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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 and Gene say that wouldn't enlist with Brinker if he were ___________'s son.

2. What is Finny not ready to get back into?

3. What happens to Finny as he leaves the room?

4. Most of the students at Devon are seeking choices to enlist that yield the smallest amount of _________.

5. Who sends Gene a note to gather Finny's things?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Gene and Leper get into an argument, what does Leper accuse Gene of?

2. What does Gene realize about Finny as he is being carried away by the others?

3. What does Finny decide to do in order to pass the time in the winter?

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

5. What do the students do when Finny falls down the stairs?

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

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

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

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

10. What eventually happens when the boys realize what Finny is doing in #49?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Competition seems to be another large theme in this book, with the boys competing with each other for anything and everything they can.

Part 1: List three specific competitions the boys engage in.

Part 2: What does the competitive nature of Gene and Finny say about their friendship?

Part 3: Why do you think the author made Gene the one that excels in academics while Finny excels in sports?

Essay Topic 2

The tree by the river is the site of many victories and one foreboding accident. Juxtaposing nature with tragedy seems to cause the reader to react more strongly than they might have had the accident occurred in another setting.

Part 1: What might the symbolism of the tree mean in the story? What might the tree represent to the characters and to the plot?

Part 2: Describe the victories that occur at the place of the tree.

Part 3: How does the tree affect each of the main characters in this novel?

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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