Study Guide---A Separate Peace
CHAPTERS 1 - 4:
1. What is the novel's setting? What is the narrator's point of view in the early part of
chapter 1?
2. What places does Gene want to revisit? Note any clues as to their importance.
3. What contrasts do you note in these early chapters? What do they mean, or possibly
symbolize?
4. What kind of impact does Finny have on the other characters? on Gene especially?
5. What was Finny's attitude toward authority?
6. What does Gene mean when he says he becomes Finny's 'collaborator?'
7. How does Finny explain his absence from dinner to Mr. Prud'homme? How does Gene
feel about the explanation?
8. How does Finny express his individuality in chapter 2? How does Gene feel about this?
9. What was the SSS of SS?
10. Why does Finny deny the existence of war? What might be the significance of Finny's
denial against a background of "Eden-like greenery of the Devon campus?"
11. What conflicting feelings does Gene have toward Finny after he nearly fell out of the
tree (end of ch 2, start of ch 3)?
12. Why does Gene attend every meeting of the SSS?
13. Explain the unique blitzball game.
14. Gene flashes back to the present and editorializes. What is the significance of this?
15. Finny breaks A. Hopkins Parker's swim record. What confuses Gene? Why is this really
consistent with Finny's personality?
16. What does Gene mean: "And there were few relationships among us at Devon not
based on rivalry."
17. What might be the significance of the wave that 'threw me (Gene) down?"
(ch 3)
18. Finny admits Gene is his best friend. Gene's thoughts at that moment were "Perhaps I
was stopped by that level of feelings, deeper than thought, which contains the truth." What
does he mean, or suggest here?
19. When Gene and Finny discuss academics in chapter 4, what does Finny learn about
Gene's study habits?
20. Toward the end of chapter 4 what realizations is Gene making about his relationship
with Finny?
21. What is the irony of Gene's thought "And I had detected that Finny's (heart) was a den
of lonely, selfish ambition. He was no better than I was, no matter who won all the
contests."
22. Gene thinks, "HE didn't know yet that he was unique." How was Finny unique?
23. Why does Gene jounce the limb after admitting Finny "had never been jealous of me for
a second?"
CHAPTER 5-10:
24. What is the extent of Finny's injury, according to Dr. Stanpole?
25. How do the Devon masters feel about this accident? What is the irony of their
response?
26. Why does Gene put on Finny's clothes after he hears of the injury? Does his intent have
immediate results?
27. What does Dr. Stanpole want Gene to help Finny accept?
28. What 'feeling' does Finny apologize to Gene for?
29. At his home outside Boston, What is Finny's reaction to Gene telling him the truth?
What is Gene's reaction?...
30. In chapter 6, describe the contrasts between the summer and fall sessions that Gene
mentions.
31. Highlight the river god description of Finny as portrayed by Gene (ch 6).
32. Contrast the Devon and Naguamsett Rivers. What might the contrast symbolize?
33. Characterize Quackenbush.
34. Why does Gene fight Quackenbush?
35. What human qualities of Finny do we see in the phone call to Gene?
36. Why might Gene decide to accept Finny's desire that he play sports "for him?"...
37. Characterize Brinker.
38. Pf what does Brinker jokingly accuse Gene?
39. Describe the Butt Room.
40. Compare this thought of Gene's with the first paragraph in chapter 6: "Life at Devon
was revealed as still very close to the ways of peace; the war was at worst only a bore, as
Brinker said, no more taxing to us than a day spent at harvesting in an apple orchard."
41. Why does Leper dislike skiing?
42. What might be the significance of his enjoyment of beaver dams?
43. Gene says school is drab and hard. What image does he give us of the railroad workers?
Is this realistic?
44. Quackenbush plans to stay at Devon until drafted. What is Gene's impression of an
enlistee?
45. Why does Gene decide to enlist?...
46. In chapter 8, in what ways do you see Gene changing? Finny changing?
47. Gene thinks, "In some way he (Finny) needed me." Does he? How?
48. Finny has always been a "summer" person. Now he says he likes winter. Gene
disagrees. How might winter, especially now, be bad for Finny?
49. Explain Finny's theory about the war. How does it parallel his thoughts about his
accident?
50. When Gene and Finny argue about the reality of the war, Finny says he knows the truth
"because I've suffered." How has he suffered?
51. We see in chapter 8 Finny trying to live out his athletic dreams for the 1944 Olympics
through Gene. How else is he becoming like Gene?
52. Gene thinks to himself that he has grown bigger. What does this mean (ch 8)?...
53. What does the first paragraph of chapter 9 mean?
54. What images of military life are portrayed in the film the recruiter shows?
55. When Leper enlists, what does Gene believe about the war?
56. How does Finny react to all the war talk?
57. The boys speak of Leper as a hero, yet Gene reflects about himself. What are his
thoughts?
58. Describe the Winter Carnival Finny organizes.
59. See pages 127-128. What is the significance of and the tone associated with the imagery?
60. How is Brinker changing as a character? What is the importance of the mock bullfight
scene with Brinker and his cider?
61. What are Gene's thoughts about Leper at the end of chapter 9?
62. What does this thought by Gene mean: "It wasn't the cider which made me surpass
myself, it was this liberation we had torn from the gray encroachment of 1943, the escape
we had concocted, this afternoon of momentary, illusory, special and separate peace."...
63. As Gene travels to and approaches Leper's Vermont home, we get two contrasting
moods and settings. Describe briefly.
64. What does Gene begin to suspect about Leper's mental health?
65. Describe the changes Gene observes in Leper.
66. When Gene says (about Leper's Army experience), "You make me sick, you and your
darn army words,"...why this cold response to Leper?
67. What is a Section Eight discharge?
68. What accusation does Leper make of Gene?
69. Compare Leper and Gene as characters in this entire chapter...
70. Explain what might be symbolic about all the descriptions of the woods & trees Gene
gives us prior to joining the snowball fight.
71. What is odd about the snowball fight?
72. In discussing Leper's condition, Brinker says, " we now have two men sidelined for the
Duration." What does he mean?
73. Brinker accuses Gene of postponing enlistment for what reason?
74. Finny finally admits there must be a war. What convinces him?
75. Imagine the mock trial. What tone is created by the author as the trial begins?
76. As the trial proceeds, how does Gene react?
77. What convincing evidence does Leper give?
78. Describe Finny's reaction to Leper's evidence. Why does he respond as he does?...
79. Describe Gene's thoughts as Finny is carried to the infirmary.
80. What is Dr. Stanpole's diagnosis of Finny's injury this time?
81. What might be the significance of Gene's fleeting thought to steal a car? Why doesn't
he?
82. Before going to the infirmary, Gene has some wild thoughts about the doctor and nurse.
What might they mean?
83. What are Finny's thoughts & feelings when Gene comes to visit him at the infirmary?
84. Gene then goes on a long walk around the Devon campus. Describe his thoughts as he
struggles for some sense of meaning at this point.
85. Describe the conversation the following day when Gene and Finny meet again (include
the resolution of the conflict regarding the accident).
86. When Finny suddenly dies, Dr. Stanpole makes a statement about war. What is it?...
87. How is the war portrayed differently at chapter 13's start?
88. This chapter resolves Gene's internal conflict. Cite passages (locations) that reflect this.
89. What is Brinker's father's attitude about war?
90. Compare & contrast the different causes of war given by Gene and Mr. Hadley.
91. Gene reflects that everyone but Finny 'was broken' by "this overwhelming hostile
thing in the world." What does he mean?
92. Did Gene "break" Finny?
93. Gene thinks, "I was ready for the war." What does he mean?
Ideas for Discussion.
1. Pick a symbol and discuss two of its meanings.
2. Influence, or magnitude of influence, of character(s) on plot development.
3. Role of Leper in the novel.
4. Significance of the two different rivers.
5. Necessity of the mock trial at the novel's end.
6. Is Gene's jouncing of the limb a rational or irrational act?
7. Need of Finny fate at the end in order for Gene to come to true self-knowledge.
8. Importance of the World War II event in the novel.
9. Purpose of Leper's 'crack-up'.
10. Compare & contrast adolescence for Gene and that for Finny.
11. Compare Brinker and Gene as characters in their change as people.
12. Novel's theme.
13. Significance of the novel's title.