures are his way of creating a better identity for
himself. Gene, once again, is not being truthful, which causes the reader to wonder whether other things he has
said are true or not.
47. What reason does Brinker give for Gene’s unwillingness to enlist? What does Brinker say Finny will do if
everyone continues to pretend nothing is wrong with Finny?
Brinker says Gene won’t leave because he pities Finny. Brinker says if they don’t watch out, Finny will start
pitying himself, when really he should be learning how to accept the fact that he’s crippled and get on with life.
48. Explain why Brinker and the rest of the boys take Finny and Gene to the Assembly Room.
Brinker and the other boys wanted to get all the facts about Finny’s fall to see if Gene really was responsible for
the accident.
49. Why does Brinker want to know “all the facts” surrounding Finny’s fall? Describe what he fails to realize
about the consequences of getting all these facts out into the open.
Brinker wants to know the truth because he has always suspected something was off about Finny’s accident.
He doesn’t realize that the truth will hurt Finny even more. It is unnecessary to put Finny through that kind of
pain. Finny has been in denial in order to get on with his life and also have a person to live through (Gene), and
he doesn’t want to hear it.
50. Leper told Brinker, “You’ve never realized it, but I’m important too” (p 168 old; p 176 new). Using this
quote, what can you infer about the way Leper has always felt about himself in regards to this group of boys?
Leper always felt like the outcast in their group. He resents the fact that none of the boys took him seriously.
Chapter 12
Animosity (p 180 old; p 188 new)—ill-will or hatred; strong hostility
51. What happens when Gene tries to talk to Finny at the infirmary?
Finny tries to get out of bed and attack him, but is unable to gather the strength. He falls halfway off the bed as
he tries to attack Gene.
52. What does Finny reveal to Gene that he has been doing ever since he was hurt the first time? Explain what
this tells us about his theory about the war.
Finny had been sending his applications in to every branch of the military, trying to find a military branch that
would take him with his crippled leg. Finny has never believed his own story about the war being a fake and
desperately wants to go to the war like the other boys.
53. How do Finny and Gene describe why Gene jounced the limb?
Gene and Finny decide that it was just a blind impulse, or something that just came over Gene. It was some
crazy thing that came over him. In other words, it wasn’t planned or intentional.
54. Interpret what Gene might mean when he says, “I could not escape the feeling that this was my own
funeral” (p 186 old; p 194 new).
Since Gene had become so close to Finny and has tried to take on Finny’s identity to avoid his own, it seemed
as though he lost part of himself when Finny died. This makes it feel like it was Gene’s own funeral as well as
Finny’s.
Chapter 13
Bellicose (p 188 old; p 196 new)—warlike; fond of fighting
55. Explain what Brinker’s father says will shape the rest of the boys’ lives, and explain why it would be that
way.
Brinker’s father knows that how the boysfight or where they fight will shape the rest of their lives. If they try to
go into the easiest military branch available to avoid the fighting, they will be branded as wimps for it forever.
56. Explain why Brinker apologizes for his father’s lecture.
Brinker thinks his father is being hypocritical. He thinks that his father’s generation caused the war, and now
they expect the younger generation to fight that same war.
57. What does Gene admire most about Finny?
Gene admires the fact that Finny was always free from fear, as well as the viciousness that fear creates in most
people.
58. Describe who or what Gene considers to be the real enemy.
Gene thinks that a person’s own flaws are the real enemy. He also considers fear to be another enemy. The
lack of self-knowledge and self-acceptance are the real enemies. Gene lashed out at Finny because he didn’t
understand himself as a person and was uncomfortable with his own identity. It didn’t have as much to do with
Finny as it previously seemed.