A Separate Peace Complete Skill Based Approach

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John Knowles’s
A Separate Peace
A Balanced Approach to Academic Rigor and Cognitive Development
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John Knowles’s A Separate Peace: A Balanced Approach to Academic Rigor and Cognitive Development
Table of Contents
Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 1
Why Use a Balanced Approach to Academic Rigor and Cognitive Development? .................. .3
How to Use This Manual ........................................................................................................... 4
Characters...................................................................................................................................... .5
Chapter 1 (pp. 9–20) ....................................................................................................................... 9

Vocabulary Words .................................................................................................................. 11
Discussion Topics .................................................................................................................. 11
Vocabulary Activities.............................................................................................................. .13
Answer Key for Discussion Topics ......................................................................................... 20
Quizzes for Chapter 1 ............................................................................................................. 26
Answer Key for Quizzes ........................................................................................................ 28
Chapter 2 (pp. 21–32) ................................................................................................................... 31

Vocabulary Activities .............................................................................................................. 35
Answer Key for Quizzes ........................................................................................................ 51
Chapter 3 (pp. 33–48) ................................................................................................................... 53

Discussion Topics ................................................................................................................. .55
Vocabulary Activities............................................................................................................... 58
Answer Key for Quizzes ......................................................................................................... 74
Chapter 4 (pp. 49–60) ................................................................................................................... 77

Vocabulary Activities............................................................................................................... 81
Answer Key for Quizzes ......................................................................................................... 96
Chapter 5 (pp. 61–71) ................................................................................................................... 99

Vocabulary Words ................................................................................................................ 101
Discussion Topics ................................................................................................................. 101
Vocabulary Activities............................................................................................................. 103
Answer Key for Discussion Topics ....................................................................................... 110
Quizzes for Chapter 5 ........................................................................................................... 115
Answer Key for Quizzes ....................................................................................................... 117
vi © 2010 Region 4 Education Service Center. All rights reserved.

Table of Contents
Chapter 6 (pp. 72–85) ................................................................................................................ 119
Discussion Topics................................................................................................................. 121
Vocabulary Activities ............................................................................................................ 123
Answer Key for Discussion Topics ...................................................................................... 133
Chapter 7 (pp. 86–102) ............................................................................................................... 145

Chapter 8 (pp. 103–122) ............................................................................................................. 167

Chapter 9 (pp. 123–137) ............................................................................................................. 189

Chapter 10 (pp. 138–151) ........................................................................................................... 211

Quizzes for Chapter 10 ......................................................................................................... 226
Chapter 11 (pp. 152–177) ........................................................................................................... 231

© 2010 Region 4 Education Service Center. All rights reserved. vii

Table of Contents
Chapter 12 (pp. 178–194) ........................................................................................................... 253
Chapter 13 (pp. 195–204) ........................................................................................................... 275

Final Assessment ....................................................................................................................... 297

Multiple-Choice Questions .................................................................................................... 299
Answer Key for Multiple-Choice Questions ........................................................................... 308
Short-Answer Questions ....................................................................................................... 318
Answer Key for Short-Answer Questions .............................................................................. 319
Optional Essay Questions ................................................................................................... 320
Answer Key for Essay Questions.......................................................................................... 321
Appendices ................................................................................................................................. 325

Appendix I: General Rubric for Scoring the Essay Questions ............................................... 327
Appendix II: General Rubric for Scoring the Short-Answer Questions .................................. 328
Appendix III: Using the Vocabulary Note Cards .................................................................... 329
Appendix IV: Suggested Research Topics ........................................................................... 330
References .................................................................................................................................. 333
viii © 2010 Region 4 Education Service Center. All rights reserved.

Overview
© 2010 Region 4 Education Service Center. All rights reserved. 1

A Separate Peace
Why Use a Balanced Approach to Academic Rigor

and Cognitive Development?
In order to be successful in today’s high school literature classrooms, students must

demonstrate that they are able to respond to literature on a critical level. They must develop
and practice the skills that will allow them to go beyond the literal level questions that deal only
with plot and definitions. Students must be able to demonstrate an understanding of how the
author uses literary elements and techniques to craft a story. They must also be able to
develop and defend their own interpretations of text and make thoughtful judgments about
what they have read. The ability to connect thematic elements to personal experience,
evaluate an author’s point of view or purpose for writing, and recognize organizational
techniques the author might be using to convey an attitude, idea, or opinion are important skills
for students to use when reading critically. Additionally, students must develop sensitivity for
language and be able to explore how authors use language to persuade, entertain, or
emotionally affect readers. Students must then be able to communicate this deeper
understanding of what they have read through effective writing that is focused, logical, and well
-organized.
Comprehending text and responding to literature on a critical level requires students to develop
an extensive vocabulary. Students need techniques for determining the meanings of the new
words that they encounter in challenging text. In addition to being able to use context to
determine the denotative and connotative meanings of words, phrases, technical vocabulary
and figurative language, students should also be able to apply knowledge of prefixes, suffixes,
root words, and word etymologies to determine meanings. The ability to use dictionaries and
thesauruses to determine exact meanings and usage is important, as is a basic knowledge of
syntax.
In order for students to be able to analyze text on a critical level, they must practice applying
critical reading and thinking skills to everything they read in the classroom—even novels.
Student-teacher interactions that embrace these skills should be an integral and not a
superficial part of classroom discussions about literature that is read. This guide is designed for
teachers who want to provide that interaction for their students. It allows teachers to use this
novel to teach and assess the skills that will lead their students to read, comprehend, and write
with a critical eye. In this guide there are three basic types of discussion questions: literal level
questions that deal with summary, questions that promote critical thinking, and questions that
explore how literary elements are used to achieve meaning. The specific skill that each
question addresses is identified in the answer key.

A Separate Peace
How to Use This Manual
This guide has been designed to be used in conjunction with the First Scribner trade
paperback 2003 edition of A Separate Peace by John Knowles. All page and line references
are based upon that edition. For purposes of discussion and assessment, a set of vocabulary
words, discussion questions, a short quiz, and suggestions for studying the vocabulary has
been developed for each of the thirteen chapters. The answer keys for the discussion
questions contain suggested interpretations that are meant to be a stimulus for discussion
between students and teachers. They are not meant to be definitive interpretations. The
answer keys also provide the skills that each question addresses. The questions are designed
to promote discussions, either in teacher-directed class discussions, or for small-group student
discussions, which may be shared with the class at a later time. The quiz questions correlate
with the discussion questions. The answer keys for the quiz questions contain a listing of the
skills they are measuring.
In addition to providing suggestions for discussing text, this guide provides suggestions for
teaching vocabulary in context. Each vocabulary word has corresponding suggestions for
teaching skill development. These suggestions are found in the answer key for the vocabulary.
Teachers need not teach all the vocabulary. They may select the words and/or skills from the
list that will help them meet the needs of their students. The teaching suggestions that
accompany the vocabulary words in the vocabulary answer keys suggest that the students put
the vocabulary words and their synonyms on note cards. The appendix contains suggestions
for using the note cards for different kinds of word study. In order to attain a more authentic
assessment and to promote an internalization of specific vocabulary, it is suggested that the
vocabulary activities be used for assessment in lieu of an objective vocabulary test.
Assessment of vocabulary and comprehension skills occurs throughout this guide. The short
quizzes that occur at the end of each chapter contain three short answer and five multiple
choice questions. Suggested responses for the short answer questions are provided in the
answer key and a general rubric for assessing the quality of the written response is provided in
the appendix. Two final unit assessments are also provided: a multiple-choice test and an
alternate essay examination. The answer key for the essay questions provides suggested
responses for the essays, while the answer key for the multiple-choice test provides the list of
skills that are being measured. A general rubric for assessing the quality of student essay
responses is found in the appendix.
As Carol Jago states in her book Classics in the Classroom: Designing Accessible Literature
Lessons, “The study of literature requires a subtle interplay of classroom tasks that scaffold
difficult texts (Jago, 2004, p. 7).” This guide is designed to stimulate that interplay between
students and teachers, providing students with chances to read critically and providing
teachers with activities for teaching and assessing specific skills that will enable their students
to read, think, and write about A Separate Peace on a critical level.
4 © 2010 Region 4 Education Service Center. All rights reserved.

Characters

Characters
Gene Forrester Narrator—represents darker side of human nature
Phineas (Finny) Gene’s roommate—represents innocence, careless peace
Elwin (Leper) Lepellier The naturalist—represents the escape from reality by

retreating into a self-made world
Brinker Hadley The political class leader—represents “justice incarnate”

and disillusionment
Chet Douglas Model students—represents obliging, considerate followers

Bobby Zane
Brownie Perkins Brinker’s roommate—represents submission to authority
Cliff Quackenbush Rowing Crew Manager—represents pugnacious, goaded

arrogance
Mr. Prud’homme Substitute Master of the Summer Session—sternest of the

Summer Sessions Masters
Mr. Patch–Withers Substitute Headmaster of the Summer Session
Mr. Ludsbury Faculty member
Dr. Stanpole School doctor who treats Finny
Phil Latham Wrestling coach
Mr. Hadley Brinker Hadley’s father—represents the older generation

veteran, conflict with the younger generation

Chapter 1
pp. 9~20

_________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Chapter 1 (pp. 9–20)
Vocabulary Words
nondescript (p. 10) harmony (p. 12)
foyer (p. 11) inanimate (p. 17)
convalescence (p. 11) seigneurs (p. 18)
specters (p. 12) deigning (p. 19)
contentious (p. 12) collaborator (p. 19)
Discussion Topics
1. How many years does the speaker say it has been since he was a student at the Devon
School?
2. On page 10, the speaker states that he could feel “fear’s echo” along with “uncontrollable
joy which had been its accompaniment and opposite face.” What does the speaker mean?
3. Read the first paragraph on page 12 that begins, “Devon is sometimes considered the
most beautiful…” Which word or words from the paragraph help the reader to understand
the meaning of the word contentious?
4. On page 12, the speaker states, “Everything at Devon slowly changed and slowly
harmonized with what had gone before. So it was logical to hope that since the buildings
and the Deans and the curriculum could achieve this, I could achieve, perhaps
unknowingly already had achieved, this growth and harmony myself.” These sentences
help the reader to understand that the speaker wants to—
5. Read the paragraph on page 14 that begins, “Moving through the soaked, coarse grass…
The speaker compares the tree to old men in order to convey his realization that—
6. What are the two “fearful sites” that the speaker has come back to the school to see?
7. Read the paragraph on page 14 that begins, “The tree was not only stripped by the cold
season, it seemed weary from age…” What inferences can the reader draw about why the
speaker is thankful about seeing the tree?
8. On page 14, when the speaker says, “I was drenched; anybody could see it was time to
come in out of the rain,” he is really saying that he is finally—

Discussion Topics for Chapter 1 (continued)
9. On page 14, there a space on the page just before the paragraph that begins, “The tree
was tremendous, an irate, steely black steeple…” What does the space help the reader to
understand about the paragraph that begins after the space?
10. The speaker and Finny first jump out of the tree during the Summer Session of what year?
11. On page 15, the author provides background information about the tree in order to—
12. As the narrator hesitates at the end of the branch, Finny shouts, “When they torpedo the
troopship, you can’t stand around admiring the view. Jump!” Why is this appropriate
encouragement
13. What do the three questions on page 17 suggest about the speaker’s attitude toward
Finny’s influence over him?
14. Both Finny and the speaker jump from the tree. Compare and contrast their attitudes
toward their jump, their actions during their jumps, and their attitudes after their jumps.
15. When it is Leper’s turn to jump from the tree, he “closed his mouth as though forever” and
“became inanimate.” What does this suggest about the way Leper deals with something
that frightens him?
16. What does the conversation between Finny and the speaker on page 18 reveal about the
relationship between the two boys?
17. On pages 18–19, the speaker states, “Phineas didn’t really dislike West Point in particular
or authority in general, but just considered authority the necessary evil against which
happiness was achieved by reaction, the backboard which returned all the insults he threw
at it.” What does he mean?
18. On pages 18 and 19, what do the bell toll and the narrator’s “West Point stride”
symbolize?
19. From the description of Phineas on pages 14–19, the reader can tell that he is—
20. On page 19, the speaker states, “Finny trapped me again in his strongest trap, that is, I
suddenly became his collaborator.” What does he mean

Vocabulary Activities
Vocabulary Word Skills Suggestions for Developing Skills
• Meaning in context • Ask the students to read the entire paragraph that
nondescript contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
the word might be within the context of the paragraph.
It was a raw, Point out the clues inside the text that would support
nondescript time of such a meaning.
year… • Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
(p. 10) (denotation) of the word.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as an adjective
Sentence Patterns because it modifies the noun “time.” The word may
also be used as a noun.
• Etymology • Point out that the word nondescript has the Latin
root non plus the root word describere, which means
“to describe.”
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word nondescript as it is used in
sentence include unremarkable, unexceptional,
unmemorable, ordinary, commonplace, and
average. Have students record the word and all of its
synonyms on note cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that the
time of year was not special in any way, and the day
is not a particularly beautiful day. The description of
the setting is reflecting the narrator’s “self-pitying”
mood.
foyer contains the word and the preceding paragraph.
Discuss what the meaning of the word might be
In through the swinging within the context of the paragraphs. Point out the
doors… clues inside the text that would support such a
(p. 11) meaning.
• Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
(denotation) of the word.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as a noun because it
Sentence Patterns is a place.
• Etymology • Point out that the word foyer has the Latin root focus,
which means “fire.”
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word foyer as it is used in the
sentence include entrance hall, hall, hallway,
entrance, entry, and reception area. Have students
record the word and all of its synonyms on note
cards.
• Diction/Tone • Note that the word is a formal way of naming an entry
hall. This might refer to the formality of the building.

Vocabulary Activities for Chapter 1 (continued)

convalescence contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Well, I naturally felt Point out the clues inside the text that would support
older… such a meaning.
(p. 11) • Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
(denotation) of the word and determine which
definition applies to the word as it is used in this
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as a noun in the
Sentence Patterns sentence.
• Etymology • Point out that the word convalescence has the Latin
root convalescere, which means “to grow strong.”
• Forms of the word • The word has a verb form convalesce and an
adjective form convalescent.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word convalescence as it is used
in the sentence include recuperation, recovery,
rehabilitation, and improvement. Have students
cards.
• Diction • Discuss that the speaker is referring to himself as
going through a period of recovery. This recovery
occurred between the present time and the time he
spent as a student in this place. Yet, it is an
“emotional examination” that he conducts to
determine how far his “convalescence had gone.”
Discuss that the speaker seems to be recovering
from an emotional illness of some kind. He has come
back to his school to heal emotionally, possibly by
facing up to things that happened here.
specters contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I had more money… Point out the clues inside the text that would support
(p. 12) such a meaning.
definition applies to the word as it is being used in this
sentence.
• Etymology • Point out that the word specters has the Latin root
spectrum, which means “appearance or apparition.”
• Forms of the word • The word specters has an adjective form spectral.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word specters as it is used in the
sentence include ghosts, phantoms, apparitions,
shadows, spirits, and presences. Have students
cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that
something haunted him when he used to go up and
down these stairs. Discuss that the specters are not
ghosts but are memories of something unpleasant
that he cannot forget. Have the students brainstorm
as to what kind of memory might haunt someone for
several years.


contentious contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
It is the beauty of small Point out the clues inside the text that would support
areas of order… such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns because it modifies the noun “harmony.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word contentious has the Latin
root contendere, which means “to stretch or to strive.”
• Forms of the word • Forms of this word include the verb contend, the
nouns contention, contentiousness, and the adverb
contentiously.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word contentious as it is used in
the sentence include argumentative, quarrelsome,
confrontational, antagonistic, combative, and
cantankerous. Have students record the word and
all of its synonyms on note cards.
• Diction/Oxymoron/ • Discuss that the words “contentious harmony” have
Juxtaposition/Motif created an oxymoron. Discuss that “contentious
harmony” suggests that the peace is only surface
level and that the “harmony” covers a deeper conflict.
Point out that the juxtaposition of contentious
against the word “harmony” helps to set up a motif of
contrasting opposites. Discuss the effect of placing
the opposites side by side.


harmony contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
So it was logical to Point out the clues inside the text that would support
hope… such a meaning.
sentence.
• Etymology • Point out that the word harmony has the Latin root
harmonia and the Greek root harmos, which mean
“joint” as in “a joint agreement.”
• Forms of the word • Forms of this word include the adjectives harmonic,
harmonious, the verb harmonize, and the noun
harmonization.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word harmony as it is used in the
sentence include balance, symmetry, congruity,
coordination, compatibility, accord, agreement,
peace, amicability, friendship, consensus, unity,
and oneness. Have students record the word and all
of its synonyms on note cards.
• Diction/Tone/ • Discuss that this word is part of the oxymoron
Theme “contentious harmony,” but it is also repeated in the
paragraph. The last sentence in the paragraph
expresses a wish by the speaker that he may achieve
this “growth and harmony” in himself, a possible
thematic element. Refer the students to the title of the
novel and discuss why they think the speaker has
returned to Devon. Have the students keep track of
the many times the word harmony or any of its
synonyms appear in the novel.


inanimate contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
He became Point out the clues inside the text that would support
inanimate… such a meaning.
definition applies to the word as it is being used in the
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as a predicate
Sentence Patterns adjective because it is modifying the pronoun “he”
and is following the linking verb “became.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word inanimate has the Latin root
in plus the root word anima, which means “soul.”
• Forms of the word • The word inanimate has a noun form inanimateness
and an adverb form inanimately.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word inanimate as it is used in the
sentence include lifeless, dead, and defunct. Have
students record the word and all of its synonyms on
note cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that Leper
has completely closed himself off from the conflict,
behaving as if he were not a living thing. This
suggests how Leper deals with something that he
perceives as being dangerous—by completely closing
himself away from the danger and becoming
inanimate. Discuss that this shows that Leper is not
courageous.
seigneurs contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
He and I started back Point out the clues inside the text that would support
across… such a meaning.
definition applies to the word as it is being used in the
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as a noun.
Sentence Patterns
• Etymology • Point out that the word seigneurs has the Latin root
senior.
• Forms of the word • It has several forms, which include the nouns
seigneury, seignior and the adjective seigneurial.
• Related words • A closely related word in seignior.
• Synonyms • A synonym for the word seigneurs as it is used in the
sentence is the compound noun feudal lords. Have
note cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is describing the way Gene
and Finny are walking, making it clear that they have
attained a position of leadership. They may even be
swaggering.


deigning contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Finny got up, patted my Point out the clues inside the text that would support
head… such a meaning.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is an intransitive verb that is
Sentence Patterns being used as a verbal. Point out that a verbal is a
verb that can function in a sentence as a noun, an
adjective, or an adverb. In this case, the proper noun
“Finny” is modified by the words “not deigning.” The
intransitive verb is behaving like an adjective. Verb
forms that function as adjectives in a sentence are
called participles. Participles may occur as a single
word, or they may be part of a phrase that consists of
the participle plus any other modifiers or
complements. Present participles always end in –ing,
while past participles end in –ed. Deigning is a
present participle. It is part of the adjective phrase
“not deigning to glance around for my counterattack,”
which modifies the proper noun “Finny.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word deigning has the Latin root
word dingus, which means “worthy.”
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word deigning as it is used in the
sentence include condescending, stooping,
demeaning, humbling, and consenting. Have
note cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that in this
match, Finny feels he is the better competitor. Finny
feels so confident with his wrestling skills that he does
not need to lower himself to look for a counter-attack.


collaborator contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
We were walking again, Point out the clues inside the text that would support
faster… such a meaning.
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is a noun that is being used
Sentence Patterns as a predicate nominative because it is renaming the
pronoun “I,” and it comes after the linking verb
“became.”
• Forms of the word • Forms of the word include the verb collaborate, the
nouns collaboration, collaborationist,
collaborationism, and the adjective collaborative.
• Etymology • Point out that the word collaborator has the Latin
root collaborare, which means “to work or toil.”
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word collaborator as it is used in
sentence include coworker, partner, associate,
colleague, confederate, and assistant. Have
note cards.
• Diction/Tone/ • Discuss that by referring to himself as being Finny’s
Characterization collaborator, the speaker is implying that he and
Finny are aligned against the enemy—school
authorities who enforce rules. This also shows an
abrupt shift from earlier in the same paragraph when
the speaker and Finny were wrestling because the
speaker wanted to follow the rules. This incident
illustrates the hypnotic influence that Finny is able to
exercise over the speaker, turning him from enemy to
collaborator on a whim. It also shows the speaker’s
capacity for abruptly changing his mind.

Answer Key
Discussion Topics
Discussion Topics Targeted Concepts, Processes, Skills

1. How many years does the speaker say it has been • Identify main ideas and their supporting
since he was a student at the Devon School? details
Fifteen years (p. 9)

2. On page 10, the speaker states that he could feel • Analyze relevance of setting and time frame
“fear’s echo” along with “uncontrollable joy which had to text’s meaning
been its accompaniment and opposite face.” What
does the speaker mean?
The speaker is remembering how he felt when he

was a student at this school fifteen years before. It is
“fear’s echo” because he is only remembering the
fear he had while he was a student; he is not fearful
now. He is also remembering the good times or
“uncontrollable joy” that he had as well.
3. Read the first paragraph on page 12 that begins, • Rely on context to determine meanings of
“Devon is sometimes considered the most words
beautiful…” Which word or words from the paragraph
help the reader to understand the meaning of the
word contentious?
“argument might begin again any time”

4. On page 12, the speaker states, “Everything at • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
Devon slowly changed and slowly harmonized with generalizations, and predictions and support
what had gone before. So it was logical to hope that them from text
since the buildings and the Deans and the curriculum
could achieve this, I could achieve, perhaps
unknowingly already had achieved, this growth and
harmony myself.” These sentences help the reader to
understand that the speaker wants to—
find a peaceful reconciliation within himself.

Something happened at Devon that caused a lack of
harmony, a lack of balance within the speaker. The
speaker is trying to restore harmony and balance to
his life
5. Read the paragraph on page 14 that begins, “Moving • Understand and analyze figurative language,
through the soaked, coarse grass…” The speaker specifically similes
compares the tree to old men in order to convey his
realization that—
his memory of the tree had been distorted and that

the tree was not as tall, isolated, or fear-inspiring as
he had thought
6. What are the two “fearful sites” that the speaker has • Identify main ideas and their supporting
come back to the school to see? details
The marble stairs in the foyer of the First Academy

Building (p. 11) and a specific tree that grows by the
river (pp. 13-14)

Answer Key: Discussion Topics for Chapter 1 (continued)

7. Read the paragraph on page 14 that begins, “The • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
tree was not only stripped by the cold season, it generalizations, and predictions and support
seemed weary from age…” What inferences can the them from text
reader draw about why the speaker is thankful about
seeing the tree?
Up until this point in the narrative, the speaker has

talked about the importance of seeing this tree. The
tree seems to symbolize the reason for the fear that
he felt while being a student at Devon, something
that involved “love” and “death by violence,” and has
haunted the speaker for fifteen years. The speaker is
facing this tree, this demon that has haunted him for
so long, and is relieved and thankful to find that the
tree is “weary from age” and “enfeebled, dry.” The
tree is no longer the towering monster that he had
remembered, suggesting that the fearful memory that
it symbolizes has also become “weary from age” and
“enfeebled.” The speaker states, “Nothing endures,
not a tree, not love, not even a death by violence,”
suggesting that he now has gained a perspective
about what ever happened at this site. Seeing the
tree as “enfeebled” allows the speaker to no longer
fear whatever happened here. This paragraph shows
that the speaker has come to terms with his memory;
it will no longer torment him. This paragraph also
foreshadows events that the speaker is about to
relate, introducing the speaker’s memories that are
the substance of the rest of the novel.
8. On page 14, when the speaker says, “I was • Analyze varying aspects of texts such as
drenched; anybody could see it was time to come in themes, conflicts, and allusions
out of the rain,” he is really saying that he is finally—
coming to terms with his memory of what happened

at the school
9. On page 14, there a space on the page just before • Analyze text structures such as chronological
the paragraph that begins, “The tree was ordering and syntax for how they influence
tremendous, an irate, steely black steeple…” What understanding
does the space help the reader to understand about
the paragraph that begins after the space?
The paragraph is the beginning of the speaker’s

memory of what happened at the school. The
speaker’s story is going to be revealed in a
flashback.
10. The speaker and Finny first jump out of the tree • Identify main ideas and their supporting
during the Summer Session of what year? details
1942 (p. 15)
11. On page 15 the author provides background • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
information about the tree in order to— texts, including the patterns of organization
explain why the speaker, Leper, Chet Douglass and

Bobby Zane are afraid to jump from the tree limb


12. As the narrator hesitates at the end of the branch, • Connect literature to historical contexts
Finny shouts, “When they torpedo the troopship, you
can’t stand around admiring the view. Jump!” Why is
this appropriate encouragement?
During the summer of 1942, the United States was

actively sending large numbers of young men to
Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Philippines to fight
in World War II against the Germans, the Japanese,
and their allies. The U.S. forces were transported
across the ocean on ships, called “troop ships,” which
were often torpedoed by enemy submarines. The
seniors, called “draft-bait” on page 15 because they
all were expected to become soldiers either through
enlistment or through the mandatory draft upon
graduation, used this tree to help them train to
abandon a ship that had been torpedoed (p. 17).
13. What do the three questions on page 17 suggest • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
about the speaker’s attitude toward Finny’s influence generalizations, and predictions and support
over him? them from text
The speaker is beginning to worry that Finny seems

able to convince him to do things that the speaker
considers to be foolhardy and dangerous.


14. Both Finny and the speaker jump from the tree. • Analyze text structures such as compare/
Compare and contrast their attitudes toward their contrast and tone
jump, their actions during their jumps, and their
attitudes after their jumps.
Finny “scrambles” up the pegs to step out onto the

branch, suggesting that he is eagerly anticipating
jumping from the tree branch. He “sprang” out,
suggesting a joyful leap, and falls through some
lower branches, “smash[ing]” into the water. He
bobs to the surface, shouting, “Great!” and declaring
that the jump was “the most fun I’ve had this week.”
The jump for Finny is an exciting adventure, a
source of fun. The speaker, however, looks at the
tree “with a sensation of alarm.” He believes he was
in a “mild state of shock” as he took off his clothes
and climbed the pegs. He hesitates when he gets
out onto the branch, noting analytically and almost
reluctantly that he would have to jump away from
the branch or risk “falling into the shallow water next
to the bank.” Finny shouts at him to jump. The
speaker questions himself as to why he let Finny
talk him into doing “stupid things like this.” Finny
yells at him to jump a second time, and the speaker
jumps “into space.” The speaker jumps with the
sensation that he is “throwing [his] life away.” He
crash[es] into the water and comes to the surface
immediately. He states that he feels “fine.” He
sounds relieved that he survived, relieved that the
ordeal is over. Finny, however, is excited and wants
to know who will do it next. To Finny, the jump is a
gratifying, electrifying, invigorating activity that he
wants to repeat because of the feeling of freedom
and joy it gives him. To the speaker, the jump is a
frightening, foolhardy ordeal to be survived, and he
is glad that it is over. The speaker does not look at
the jump as being liberating, but, rather, a “stupid”
thing that brings him the sensation of “throwing [his]
life away.” Finny “smashes” into the water, implying
that he is meeting the experience “head-on” and
with a sense of abandonment. The speaker
“crashes” into the water, implying that he is being
propelled into the experience against his will and
with a sense of foreboding (pp. 15–17).
15. When it is Leper’s turn to jump from the tree, he • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
“closed his mouth as though forever” and “became texts, including the patterns of organization,
inanimate.” What does this suggest about the way syntax, and word choice
Leper deals with something that frightens him?
Leper refuses to deal with what frightens him in any

way. Instead of refusing and excusing the way his
friends do, he simply closes himself away from
whatever it is that frightens him. He becomes
“inanimate” or dead to it. Something that is dead can
no longer be hurt or frightened.


16. What does the conversation between Finny and the • Describe and analyze the development of plot
speaker on page 18 reveal about the relationship and identify conflicts and how they are
between the two boys? addressed and solved
Though they are “best of friends,” they are different.

The speaker has “a tendency to back away from
things,” while Finny tends to encourage (or shame)
him into taking action. They seem to be two extremes
that compliment each other.
17. On page 18–19, the speaker states, “Phineas didn’t • Draw inferences
really dislike West Point in particular or authority in
general, but just considered authority the necessary
evil against which happiness was achieved by
reaction, the backboard which returned all the insults
he threw at it.” What does he mean?
Answers may vary but could include the following:
Phineas is a free-spirit. He seems to believe that

rules are made for breaking and gets enjoyment from
flouting authority. The statement suggests that
Phineas does not hate authority; he just views
authority as being something to compete against, like
an opponent in some kind of game. His rule-breaking
is playful and not malicious.
18. On pages 18 and 19, what do the bell toll and the • Understand and analyze literary terms such
narrator’s “West Point stride” symbolize? as symbolism
Rules and authority

19. From the description of Phineas on pages 14–19, the • Draw inferences
reader can tell that he is–
adventurous, persuasive, gregarious, forthright,

athletic, competitive and playful. He is an extrovert, a
leader, and a non-conformist, who likes to “push the
envelope” just for fun.


20. On page 19, the speaker states, “Finny trapped me • Draw inferences
again in his strongest trap, that is, I suddenly became
his collaborator.” What does he mean?
Answers may vary but could include the following:
The word collaborator can mean partner, assistant,

or co-worker. It can also mean enemy sympathizer.
The speaker might be saying that when he follows
Finny’s lead and collaborates with Finny in his
schemes, the speaker feels “trapped” into doing
things he normally would not do. For example, in this
context, the speaker begins by using his “West Point
stride” to try to get to dinner on time. He wants to
follow the rules and not be late for dinner. Finny,
however, makes it clear that he does not want to
follow the rules. He taunts the speaker, telling him to
hurry “or they’ll put you in the guardhouse.” He trips
the speaker, playfully wrestling with him to try to
delay the speaker’s progress toward dinner. Finny’s
influence over the speaker is strong. When the
speaker decides to collaborate with Finny, to become
his “partner,” he convinces himself to change his
original point of view of wanting to follow the rules
and adopts Finny’s point of view, which is to break
the rules. The speaker now views the rules as being
a type of enemy, just as Finny does. The speaker
now has become Finny’s partner-in-crime, his
“collaborator,” his “sympathizer” against the rules and
the rule-makers. The speaker chooses to now rebel
against the rules and purposely miss dinner.
Friendship with Finny comes with a price for the
speaker. It becomes the “strongest trap.” The
speaker realizes that friendship with Finny requires
the speaker to adopt Finny’s attitude, which may be
different from his own views. This is peer-pressure at
its height.

_________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Multiple-Choice Quiz
Chapter 1
1. The speaker has returned to the school in order to—

A. attend a class reunion
B. see if the school has changed
C. find an internal sense of balance
D. think about several of his old teachers
2. The speaker is thankful after he sees the tree because he realizes that—
A. the memory of it will no longer haunt him
B. nothing has really changed at the school
C. the tree reminds him of his childhood
D. the tree has survived along with his memories
3. Finny does not like the speaker’s “West Point stride” because it represents—
A. the army
B. the speaker
C. a necessary evil
D. rules and rule makers
4. The speaker calls the seniors “draft-bait” because after graduation they all expect to—
A. help draft new laws
B. fight in World War II
C. protest against the draft
D. become sailors on a torpedo ship
5. From the description of Phineas on pages 14–19, the reader can tell that he—
A. does not want to go to West Point
B. wants to contribute to the war effort
C. enjoys resisting authority
D. likes to climb trees

_________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Short-Answer Quiz
Chapter 1
1. When the two boys jump from the tree, how are their jumps different? Explain your answer
and support it with evidence from the selection.
2. Why does Leper react the way he does when it is his turn to jump from the tree? Support
your answer with evidence from the selection.
3. What does the speaker mean when he calls himself Finny’s “collaborator”? Support your
answer with evidence from the selection.

Answer Key
Questions Targeted Concepts, Processes, Skills
1. The speaker has returned to the school in order to— • Draw inferences
A. attend a class reunion
B. see if the school has changed • Reference: p. 12
C. find an internal sense of balance
2. The speaker is thankful after he sees the tree • Draw inferences
because he realizes that—
A. the memory of it will no longer haunt him • Reference: p. 14
C. the tree reminds him of his childhood
3. Finny does not like the speaker’s “West Point stride” • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
because it represents— symbolism
A. the army
B. the speaker • Reference: p. 19
C. a necessary evil
D. rules and rule makers
4. The speaker calls the seniors “draft-bait because • Connect to historical context
after graduation they all expect to—
A. help draft new laws • Reference: p. 15
5. From the description of Phineas on pages 14–19, the • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
reader can tell that he— responses and interpretations
A. does not want to go to West Point
B. wants to contribute to the war effort • Reference: pp. 14–19
C. enjoys resisting authority
D. likes to climb trees

Answer Key
Short Answer Quiz
1. When the two boys jump from the tree, how are their • Use elements of text to defend, clarify, and
jumps different? Explain your answer and support it negotiate responses and interpretations
with evidence from the selection.
Suggested Response • Reference: pp. 15–17

Finny “smashes” into the water, implying that he is
meeting the experience “head-on” and with a sense of
abandonment. The jump for him is an exciting
adventure, a source of fun. The speaker “crashes”
into the water, implying that he is being propelled into
the experience against his will and with a sense of
foreboding. The speaker does not look at the jump as
being liberating, but, rather, a “stupid” thing that
brings him the sensation of “throwing [his] life away.”
2. Why does Leper react the way he does when it is his • Use elements of text to defend, clarify, and
turn to jump from the tree? Support your answer with negotiate responses and interpretations
evidence from the selection.
Suggested Response • Reference: pp.17-18

Leper deals with conflict in a different way from his
friends. Leper refuses to deal with what frightens him
in any way. Instead of refusing and excusing the way
his friends do, he simply closes himself away from
whatever it is that has frightened him. He “closes his
mouth as if forever” and becomes “inanimate” or dead
to whatever he fears. Something that is dead can no
longer be hurt or frightened. Leper becomes dead in
the face of conflict, removing himself from having to
deal with it in any way.
3. What does the speaker mean when he calls himself • Use elements of text to defend, clarify, and
Finny’s “collaborator”? Support your answer with negotiate responses and interpretations
evidence from the selection
Suggested Response • Reference: p. 19

The speaker is saying that when he follows Finny’s
lead and collaborates with Finny in his schemes, the
speaker feels “trapped” into doing things he normally
would not do. For example, the speaker begins by
using his “West Point stride” to try to get to dinner on
time. Finny, however, makes it clear that he does not
want to follow the rules. He taunts the speaker, telling
him to hurry “or they’ll put you in the guardhouse.”
The speaker now has become Finny’s partner-in-
crime, his “collaborator,” his sympathizer against the
rules and the rule-makers.


Chapter 2
pp. 21~32

___________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Vocabulary Words
unregulated (p.22) inane (p. 26)
chronic (p. 23) illogical (p. 28)
indulgent (p. 24) compelling (p. 28)
essence (p. 24) conniver (p. 28)
emblem (p. 25) sarcasm (p. 29)
Discussion Topics
1. Why isn’t Mr. Prud’homme able to enforce all the school rules?
2. Why does Mr. Prud’homme rapidly lose “his grip on sternness” when he confronts Finny
about missing dinner?
3. On page 22, the speaker states that Finny “pressed his advantage because he saw that
Mr. Prud’homme was pleased, won over in spite of himself. The Master was slipping from
his official position momentarily, and it was just possible, if Phineas pressed hard enough,
that there might be a flow of simple, unregulated friendliness between them, and such
flows were one of Finny’s reasons for living.” What does he mean?
4. On page 23, Finny tells Mr. Prud’homme that “There isn’t any question that we are
conforming in every possible way to everything that’s happening and everything that’s
going to happen.” Why is this statement ironic?
5. The speaker’s name is—
6. On page 22, the speaker states that Finny “might have rather enjoyed the punishment if it
was done in some novel and unknown way.” What does this reveal about Finny?
7. In what way does Finny justify his and Gene’s jumps from the tree?
8. On page 23, Gene states that everything Finny says is “true and sincere; Finny always
said what he happened to be thinking, and if this stunned people then he was surprised.”
What does this suggest about Finny?

9. When Mr. Prud’homme “released his breath with a sort of amazed laugh [and] stared at
Finny for a while,” the reader can tell that that Finny—
10. Compare the attitude the Masters seem to have toward the students during this summer
session with the attitude they ordinarily seem to have toward the students during the
winter sessions.
11. On page 23, Gene notes that during that summer, “the faculty threw up its hands over
Phineas, and so loosened its grip on all of us.” What does he mean?
12. On page 23 in the paragraph that begins, “It was partly his doing,” how does the structure
of the paragraph help to explain the confusing but charming contrasts present in
Phineas’s behavior?
13. In the paragraph on pages 23–24 that begins, “But there was another reason,” The
speaker describes how the boys in his class are treated differently from the boys in the
senior class. Describe what those differences are and why they occur.
14. On page 24, the speaker calls Phineas “the essence of this careless peace.” What does
he mean?
15. What do Phineas’s actions at the formal tea party reveal about him?
16. On page 28, Gene states that Finny “got away with everything because of the
extraordinary kind of person he was.” How does Gene feel when he sees Finny
consistently “get away” with everything? Give examples from the text to support your
opinion.
17. Read the paragraph on page 30 that begins, “Bombs in Central Europe were completely
unreal to us here…” How is the war affecting Gene and his classmates during that
summer of 1942?
18. On page 31, why does Gene agree to jump from the tree first?
19. What does the name of Finny’s new club suggest about Finny’s attitude toward dangerous
activities that are against school rules? Use examples from the text to support your
opinion.
20. Summarize the events that happen while both Gene and Finny are on the limb and how
Gene feels about those events later that evening.

unregulated contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
The Master was Point out the clues inside the text that would support
slipping from his such a meaning.
official… • Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
• Prefix un– • Point out that this word has the prefix un–. A prefix is
a group of letters added to the beginning of a word to
adjust its meaning. In this case, the prefix means not.
Discuss how the prefix alters the meaning of the base
word regulate.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that the base word regulate is a verb, but it
Sentence Patterns is being used as an adjective, modifying the word
‘friendliness.” This example is a type of verbal called
a past participle. A participle is a verb that is acting
like an adjective. It is a past participle because it has
the –ed ending.
• Etymology • Point out that the word unregulated has the Latin
root non plus the root word regula, which means “to
rule.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the adjectives
irregular, regulatory and regulative, the verb
regularize, and the nouns regulation and regulator.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word unregulated as it is used in
sentence include uncontrolled, unchecked
unobstructed, unhampered, and unmanaged.
Have students record the word and all of its forms
and synonyms on note cards.
Phineas prefers open and honest exchanges of
friendliness, regardless of the status between the two
people. Titles mean nothing to Phineas. For Phineas,
it is the open and unobstructed friendliness that can
occur between two people that is the most important.


chronic contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
They seemed to be Point out the clues inside the text that would support
modifying their usual… such a meaning.
definition fits the context of the sentence.
Sentence Patterns because it modifies the noun “disapproval.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word chronic has the Greek root
word khronos, which means “time.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the adverbs
chronically, chronologically, the adjectives
chronological, chronologic, and the noun
chronologist.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word chronic as it is used in
sentence include habitual, persistent, constant,
long-standing, long-term, ceaseless, and
unending. Have the students record the word, the
forms of the word, and the synonyms on note cards.
masters seem to consistently disapprove of the
activities of the students. The masters always
assume the worst scenario in any situation involving a
student. During this summer session, however, this
consistent idea that all students must be doing
something that is illegal has been lifted to some
extent. The attitude of the masters toward the
students has softened.
indulgent contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Anyway, they were Point out the clues inside the text that would support
more indulgent… such a meaning.
Sentence Patterns adjective because it modifies the pronoun “they” and
it follows the linking verb “were.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word indulgent has the Latin root
indulgere.
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the adverb
indulgently, the nouns indulgence, indulger, and
the verb indulge.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word indulgent as it is used in the
sentence include permissive, easygoing, liberal,
tolerant, forgiving, forbearing, lenient, kind,
kindly, generous, soft-hearted, compassionate,
understanding, sympathetic, fond, doting, soft,
obliging, and accommodating. Have students
cards.
boys are feeling almost pampered by those in
authority over them, especially when compared to the
way the masters are treating the seniors.


essence immediately precedes the paragraph that contains
this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of the word
Phineas was the might be within the context of the two paragraphs.
essence of this Point out the clues inside the text that would support
careless… such a meaning.
(denotation) of the word. Discuss which definition
would apply to the word as it is used in this context.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as a predicate noun,
Sentence Patterns sometimes called a predicate nominative. It is a noun
that follows a linking verb, which is the word “was,”
and it renames the noun “Phineas.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word essence has the Latin root
essentia, which means “be.”
• Related words • Other words that are related to the word essence
include the adverb essentially, the nouns essential,
essentiality, and essentialness.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word essence as it is used in the
sentence include quintessence, soul, spirit, nature,
core, heart, crux, nucleus, substance, actuality,
and reality. Have students record the word and all of
its synonyms on note cards.
Phineas is at the heart of “this careless peace.” He
embodies its spirit. Without him, there probably would
not be “this careless peace.”


emblem contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
“Well, in case suitors Point out the clues inside the text that would support
begin clamoring… such a meaning.
best fits the word as it is used in this context.
Sentence Patterns is naming a thing.
• Etymology • Point out that the word emblem has the Greek root
emblema, which means “embossed design.”
emblematically and the adjectives emblematic and
emblematical.
• Related words • Related words include the verb emblazon and the
nouns emblazoner and emblazonment.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word emblem as it is used in the
sentence include symbol, representation, token,
image, figure, mark, sign, crest, badge, insignia,
trademark, and brand. Have students record the
word and all of its synonyms on note cards.
Phineas is playfully suggesting that the outrageously
colored shirt would serve as a symbol for his
patriotism. He is celebrating the supposed fact that
something has happened in the war that is favorable
for their country. Students may say that the
outrageous color is a symbol that represents
Phineas’s playful behavior and odd sense of humor.


inane contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
The chocolate brown Point out the clues inside the text that would support
wicker furniture… such a meaning.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is an adjective, but it is
Sentence Patterns contained in the adverb clause “as inane in our
conversation with the four present Masters and their
wives.” The entire clause, or group of words, is
describing how they are “trying hard not to sound,”
specifically the word “sound.” The subordinating
conjunction “as if” introduces the adverb clause.
Subordinating conjunctions connect a dependent
clause, a clause that cannot stand alone as a
complete thought, to an independent clause, a clause
that can stand by itself as a complete thought.
• Etymology • Point out that the word inane has the Latin root
inanis, which means “empty.”
• Related words • Related words include inanimate, inanimateness,
and inanition.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word inane as it is used in the
sentence include silly, foolish, stupid, idiotic,
fatuous, ridiculous, ludicrous, absurd, senseless,
asinine, frivolous, vapid, childish, and moronic.
Have students record the word and all of its
conversation seems to be foolish because the boys
and the masters do not know what to say to each
other. The gulf between students and masters is large
and reduces any conversation they may have to silly
subjects like the weather. The speaker is relating how
uncomfortable he feels while trying to have a decent
conversation with people with which he has little in
common.


illogical contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I never heard anything Point out the clues inside the text that would support
so illogical as that… such a meaning.
(p. 28) • Denotation/Prefix il • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
– (denotation) of the word. Note that they may need to
look up the base word logical or logic because this
word has the prefix il–, which means not. Discuss
which definition best fits the word as it is used in the
context of this sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as an adjective. It is
Sentence Patterns modifying the noun “anything.”
• Etymology • Point out that the base word for illogical has the
Greek root logos, which means ”reason.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the adverb illogically
and the noun illogicality.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word illogical as it is used in the
sentence include irrational, unreasonable,
unsound, unjustifiable, unfounded, incorrect,
absurd, untenable, and groundless. Have students
cards.
Mr. Patch-Withers is astounded. He recognizes that
Phineas’s explanation doesn’t seem to make sense
on the surface because it doesn’t follow traditional
thinking. Phineas has done a good job with crafting
his argument, however. Phineas is able to persuade
Mr. Patch-Withers to see things from his point of
view, enabling him to finally understand the logic in
the illogical explanation. Phineas is being playful.
compelling immediately precedes the paragraph that contains
this sentence. Ask them to also read the paragraph
His eyes gave their that contains this sentence. Discuss what the
wider, magical gleam… meaning of the word might be within the context of
(p. 28) the two paragraphs. Point out the clues inside the text
that would support such a meaning.
(denotation) of the word. Discuss which definition will
best fit the word as it is used in this sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifying the noun “level.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word compelling has the Latin root
compellere, which means “to force together.”
• Forms of the word • A form of the word is the verb compel.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word compelling include
enthralling, captivating, gripping, riveting,
spellbinding, mesmerizing, absorbing, and
irresistible. Have students record the word and all of
Phineas is altering his tone of voice to sound more
authoritative, allowing him to be more persuasive and
convincing.


• Meaning in context • Ask the students to read the two short paragraphs
conniver that immediately precede the paragraph that contains
this sentence. Ask the students to read the entire
And not because he paragraph that contains this sentence. Discuss what
was a conniver either the meaning of the word might be within the context
(p. 28) of the paragraphs. Point out the clues inside the text
(denotation) of the word. Point out that this word is
the noun form of the verb connive. They may have to
look up the verb connive to find a definition.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as a predicate noun,
Sentence Patterns sometimes called a predicate nominative. It is a noun
that follows a linking verb, which is the word “was,”
and it renames the pronoun “he.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word indulgent has the Latin root
conivere, which means “to close one’s eyes.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the nouns
connivance, connivery, and the verb connive.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word conniver as it is used in the
sentence include collaborator, schemer,
conspirator, and plotter. Have students record the
Phineas did not resort to secret or underhanded
plotting or planning in order to get away with his
extraordinary actions.
• Meaning in context • Ask the students to read the short paragraph that
sarcasm immediately precedes the paragraph that contains
this sentence. Ask the students to also read the
It was only long after paragraph that contains this sentence. Discuss what
that I recognized… the meaning of the word might be within the context
(p. 29) of the two paragraphs. Point out the clues inside the
text that would support such a meaning.
would best fit the word as it is used in this sentence.
Sentence Patterns names what he recognized.
• Etymology • Point out that the word sarcasm has the Greek root
sarkasmos, which means “to cut or tear.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the adjective
sarcastic and the adverb sarcastically.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word sarcasm as it is used in the
sentence include derision, mockery, ridicule,
scorn, sneering, scoffing, irony, and cynicism.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that in
order to feel better about themselves, weak people,
because they have no other weapon, resort to bitterly
mocking what they cannot control or do not
understand.

Answer Key
Discussion Topics
1. Why isn’t Mr. Prud’homme able to enforce all the • Identify main ideas and their supporting
school rules? details
He is a substitute for the summer session and does

not know all the rules (p. 21).
2. Why does Mr. Prud’homme rapidly lose “his grip on • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
sternness” when he confronts Finny about missing generalizations, and predictions and support
dinner? them from text
Finny is a persuasive speaker and uses • Analyze text structures such as cause and
“scatterbrained eloquence” and a voice that soars effect for how they influence understanding
and plunges to present his case. Mr. Prud’homme
finds this to be amusing, making it hard to be stern
with someone who is so entertaining (pp. 21–23).
3. On page 22, the speaker states that Finny “pressed • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
his advantage because he saw that Mr. Prud’homme generalizations, and predictions and support
was pleased, won over in spite of himself. The Master them from text
was slipping from his official position momentarily,
and it was just possible, if Phineas pressed hard • Analyze characters
enough, that there might be a flow of simple,
unregulated friendliness between them, and such
flows were one of Finny’s reasons for living.” What
does he mean?
Finny seeks out and values friendships that are

simple, straightforward, and not bound by rules.
4. On page 23, Finny tells Mr. Prud’homme that “There • Understand literary elements such as verbal
isn’t any question that we are conforming in every irony
possible way to everything that’s happening and
everything that’s going to happen.” Why is this
statement ironic?
Finny is using this argument to explain behavior that

is actually flouting conformity.
5. The speaker’s name is— • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
Gene (p. 22)
6. On page 22, the speaker states that Finny “might • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
have rather enjoyed the punishment if it was done in generalizations, and predictions and support
some novel and unknown way.” What does this them from text
reveal about Finny?
• Analyze characters
Finny loves new and different activities, things that
have never been done before. He relishes new
experiences because they are novel and different,
even if that experience is a punishment.
7. In what way does Finny justify his and Gene’s jumps • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
from the tree?
The draft age may be lowered to 17, and Finny and

Gene will be 17 by the end of the summer. By
jumping from the tree, Finny and Gene are just
preparing themselves in case that should happen
(p. 22).

Answer Key: Discussion Topic for Chapter 2 (continued)

8. On page 23, Gene states that everything Finny says • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
is “true and sincere; Finny always said what he generalizations, and predictions and support
happened to be thinking, and if this stunned people them from text
then he was surprised.” What does this suggest
about Finny? • Analyze characters
There is no deception about Finny. He is not
complicating when dealing with people. What you
see is what you get. Finny is straightforward and
honest with people, and he expects people to be
straightforward and honest with him. Finny believes
everyone is like him and does not expect people to
be deceptive toward him.
9. When Mr. Prud’homme “released his breath with a • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
sort of amazed laugh, [and] stared at Finny for a generalizations, and predictions and support
while,” the reader can tell that that Finny— them from text
has talked his way out of being punished (p. 23). • Identify how conflicts are resolved
10. Compare the attitude the Masters seem to have • Analyze text structures such as cause and
toward the students during this summer session with effect, compare and contrast for how they
the attitude they ordinarily seem to have toward the influence understanding
students during the winter sessions.
• Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
Gene notes that the Masters “seemed to be texts including word choice to determine tone
modifying their usual attitude of floating, chronic
disapproval” during this summer session. During the
summer session, the Masters seemed to be more
trusting of the students, seeming “to believe that we
were with them about half the time, and only spent
the other half trying to make fools of them.” The
Masters seem to be more relaxed toward rule
enforcement and “appeared to uncoil,” becoming
more tolerant” of student misdeeds. During the
winter sessions, the Masters seemed to assume that
“anything unexpected in a student” was to be
regarded “with suspicion,” and “was potentially
illegal.” There was no tolerance for student rule-
breaking in the winter session (p. 23).
11. On page 23, Gene notes that during that summer, • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
“the faculty threw up its hands over Phineas, and so generalizations, and predictions and support
loosened its grip on all of us.” What does he mean? them from text
Phineas is a complicated character. He calmly • Analyze characters

ignores rules but seems to want to “be good.” He
loves the school “truly and deeply” but “never more
than when he was breaking the regulations.” He is
• Analyze text structures such as cause and
effect for how they influence understanding
“a model boy” but “was most comfortable in the
truant’s corner.” His winning personality seems to
countermand his rebellious actions. His rebellious
actions seem to fall into the category of innocent
playful mischief. Phineas cannot be “pigeon-holed”
and is unlike any other student the faculty has
encountered. In bending the rules for him, the
faculty is finding itself bending the rules for his
classmates.


12. On page 23 in the paragraph that begins, “It was • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
partly his doing,” how does the structure of the texts including the patterns of organization
paragraph help to explain the confusing but
charming contrasts present in Phineas’s behavior?
The paragraph is constructed using three

sentences. The second sentence is the longest,
forcing the reader to slow down and absorb the
important contradictions that make up Phineas’s
character. The sentence contains four adjective
clauses, with each clause presenting ideas that
seem to oppose each other. For example, “calm
ignorance of the rules” is combined with “a winning
urge to be good.” Someone who ignores the rules is
usually not seen as someone who has “a winning
urge to be good.” Additionally, someone who loves
the school “truly and deeply” is usually not seen as
someone who would continually break the school’s
regulations, and “a model boy” would normally not
be perceived as being “most comfortable in the
truant’s corner.” The last sentence in the paragraph
shows that although the contradictions that are
present in Phineas may be confusing to others, they
are also part of his charm. They make him so
unusual that “the faculty threw up its hands” over
him, and “loosened its grip” on the rest of the
students. Phineas’s rebellion is not seen as being
evil or mean-spirited by the faculty. In fact,
Phineas’s deviations have charmed the faculty into
deviating from their normally strict enforcement of
the school rules.


13. In the paragraph on pages 23–24 that begins, “But • Analyze text structures such as compare and
there was another reason,” the speaker describes contrast for how they influence understanding
how the boys in his class are treated differently from
the boys in the senior class. Describe what those • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
differences are and why they occur. generalizations, and predictions and support
them from text
The members of the speaker’s class are referred to
as “boys of sixteen” who “reminded” the faculty “of
• Connect literature to historical contexts
what peace was like.” They are innocently “careless
and wild.” They are children who are not registered
with the draft board, who have not taken physicals • Analyzing relevance of setting and time frame
that would qualify them for military service, and who to text’s meaning
do not have to worry about things that would
disqualify them for military service, such as “hernia,”
“color-blindness,” “trick knees,” or “punctured
eardrums.” They are not concerned with these
problems that are faced by the seniors, boys who
are only a year ahead of them. The “boys of sixteen”
have not overtly been affected by the war. The war
has not directly affected them yet. The sixteen-year-
olds embody the innocence of childhood that has
not been corrupted with the heavy responsibilities of
adulthood. Consequently, the faculty is “more
indulgent” toward them, as a doting parent would be
toward a favored child. The faculty sees the sixteen-
year-olds as being boys who play games that can be
viewed “tolerantly” because they are the games of
children. The faculty views the seniors, however, as
men. Because the seniors are expected to go to war
as soon as they graduate, the faculty is “driving and
molding and arming them for war.” The seniors are
being treated as men who are already bearing the
adult responsibilities that are involved when men go
to war. The seniors are no longer children and can
no longer be indulged. They must develop the skills
and stamina they will need to fight in the adult war
as adults. Consequently, they must follow the rules.
The faculty “snapped at the heels of the seniors.” It
is almost as if the seniors are already viewed as
soldiers.
14. On page 24, the speaker calls Phineas “the essence • Make inference
of this careless peace.” What does he mean?
• Draw conclusions
Phineas embodies all the characteristics of the
childish playfulness that innocent children possess
and seems to be peacefully unaware of the ugly
• Understand and analyze literary terms such as
figurative language
conflicts that are present in the adult world.


15. What do Phineas’s actions at the formal tea party • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
reveal about him? generalizations, and predictions and support
them from text
Phineas has a highly developed sense of fun. At the
party, Phineas purposely says and does outrageous • Analyze characters
things that he knows will promote controversy,
deriving personal entertainment for himself when he
not only escapes reprisals for his inappropriate
behavior, but is able to give others “a good laugh for
once.” He is like Puck from Midsummer’s Night
Dream, orchestrating an elaborate farce for
everyone’s entertainment, making fools out of those
people who take themselves too seriously. He
begins by wearing a pink shirt, an inappropriate
wardrobe choice, to the tea and purposely showing
it to “the sternest of the Summer Sessions Masters,
old Mr. Patch-Withers” so that he can have the
opportunity to create amusement as he “politely
explained the meaning of the shirt.” The convoluted
explanation involves an invented story about a
bombing of Central Europe, which eventually causes
a mild conflict between Mr. Patch-Withers and his
wife, both of whom have taken Phineas’s made-up
story seriously. “Enjoying this,” Finny then purposely
shows the professor and his wife that he has used
the school’s tie as a belt, an action of disrespect that
would normally merit a serious consequence. But as
“Mr. Patch-Wither’s face was reaching a brilliant
shade, and his wife’s head fell as though before the
guillotine,” Finny presents an “illogical” explanation
that absolves him from reprisal and causes Mr.
Patch-Withers to engage in, if not surprising
laughter. As the narrator comments, “He got away
with everything because of the extraordinary kind of
person he was” (pp. 25–28).


16. On page 28, Gene states that Finny “got away with • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
everything because of the extraordinary kind of generalizations, and predictions and support
person he was.” How does Gene feel when he sees them from text
Finny consistently “get away” with everything? Give
examples from the text to support your opinion. • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
responses and interpretations
A part of Gene seems to resent Finny’s ability to
“get away with anything” (p. 25). Gene admits to
envying him a little but justifies the envy as being
“perfectly normal” and meaning “no harm.” When
Finny shows Mr. Patch-Withers that he has used the
school tie as a belt, Gene recognizes the gravity of
the offense and admits that he felt panic for his
friend, but he also states that he could feel himself
“becoming unexpectedly excited” at the prospect
that Finny would not be able “to get away with it.” As
Gene watches as Finny explains himself and
realizes that he is going to escape reprisals, Gene
observes that “Phineas was going to get away with
even this.” There is a note of disappointment in that
statement. Upon the realization that Finny “had
gotten away with everything,” Gene admits to
himself that he “felt a sudden stab of
disappointment.” He justifies this reaction by telling
himself that he “just wanted to see some more
excitement; that must have been it.” Gene does not
want to recognize the resentful envy that he seems
to be feeling about his best friend’s ability to playfully
and irreverently break rules without suffering the
usual reprisals (pp. 25–28).
17. Read the paragraph on page 30 that begins, • Draw inferences
“Bombs in Central Europe were completely unreal to
us here…” How is the war affecting Gene and his
classmates during that summer of 1942?
Even though Gene and his classmates see “a

thousand newspaper photographs and newsreels,”
and “have a pretty accurate idea” of what was
happening in Europe, the war is “completely unreal”
to them because “our place here was too fair for us
to accept something like that.” In the everyday world
at Devon, there is nothing but peace and beauty and
opportunities to be playfully mischievous. They do
not see first-hand the ravages of the war, so it does
not really exist for them. The newsreels are about an
alien, adult world that is wholly unconnected to
them. Gene admits that this is a selfish view and
that those that felt unconnected to the war “were a
small band,” but he is “glad we took advantage of it.”


18. On page 31, why does Gene agree to jump from the • Analyze text structures such as cause and
tree first? effect for how they influence understanding
Finny insinuates that Gene is afraid of jumping out • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
of the tree. He does this by first asking him directly generalizations, and predictions and support
on page 30: “Are you still afraid to jump out of the them from text
tree?” Later on page 31, he issues a challenge: “Will
you do me the pleasure of jumping out of the tree
first?” Gene does not want to admit that he is afraid
of jumping from the tree, so he answers Finny’s first
question by replying that he expects that “it’ll be a
very pleasant jump.” He answers Finny’s challenge
by saying, “My pleasure.” He is denying his real
feelings about the jump, wanting to prove to Finny
that he is not afraid.
19. What does the name of Finny’s new club suggest • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
about Finny’s attitude toward dangerous activities alliteration
that are against school rules Use examples from the
text to support your opinion. • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
generalizations, and predictions and support
Finny decides to name the club “The Super Suicide them from text
Society of the Summer Session” (p. 31). It is an
irreverent name, playfully incorporating the word
suicide, which usually connotates a tragic concept,
• Use elements of text to defend and clarify
into the name for a social club that is meant to
provide harmless entertainment. The name’s
alliteration and meter are reminiscent of qualities
found in nursery rhymes, which suggests a playful
attitude. Finny seems to view himself and his friends
as being invincible. They are “super.” Bad things
cannot happen to them because they are having
fun. The excitement he shows as he settles on the
name suggests that for Finny, jumping from the tree
is not dangerous; it is a source of innocent
entertainment. The fact that it is against school rules
adds to the attractiveness of the activity because,
after all, he “seemed to love the school truly and
deeply, and never more than when he was breaking
the regulations” (p. 23).
20. Summarize the events that happen while both Gene • Summarize text
and Finny are on the limb and how Gene feels about
those events later that evening.
Both boys are standing on the limb, with Gene “a

little farther out than Finny.” Turning to say
something to Finny, Gene begins to lose his
balance. He panics. Finny helps Gene restore his
balance by grabbing his arm, allowing Gene to make
a good jump into deeper water. Later, Gene realizes
that had he fallen, he could have suffered serious
injuries. He concludes that Finny had probably
saved his life (pp. 31-32).

_________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Chapter 2
1. Mr. Prud’homme is unable to enforce all of the school rules because he—
A. does not know all of the rules
B. is concerned with the boys’ health
C. wants to be friends with Finny
D. does not agree with the rules
2. Find the paragraph on page 23 that begins, “But there was another reason.” Which word
from that paragraph helps the reader understand the meaning of the word indulgent?
A. registered
B. careless
C. tolerantly
D. destruction
3. Finny wears the Devon School tie as a belt because he—

A. wants to make a political statement
B. likes the way it looks
C. is hurrying and needs a belt
D. does not respect the school traditions
4. Gene agrees to jump out of the tree first to—

A. show off to the other students
B. prove that he is not afraid
C. begin his training for the war
D. truly enjoy breaking the rules
5. What does Gene realize about Finny’s action when they are on the limb together?
A. He is worried that the teachers will catch them.
B. He does not approve of the suicide society.
C. He enjoys his friendship with Finny.
D. He could have been badly injured from a fall.

_________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Short-Answer Quiz
Chapter 2
1. Why are the boys in Gene and Finny’s class treated differently from the boys in the senior
class? Support your answer with evidence from the selection.
2. How does Gene feel when he sees Finny “getting away” with breaking the rules? Explain
your answer and support it with evidence from the selection.
3. What does the name of Finny’s new club suggest about Finny’s attitude toward breaking
school rules? Support your answer with evidence from the selection.

Answer Key
1. Mr. Prud’homme is unable to enforce all of the • Describe and analyze the development of plot
school rules because he— and identify conflicts and how they are
A. does not know all of the rules addressed and solved
C. wants to be friends with Finny • Reference: pp. 21–22
2. Find the paragraph on page 23 that begins, “But • Rely on context to determine meanings of
there was another reason.” Which word from that words and phrases
paragraph helps the reader understand the meaning
of the word indulgent? • Reference: pp. 23–24
A. registered
B. careless
C. tolerantly
D. destruction
3. Finny wears the Devon School tie as a belt because • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
he—
A. wants to make a political statement • Reference: pp. 27–28
B. likes the way it looks
C. is hurrying and needs a belt
4. Gene agrees to jump out of the tree first to— • Draw inferences
A. show off to the other students
B. prove that he is not afraid • Reference: pp. 30–31
C. begin his training for the war
D. truly enjoy breaking the rules
5. What does Gene realize about Finny’s action when • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
they are on the limb together?
A. He is worried that the teachers will catch them. • Reference: pp. 31–32
C. He enjoys his friendship with Finny.
D. He could have been badly injured from a fall.

Answer Key
Short Answer Quiz
1. Why are the boys in Gene and Finny’s class treated • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
differently from the boys in the senior class? Support responses and interpretations
your answer with evidence from the selection.
• Reference: pp. 23–24
Suggested Response
Gene, Finny, and their classmates are “boys of
sixteen” who “reminded” the faculty “of what peace
was like.” They are still innocent, not about to be
drafted into fighting like the seniors. The faculty’s
indulgence of the sixteen-year-olds is contrasted with
the sharp “driving and molding” being dispensed upon
the seniors.
2. How does Gene feel when he sees Finny “getting • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
away” with breaking the rules? Explain your answer responses and interpretations
Suggested Response
Gene admits to envying Finny a little, but he justifies
the envy as being “perfectly normal” and meaning “no
harm.” Gene feels himself “becoming unexpectedly
excited” at the prospect that Finny might be punished
for using the school tie as a belt. Gene does not want
to admit it, but he does feel “a sudden stab of
disappointment” when he realized that, again, Finny is
escaping punishment.
3. What does the name of Finny’s new club suggest • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
about Finny’s attitude toward breaking school rules responses and interpretations
Support your answer with evidence from the
selection. • Reference: pp. 23, 29–31
Suggested Response
Finny names the club “The Super Suicide Society of
the Summer Session,” combining the positive
(“Super”) with the negative (“Suicide”). The fact that
jumping out of the tree is against school rules makes
the activity more appealing to Finny. He “seemed to
love the school truly and deeply, and never more than
when he was breaking the regulations.” Jumping to
the river is another act of “playing on the tame fringe
of the last and greatest wilderness.”

Chapter 3
pp. 33~48

___________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Vocabulary Words
venerable (p. 33) sway (p. 40)
catacombed (p. 33) transitional (p. 42)
inured (p. 34) planed (p. 43)
insidious (p. 36) suppleness (p. 45)
anguish (p. 39) conventional (p. 46)
Discussion Topics
1. At the beginning of Chapter 3, why does Gene believe that he doesn’t “need to feel any
tremendous rush of gratitude toward Phineas” for saving his life?
2. What do Gene’s feelings about Phineas “practically” saving his life suggest about Gene’s
attitude toward Phineas?
3. Finny is able to convince other students sign up to join the Super Suicide Society
because—
4. Why does Gene continue to jump out of the tree even though he knows it is extremely
dangerous?
5. On page 34, Gene states, “I was subject to the dictates of my mind, which gave me the
maneuverability of a strait jacket.” What does he mean?
6. On page 35, Gene states that Finny abides by three self imposed rules or
“commandments.” What do these three commandments reveal about Finny’s beliefs?
7. On pages 36–37, Gene states, “Although he was rarely conscious of it, Phineas was
always being watched.” What does he mean?
8. On page 40, read the paragraph that begins, “Right from the start, it was clear that no one
had ever been better adapted to a sport than Finny…” How does Gene seem to feel about
Finny’s abilities? Use examples from the text to support your opinion.

9. Pages 40-41 are mainly about—
10. On pages 41–42, Gene states that during this time, “The prevailing color of life in America
is a dull, dark green called olive drab. That color is always respectable and always
important. Most other colors risk being unpatriotic.” What does he mean?
11. On page 42, Gene states, “In such a period no one notices or rewards any achievements
involving the body unless the result is to kill it or save it on the battlefield, so that there
were only a few of us to applaud and wonder at what [Finny] was able to do.” What does
he mean?
12. On page 42, Gene states that “Finny had tremendous loyalty to the class, as he did to any
group he belonged to, beginning with him and me and radiating outward past the limits of
humanity toward spirits and clouds and stars.” What does Gene’s use of this hyperbole
suggest about his perception of Finny?
13. On page 43, in the paragraph that begins “We found a stop watch in the office…,” Finny
breaks a school record. What does the description of the feat suggest about Finny’s
athletic gifts? Use examples from the paragraph to support your position.
14. On pages 43–44, Finny breaks a school swimming record, yet he instructs Gene to tell no
one about the accomplishment. What does this suggest about Finny? Use examples from
the text to support your position.
15. On page 44, in the paragraph that begins, “Was he trying to impress me…,” Gene reacts
to Finny’s demand that the record-breaking swim be kept a secret, commenting, “Perhaps
for that reason his accomplishment took root in my mind and grew rapidly in the darkness
where I was forced to hide it.” Read pages 44–45. What does Gene’s reaction suggest to
the reader? Use examples from the text to support your position.
16. On page 45, the purpose of the paragraph that begins, “Swimming in pools is screwy
anyway…” is to—
17. On page 46, read the paragraph that begins, “The beach was hours away by bicycle…
How does the last sentence of that paragraph affect the meaning of the paragraph?
18. On pages 47–48, Finny tells Gene, “Everybody’s staring at you,” and “It’s because of that
movie-star tan you picked up this afternoon…showing off again.” Why are these
statements ironic?

19. On page 48, Finny tells Gene that he is his “best pal.” Why does Gene call this admission
“a courageous thing to say”?
20. Read the paragraph on page 48 that begins, “It was a courageous thing to say.” Explain
what Gene means when he states, “Perhaps I was stopped by that level of feeling, deeper
than thought, which contains the truth.”

venerable contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
That night Finny began Point out the clues inside the text that would support
to talk… such a meaning.
best fits the word as it is used in this sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifying the noun “institution.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word venerable has the Latin root
venerari, which means “to respect.”
• Forms of the word • Another form of the word includes the noun
venerability.
• Related words • A related word is the verb venerate.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word venerable as it is used in the
sentence include respected, venerated, revered,
honored, esteemed, hallowed, august,
distinguished, eminent, great, and grand. Have
note cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that Finny
is leading the boys to believe that the Super Suicide
Society is an old and traditional, but secret club.
Discuss the kinds of things Finny would have to say
to convince the boys that this club is part of the
school’s rich tradition.
catacombed contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Schools are Point out the clues inside the text that would support
supposed to be… such a meaning.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is normally a noun, but it is
Sentence Patterns inside the infinitive phrase, “to be catacombed.” The
phrase, a group of words that acts as a single part of
speech, is behaving as if it were a predicate
adjective. The phrase follows the linking verb “are,”
and is modifying the noun “School.” Note also that
catacombed is a coined word. The word
catacombed has been formed by putting a verb
ending on a noun, essentially treating it as if it were a
verb.
• Etymology • Point out that the word catacomb has the Latin root
catacumba.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word catacomb as it is used in the
sentence include crypt, vault, tomb, ossuary, and
underground cemetery. Have students record the
• Diction/Tone/Mood • Discuss that the word has a “spooky” feeling to it.
This edge that suggests something covert and slightly
dangerous adds to the allure of joining such a club.
This word helps to establish the mood.


inured contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I never got inured to Point out the clues inside the text that would support
the jumping… such a meaning.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that the word inured is a verb.
Sentence Patterns
• Etymology • Point out that the word inured has a Middle English
root in ure, which means “customary.”
inurement.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word inured as it is used in the
sentence include hardened, toughened, seasoned,
tempered, conditioned, accustomed, habituated,
familiarized, acclimatized, adjusted, adapted, and
desensitized. Have students record the word and all
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that he
does not feel comfortable jumping from this tree, no
matter how many times he has to do it.
insidious contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
The seniors had been Point out the clues inside the text that would support
trotted… such a meaning.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as an adjective. It
Sentence Patterns modifies the noun “exercise.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word insidious has the Latin root
insidere, which means “lie in wait.”
insidiously and the noun insidiousness.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word insidious as it is used in the
sentence include stealthy, subtle, surreptitious,
cunning, crafty, treacherous, artful, sly, wily,
shifty, underhanded, indirect, and sneaky. Have
note cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is being slightly sarcastic in
referring to the exercises that the seniors must do.
The speaker considers those exercises to be
insidious because they are not designed for sport but
for making the seniors ready for serving in the
military. There is a serious purpose that lies behind
the exercise program for the seniors.


anguish contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Taken by surprise, Point out the clues inside the text that would support
Leper… such a meaning.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is a noun that is inside the
Sentence Patterns prepositional phrase, “in anguish.” The word anguish
is the object of the preposition “in.” The prepositional
phrase is modifying how Leper looked. Therefore, the
prepositional phrase is also considered an adverb
phrase because the phrase is modifying the verb.
• Etymology • Point out that the word anguish comes from the Latin
root angustiae, which means “distress.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the word anguish
used as a verb, and the word angst used as a noun.
• Related words • A related word would be angst.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word anguish as it is used in the
sentence include agony, pain, torment, torture,
suffering, distress, misery, sorrow, grief, and
despair. Have students record the word and all of its
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that Leper
is easily frightened by something unexpected. He is
terrified at the prospect of catching an unexpectedly
thrown ball. Changes upset him.
sway contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
It is the moment Point out the clues inside the text that would support
when his emotions... such a meaning.
Sentence Patterns
• Etymology • Point out that the word sway has the Middle English
root sweien.
• Forms of the word • Another form of the word includes the word sway
used as a verb.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word sway as it is used in the
sentence include influence, affect, bias,
persuasion, authority, control, dominion, and
jurisdiction. Have students record the word and all
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is trying to describe that this
point in time triggered in him a powerful emotional
reaction. He will always remember it because of its
importance.


transitional contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
It is this special Point out the clues inside the text that would support
America… such a meaning.
Sentence Patterns modifies the noun “blur.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word transitional has the Latin root
transitus.
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the noun transition,
the adjective transitionary, and the adverb
transitionally.
• Related words • Related words include the verb transit and the
adjective transitory.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word transitional as it is used in
the sentence include changeover, interim,
changing, fluid, in flux, unsettled, intermediate,
and liminal. Have students record the word and all of
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that for
most people, the memories of this particular summer
that he is going to discuss would blend into memories
of other summers. It would not be remarkable, and
memories are fluid. For the narrator, however, this
summer is very important. It defines him.
planed contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
He planed up the Point out the clues inside the text that would support
pool… such a meaning.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as a verb because it
Sentence Patterns describes an action.
• Etymology • Point out that the word plane has the Latin root
planus, which means “flat.”
• Forms of the word • Another form of the word includes the word plane
used as a noun and as an adjective.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word plane as it is used in the
sentence include soar, glide, float, drift, and skim.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that Finny
is moving through the water effortlessly, smoothly. He
is obviously an expert swimmer, skimming over the
surface of the water.


suppleness contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
There was something Point out the clues inside the text that would support
inebriating… such a meaning.
would best apply to the word as it is used in this
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as an noun. It is the
Sentence Patterns object of the preposition “in” in the prepositional
phrase, “in the suppleness.” Remind students that a
phrase is a group of words that act as a single part of
speech. A prepositional phrase begins with a
preposition and ends with a noun. It links its object to
some other word in the sentence and, even though it
is a phrase, can act as an adjective or an adverb. In
this case, “in the suppleness” is modifying
“inebriating.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word suppleness has the Latin root
supplex, which means “suppliant.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the adjective supple
and the adverbs supply and supplely.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word suppleness as it is used in
the sentence include litheness, limberness,
lissomeness, flexibleness, and nimbleness. Have
students record the word and its synonyms on note
cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that it
makes him feel dizzy to think about the ease and
grace with which Finny broke the record.
conventional contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
“You’re too Point out the clues inside the text that would support
conventional…” such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifies the pronoun “You.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word conventional has the Latin
root convenire, which means “to convene.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the noun
conventionality, the adverb conventionally, and the
verb conventionalize.
• Related words • Related words include the nouns
conventionalization and convention.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word conventional as it is used in
the sentence include orthodox, traditional,
accepted, normal, standard, usual, typical,
common, and unoriginal. Have students record the
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is being playfully sarcastic
and ironic, making it sound as if Finny, who is
anything but traditional, is boring and run-of-the mill.

Answer Key
Discussion Topics
1. At the beginning of Chapter 3, why does Gene • Analyze text structures such as cause and
believe that he doesn’t “need to feel any effect, compare and contrast for how they
tremendous rush of gratitude toward Phineas” for influence understanding
saving his life?
Gene gives two reasons for not feeling any

“tremendous rush of gratitude toward Phineas.
Firstly, he concludes that he would not have been
on the limb in the first place if Phineas had not
convinced him to jump from the tree. Secondly,
Gene believes that he lost his balance while turning
to say something to Phineas, who was standing
right behind him. Gene reasons that if Phineas had
not been standing on the limb behind him, Gene
would not have turned around and would not have
lost his balance in the process. Gene is reasoning
that it really is Phineas’s fault that he needed to be
saved in the first place (p. 33).
2. What do Gene’s feelings about Phineas “practically” • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
saving his life suggest about Gene’s attitude toward generalizations, and predictions and support
Phineas? them from text
Gene seems to be annoyed at Phineas for • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
convincing him to jump from the limb in the first tone
place. It is almost as if Gene is blaming Phineas for
his near brush with disaster and that Gene feels that
Phineas owed him the rescue (p. 32).
3. Finny is able to convince other students sign up to • Analyze text structures such as cause and
join the Super Suicide Society because— effect for how they influence understanding
Finny, understanding that the boys believe “schools

are supposed to be catacombed with secret
societies and underground brotherhoods,”
convinces them that the Super Suicide Society is
one of those secret clubs and that it has been a part
of Devon for many years. He talks about The
Society as if it has been “a venerable, entrenched
institution of the Devon School,” knowing that the
boys would want to be a part of something that is
not only secret, but part of a tradition (pp. 33–34).
4. Why does Gene continue to jump out of the tree • Analyze text structures such as cause and
even though he knows it is extremely dangerous? effect for how they influence understanding
Phineas establishes the rule that the nightly

meetings of the Suicide Society must begin with the
two Charter Members, Finny and Gene, making
jumps from the tree. If Gene refuses to jump, he will
lose face with the group. Gene also does not want
to lose face with Phineas for “that would have been
unthinkable” (p. 34).


5. On page 34, Gene states, “I was subject to the • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
dictates of my mind, which gave me the generalizations, and predictions and support
maneuverability of a strait jacket. What does he them from text
mean?
• Understanding literary elements such as
As Gene thinks about whether or not he will go to metaphor
the meetings of the Suicide Society and make the
jumps from the tree, he realizes that he is afraid of
disappointing or “losing face” with Finny. This fear
constricts him from having the freedom of telling
Finny that he does not want to jump from the tree
just as a strait jacket might constrict him from
moving freely. His fear of disappointing Finny
constricts his power to have control over his actions,
just as a strait jacket would constrict his power to
have control over his movements.
6. On page 35, Gene states that Finny abides by three • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
self imposed rules or “commandments.” What do generalizations, and predictions and support
these three commandments reveal about Finny’s them from text
beliefs?
The first rule, “Never say you are five feet nine
when you are five feet eight and a half,” suggests
that Finny believes that everyone should be
absolutely honest with others as well as
themselves. Exaggerations of the truth, even small
exaggerations, are not acceptable.
The second rule, “Always say some prayers at night

because it might turn out that there is a God,”
suggests that Finny is not absolutely sure that a
Higher Being exists, but he is hopeful enough to
pray nightly, just in case.
The third rule, which is identified by Gene as having

“the most urgent influence in his life,” states, “You
always win at sports.” For Finny, it is the
competition and not the outcome that is the
important part of sports. He believes that “nothing
bad ever happened in sports; they were the
absolute good.” Finny believes the act of competing
is what makes participants in sports winners,
regardless of the final score. Finny truly believes
that it is not important whether one wins or loses,
but that one plays the game.
7. On pages 36–37, Gene states, “Although he was • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
rarely conscious of it, Phineas was always being generalizations, and predictions and support
watched.” What does he mean them from text
Finny does not consciously seek out a leadership

role, yet others recognize him as a natural leader.
The other students know that Finny makes things
happen. They watch him, ready and willing to follow
his lead. This becomes evident when, without being
called, the larger group of students “who sensed a
shift in the wind” abandoned their regulation
badminton game to join Finny and Gene in playing
Finny’s impromptu, newly-invented and non-
sanctioned game of “Blitzball.”


8. On page 31, read the paragraph that begins, “Right • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
from the start, it was clear that no one had ever generalizations, and predictions and support
been better adapted to a sport than Finny…” How them from text
does Gene seem to feel about Finny’s abilities Use
examples from the text to support your opinion. • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
tone
Gene seems to be slightly envious of Finny’s
successes. He notes that Finny “was sensationally
good” at playing Blitzball but qualifies the
assessment with the rhetorical questions: “Why not?
He had made it up, hadn’t he?” Gene concludes
that it shouldn’t be surprising that Finny would excel
at a game he made up himself. While calling Finny
“sensationally good,” he calls himself and the other
students “bumblers” and states, “I suppose it served
us right for letting him do all the planning.” Gene
sounds as if he is making up excuses for not being
as sensational as Finny. He asks another rhetorical
question, “What difference did it make?” He gives
the answer, “It was just a game,” and comments
that “it was good that Finny could shine at it.” It is as
if Gene is dismissing the importance of Finny’s
achievements. It suggests that Gene is mentally
comparing himself to Finny and finds himself
coming up short. Gene’s affirmation at the end of
the paragraph that states that he was “naturally”
glad that Finny attracted everyone he met because
he was Gene’s roommate and best friend seems to
have a hollow ring. It sounds like the competitor
who is apologizing for coming in second is trying to
be a good sport as he congratulates the one who
beat him.
9. Pages 40–41 are mainly about— • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
what it was like to live in America during the four

years of World War II.
10. On pages 41–42, Gene states that during this time, • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
“the prevailing color of life in America is a dull, dark allusion
green called olive drab. That color is always
respectable and always important. Most other colors • Connect literature to historical contexts
risk being unpatriotic.” What does he mean
Gene is describing the color of the uniforms worn

by the soldiers in the U. S. Army. Describing it as
“the prevailing color of life in America” suggests that
soldiers seem to be everywhere, and if a young
man is not dressed in the olive drab of a soldier,
others might question why he is not serving his
country. His patriotism may be called into question.
All young men are expected to serve.


11. On page 42, Gene states, “In such a period no one • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
notices or rewards any achievements involving the generalizations, and predictions and support
body unless the result is to kill it or save it on the them from text
battlefield, so that there were only a few of us to
applaud and wonder at what [Finny] was able to do.” • Connect literature to historical contexts
What does he mean?
Gene is referring to the fact that Finny is a gifted

athlete. Gene is also alluding to the fact that during
peacetime, “achievements involving the body” are
usually athletic achievements, with outstanding
athletes finding themselves treated as heroes.
However, the “period” that Gene is speaking about
is during World War II. The heroes of a wartime
society are heroes of the battlefield, not the athletic
field. Gene recognizes that in a wartime society,
outstanding athletes will be ignored unless their
strength and dexterity is demonstrated on the
battlefield, either in killing the enemy or saving a
comrade in arms. Athletic competitions that are held
for entertainment are not important to a wartime
society. Even the highest pinnacle of amateur
athletic achievement, the Olympic Games, was
cancelled twice during World War II, once in 1942
and again in 1944. Consequently, Finny’s athletic
abilities, which in peacetime would bring him
acclaim, are virtually ignored by the majority of
society. Victories of a sixteen-year-old student in
athletic competitions are considered insignificant
when compared to the struggles of so many young
men, who are only a few years older and who are
facing death as they struggle to achieve victories on
the battlefield. Only the “few” who are Finny’s friends
are able to witness athletic feats that in peacetime
would have brought him acclaim.


12. On page 42, Gene states that “Finny had • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
tremendous loyalty to the class, as he did to any hyperbole and allusion
group he belonged to, beginning with him and me
and radiating outward past the limits of humanity
toward spirits and clouds and stars.” What does
Gene’s use of this hyperbole suggest about his
perception of Finny?
Gene is commenting on the tremendous loyalty

Finny feels toward any group in which he finds
himself. The loyalty is greater than what could be
considered average. It begins with him and Gene,
radiating beyond “the limits of humanity toward the
spirits and clouds and stars.” This loyalty that
stretches beyond the outer limits of the universe
radiates from Finny and Gene, who are at its center,
suggesting that Gene receives the most loyalty
because he is so close to Finny, the source. It is
interesting to note the implied comparison of Finny’s
loyalty being like the sun, a body that radiates heat
into the universe. However, unlike the sun that
warms only a few planets in a solar system, Finny’s
loyalty is “radiating outward past the limits of
humanity toward spirits and clouds and stars.”
Compared to the rays of the sun, Finny’s loyalty is
stronger and has a greater influence in the universe.
The idea that Gene is at the center of this radiation
suggests that Finny feels more loyal to him than to
anyone else.
13. On page 43, in the paragraph that begins “We found • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
a stop watch in the office…,” Finny breaks a school generalizations, and predictions and support
record. What does the description of the feat them from text
suggest about Finny’s athletic gifts? Use examples
from the paragraph to support your position. • Use elements to text to defend and clarify
Finny is a naturally gifted athlete. When he mounts
the starting box, he leans “forward from the waist as
he had seen racing swimmers do but never had
occasion to do himself.” This suggests that Finny
has never trained with “racing swimmers.” He has
never performed in swimming races. Yet, he
“planed up the pool, his shoulders dominating the
water” and made turns with “no particular
slackening of his pace.” These are actions that
competitive swimmers practice for years to
accomplish, yet Finny performs after only “an
instant’s confusion.” Competitive swimmers are
usually exhausted when they finish a race, yet Finny
looks at Gene “with a composed, interested
expression” when he finishes his race. He does not
appear to be tired or out of breath. He is just
“composed” and “interested.” He is not panting from
exhaustion when he asks Gene, “Well, how did I
do?” Yet, he breaks “A. Hopkins Parker’s record
by .7 second.” He does something that competitive
swimmers who have trained for years are unable to
do. This suggests that with training, Finny could
possibly become an Olympic athlete.


14. On pages 43–44, Finny breaks a school swimming • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
record, yet he instructs Gene to tell no one about generalizations, and predictions and support
the accomplishment. What does this suggest about them from text
Finny? Use examples from the text to support your
position. • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
It has already been established that Finny loves
competition and believes that “everyone wins at
sports” (p. 35). Finny only wants to compete against
himself, saying, “I have a feeling I can swim faster
than A. Hopkins Parker.” To announce that Finny
has broken A. Hopkins Parker’s record would make
Finny a winner and A. Hopkins Parker a loser. Gene
reflects on this when he notes that “the Devon
School record books contained a mistake, a lie, and
nobody knew it but Finny and me. A. Hopkins
Parker was living in a fool’s paradise, wherever he
was. His defeated name remained in bronze on the
school record plaque, while Finny deliberately
evaded an athletic honor.” To make A. Hopkins
Parker a loser in his sport would be contrary to
Finny’s belief that “everyone wins at sports.” Finny
is only racing against the record for his own
amusement. He tells Gene, “I just wanted to see if I
could do it. Now I know. But I don’t want to go
public.” Finny has confidence in his own abilities (“I
believe I can swim faster than A. Hopkins Parker”),
but he does not need the public acclaim. Gene
makes the distinction that Finny has won many
academic prizes for participating in sports, but has
never been awarded for breaking school records. It
is interesting to note that all of the prizes have to do
with sportsmanship and not achievement (“The
Winslow Galbraith Memorial Football Trophy for
having brought the most Christian sportsmanship to
the game during the 1941–1942 season, the
Margaret Duke Bonaventura ribbon and prize for the
student who conducted himself at hockey most like
the way her son had done, The Devon School
Contact Sport Award, Presented Each Year to That
Student Who in the Opinion of the Athletic Advisors
Excels His Fellows in the Sportsmanlike
Performance of Any Game Involving Bodily
Contact”). The sports that Finny “officially” plays are
all team sports—“football, hockey, baseball,
lacrosse.” They don’t have school records that
measure individual achievement. Finny is a team
player and seems to prefer team victories that share
acclaim. He seems to shun the sports that would pit
him against another participant, setting up one to be
the winner, and one to be the loser.


15. On page 44, in the paragraph that begins, “Was he • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
trying to impress me…,” Gene reacts to Finny’s generalizations, and predictions and support
demand that the record-breaking swim be kept a them from text
secret, commenting, “Perhaps for that reason his
accomplishment took root in my mind and grew • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
rapidly in the darkness where I was forced to hide responses and interpretations
it.” Read pages 44–45. What does Gene’s reaction
suggest to the reader Use examples from the text to
support your position.
Even though Gene and Finny are friends, Gene

does not fully understand that Finny plays sports
only for fun and not for acclaim. Gene suspects that
Finny has some underlying reason for keeping the
swim a secret when he asks himself, “Was he trying
to impress me or something?” Gene cannot fathom
that Finny plays only for the joy of playing. To Gene,
accomplishments should be publicly acknowledged.
Gene demonstrates this when he first suggests on
page 44 that they should “get a coach in here, and
all the official timekeepers” and that he could “call
up The Devonian to send a reporter and a
photographer.” For Gene, there are not only winners
and losers, but the winners should receive public
acclaim. Gene is having difficulty understanding
why Finny is forcing him “to hide it.” Gene thinks
about this “accomplishment” in the “darkness” of his
mind. This suggests not only that he doesn’t agree
with Finny’s decision to hide his achievement but
also that Finny must have some other reason for
hiding it. The image of this “accomplishment” taking
“root in Gene’s mind and growing “rapidly” in “the
darkness” where he “was forced to hide it” has an
evil connotation as if the knowledge of the hidden
accomplishment is mutating it into something
sinister. On page 45, Gene describes feeling
“shock” when he realizes that Finny has broken the
swimming record. He reflects that “to keep silent
about this amazing happening deepened the shock
for me,” and he notes that this made Finny “too
unusual for rivalry.” Gene doesn’t really understand
Finny (pp. 44–45).
16. On page 45, the purpose of the paragraph that • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
begins, “Swimming in pools is screwy anyway…” is texts, including the patterns of organization
to—
serve as a transition between the incident at the

swimming pool and the trip to the beach


17. On page 46, read the paragraph that begins, “The • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
beach was hours away by bicycle…” How does the texts, including the patterns of organization
last sentence of that paragraph affect the meaning
of the paragraph? • Describe and analyze the development of plot
and identify conflicts and how they are
Except for the last sentence, the entire paragraph addressed and resolved
contains Gene’s mental response to Finny’s
suggestion that they go to the beach. This mental
response lists several succinct and significant
reasons why Gene does not want to accompany
Finny to the beach. Yet, the last sentence presents
a simple, verbal agreement, “All right,” that shows
that in spite of the fact that he has real reason for
not wanting to go, he does not share these reasons
with Finny. He simply acquiesces. This simple,
positive verbal response opposes sharply the
negative feelings Gene has about the trip. It shows
that Gene seems powerless to disagree with Finny.
It also shows that he seems unable to be
completely honest with Finny about his feelings.
18. On pages 47–48, Finny tells Gene, “Everybody’s • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
staring at you,” and “It’s because of that movie-star irony
tan you picked up this afternoon…showing off
again.” Why are these statements ironic
In the paragraph that precedes these statements,

Gene notes that people on the boardwalk are
“looking fixedly” at Finny. When Gene takes a look
himself “to see why,” he realizes that the people on
the boardwalk are reacting to Finny’s physical
attractiveness. He has skin that radiates “a reddish
copper glow of tan.” His hair is “bleached by the
sun,” and his tan makes “his eyes shine with a cool
blue-green fire.” Yet, in the next paragraph, Finny
accuses Gene of being the one attracting attention,
of “having a movie-star tan” and of “showing off
again.” Finny, who has been playful and behaving
as if he is on a grand vacation—riding his bicycle
“backward with no hands,” singing, playing in the
ocean, being “intoxicated” by the “accumulating roar
of the surf and the salty, adventurous, flirting wind
from the sea,” and enjoying “ himself hugely,” has
taken the attributes that normally should be applied
to himself and projected them onto Gene, the
studious, conventional, quiet participant who doesn’t
really want to be at the beach. Finny’s unexpected
comments are an example of verbal irony.


19. On page 48, Finny tells Gene that he is his “best • Analyze text structures such as cause and
pal.” Why does Gene call this admission “a effect for how they influence understanding
courageous thing to say”
Gene states that “exposing a sincere emotion

nakedly like that at the Devon School was the next
thing to suicide.” Being sincerely straight-forward
and honest about feelings leaves a person open to
ridicule and rejection. Apparently, not many
students at Devon feel secure enough to be so
straight-forward and honest with their classmates.
Finny has taken an emotional risk in being
completely honest with Gene.
20. Read the paragraph on page 48 that begins, “It was • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
a courageous thing to say.” Explain what Gene generalizations, and predictions and support
means when he states, “Perhaps I was stopped by them from text
that level of feeling, deeper than thought, which
contains the truth.” • Analyze varying aspects of texts such as
cause/effect, themes, and conflicts
Gene is vaguely troubled. He hasn’t yet articulated
for himself exactly what “that level of feeling, deeper
than thought, which contained the truth” is, but he
knows that he cannot reply with the complete
honesty that Finny has just demonstrated. The
feeling stops him. This suggests a conflict within
Gene. There seems to be a duality of feelings that
Gene does not yet want to examine.

_________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Chapter 3
1. Finny is able to convince other students to sign up and join the Super Suicide Society of
the Summer Session because he—
A. is unsure of the society’s success without enough members
B. knows that membership in the society will help the boys prepare for war
C. leads them to believe that the society is a secret tradition of the school
D. knows that the teachers will respect their dedication to the society
2. On pp. 36–37, the statement, “Although he was rarely conscious of it, Phineas was always
being watched, like the weather,” helps the reader to conclude that Finny—
A. is a natural leader for the other boys
B. is not trusted by the other boys
C. acts in a predictable way
D. is a difficult person to talk to most of the time
3. The passage from page 40 (beginning with “For me, this moment”) to page 42 (ending
with “risk being patriotic”) is mainly about the—
A. shortage of goods such as gasoline
B. conditions in America during World War II
C. gruesome death of Mussolini
D. importance of the olive drab color
4. What can the reader conclude about Gene’s reaction to Finny’s breaking the swimming
record?
A. Gene wants to become a better swimmer.
B. Finny’s bragging is difficult for Gene to hear.
C. The friendship between Gene and Finny is strengthened.
D. Gene does not understand Finny’s request for secrecy.
5. When Finny calls Gene his “best pal,” Gene is uncomfortable because—
A. most students at Devon are not emotionally honest with each other
B. he does not think that Finny knows him well enough to say that
C. he does not want Finny to stop including the other boys in their adventures
D. Finny does not possess the qualities that Gene admires in a friend

_________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Short-Answer Quiz
Chapter 3
1. Why does Gene continue to jump out of the tree even though he knows that it is extremely
dangerous? Support your answer with evidence from the selection.
2. In the paragraph on page 40, that begins “Right from the start…,” how does Gene connect
to Finny’s abilities? Explain your answer and support it with evidence from the selection.
3. When Finny breaks the school swimming record, what does the reader learn about
Finny’s athletic abilities? Support your answer with evidence from the selection.

Answer Key
1. Finny is able to convince other students to sign up • Analyze text structures such as cause and
and join the Super Suicide Society of the Summer effect
Session because he—
A. is unsure of the society’s success without • Reference: pp. 33–34
enough members
B. knows that membership in the society will help
the boys prepare for war
C. leads them to believe that the society is a
secret tradition of the school
D. knows that the teachers will respect their
dedication to the society
2. On pp. 36–37, the statement, “Although he was • Draw inferences
rarely conscious of it, Phineas was always being
watched, like the weather,” helps the reader to • Reference: pp. 36–37
conclude that Finny—
A. is a natural leader for the other boys
B. is not trusted by the other boys
3. The passage from page 40 (beginning with “For • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
me, this moment”) to page 42 (ending with “risk
being patriotic”) is mainly about the— • Reference: pp. 40–42
A. shortage of goods such as gasoline
B. conditions in America during World War II
C. gruesome death of Mussolini
D. importance of the olive drab color
4. What can the reader conclude about Gene’s • Draw inferences
reaction to Finny’s breaking the swimming record?
A. Gene wants to become a better swimmer. • Reference: pp. 44–45
C. The friendship between Gene and Finny is
strengthened.
D. Gene does not understand Finny’s request for
secrecy.
5. When Finny calls Gene his “best pal,” Gene is • Analyze text structures such as cause and
uncomfortable because— effect
A. most students at Devon are not emotionally
honest with each other • Reference: p. 48
B. he does not think that Finny knows him well
enough to say that
C. he does not want Finny to stop including the
other boys in their adventures
D. Finny does not possess the qualities that
Gene admires in a friend

Answer Key
Short Answer Quiz
1. Why does Gene continue to jump out of the tree • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
even though he knows that it is extremely responses and interpretations
dangerous? Support your answer with evidence
from the selection. • Reference: p. 34
Suggested Response
Finny establishes the rule that the nightly meetings
of the Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session
must begin with the two Charter Members, Finny
and Gene, jumping out of the tree. Gene never gets
used to the jump, but he does not want to “lose face”
with Finny and the rest of the group. Gene feels as if
his friendship with Finny is a “strait jacket” and that
to maneuver out of it would be “unthinkable.”
2. In the paragraph on page 40 that begins, “Right from • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
the start…,” how does Gene connect to Finny’s responses and interpretations
abilities? Explain your answer and support it with
evidence from the selection. • Reference: p. 40
Suggested Response
Gene seems to be envious of Finny’s successes.
Through questions (“Why not He had made it up,
hadn’t he?” and “What difference did it make?”)
Gene is dismissive of Finny’s talents. Gene’s
reassurances to himself (“I was glad of that too.
Naturally.”) are hollow and unconvincing.
3. When Finny breaks the school swimming record, • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
what does the reader learn about Finny’s athletic responses and interpretations
abilities? Support your answer with evidence from
the selection. • Reference: pp. 42–45
Suggested Response
Even though Finny “had seen racing swimmers do
but had never had occasion to do himself,” he is
able to break the swimming record with little visible
effort. Finny possesses a deep natural ability for
excelling in sports, yet he does not want any
recognition. He makes Gene promise not to tell
anyone about the broken record, and he seems
satisfied simply with the personal knowledge of his
accomplishment. Finny “just wanted to see if I could
do it.”


Chapter 4
pp. 49~60

___________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Vocabulary Words
mordantly (p. 49) indiscriminately (p. 54)
detonation (p. 53) effulgence (p. 55)
obliterated (p. 53) listlessly (p. 59)
enmity (p. 53) undulation (p. 59)
diversions (p. 53) jounced (p. 60)
Discussion Topics
1. Read the first paragraph on page 49 that begins, “The next morning I saw dawn for the
first time.” Describe Gene’s tone as he describes what he sees when he first wakes on the
beach. Use examples from the text to support your position.
2. Read the second paragraph on pages 49–50 that begins, “I turned over… How do Gene’s
perceptions change as he watches the rising sun? Use examples from the text to support
your position.
3. On page 51, Finny tells Gene, “You never waste your time. That’s why I have to do it for
you.” What does this suggest about how Finny might view Gene as a person
4. During the conversation with Finny on pages 51–52, Gene comes to the conclusion that
he wants to graduate at the head of the class because then he would “be even” with
Finny. What does he mean?
5. On page 52, Finny tells Gene, “Relax, Your brain’ll explode if you keep this up.” Later, on
pages 52–53, Gene acknowledges that his brain did “explode” and describes “a swift
chain of explosions.” The “explosions” represent—
6. On page 53, in the paragraph that begins, “Then a second realization broke as clearly and
bleakly…,” which sentence from the paragraph best explains Gene’s “second realization”?
7. On page 54, Gene states that he feels relieved to discover that “the deadly rivalry was on
both sides after all.” What does this suggest about Gene?
8. On page 54, Chet Douglass represents the value of—

9. The author provides a description of Chet Douglass’s study habits in order to—
10. On page 54, Gene’s reasoning as to why he believes he will graduate ahead of Chet
Douglass is ironic because—
11. The speaker’s point of view on pages 53–55 helps the reader to understand—
12. On page 55, why does Gene “redouble” his academic efforts?
13. In the paragraph on page 55 that begins, “It was surprising how well we got along…,”
Gene’s tone is—
14. On page 55, Gene states that he told Mr. Prud’homme how he and Phineas “had flatly
broken a basic rule” and slept on the beach, but that Mr. Prud’homme had “missed the
point.” This suggests that Gene feels—
15. Read the paragraph on page 56 that begins, “And also I didn’t want to let him excel….”
What is Gene’s overall view of Finny?
16. In what way does the conversation that Gene has with Finny on page 58 add to Gene’s
internal conflict?
17. In the paragraph on page 59 that begins, “We followed our gigantic shadows…,” Gene
makes the realization that—
18. On pages 59–60, the paragraph that begins, “Holding firmly to the trunk, I took a step…,”
is mainly about—
19. On page 60, Finny, “his balance gone,” swings his head around to look at Gene “with
extreme interest” just before he falls. What does this suggest?
20. Read the last two sentences on page 60. Why do you think Gene was able to move out on
the limb with “unthinking sureness” and jump, forgetting “every trace” of fear?

mordantly contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
The ocean looked Point out the clues inside the text that would support
dead too… such a meaning.
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as an adverb. It
Sentence Patterns modifies the verb “hissing.” Remind the students that
an adverb can modify a verb, an adjective, or another
adverb.
• Etymology • Point out that the word mordantly has the Latin root
mordere, which means “bite.”
mordant and the noun mordancy.
• Related words • Related words include the adjective mordacious, the
adverb mordaciously, and the noun mordacity.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word mordantly as it is used in the
sentence include caustic, biting, trenchant,
acerbic, sardonic, sarcastic, scathing, acid,
sharp, keen, critical, bitter, virulent, and vitriolic.
had been expecting the dawn to be beautiful, and he
is discovering that it was not beginning the way he
expected. In his imagination, he has personified the
waves, giving them a sarcastic voice. The sound of
the waves seems to be mocking him. This reflects his
sour, depressed mood as he is waking on the beach.


detonation contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
There was a swift Point out the clues inside the text that would support
chain of such a meaning.
explosions… • Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
Sentence Patterns object of the preposition “like” in the prepositional
phrase, “up like a detonation.” Remind students that
a phrase is a group of words that act as a single part
of speech. A prepositional phrase begins with a
is a phrase, can act as if it is an adjective or an
adverb. In this case, “up like a detonation” is
modifying the verb “blasted.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word detonation has the Latin root
detunare, which means “thunder down.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the verb detonate
and the noun detonator.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word detonation as it is used in
the sentence include explosion, discharge, blowing
up, ignition, blast, and bang. Have students record
the word and all of its synonyms on note cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is making it clear he is
feeling a severe and unpleasant shock as he comes
to the realization that, one by one, all of his beliefs
about his friendship with Finny have been inaccurate.
Each belief or “certainty” is “blowing up” in his
imagination. He is feeling a sense of betrayal.


obliterated contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Not rely on absolutely... Point out the clues inside the text that would support
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as a transitive verb.
Sentence Patterns Remind students that the noun or pronoun that is the
subject of the transitive verb either performs or
receives an action. For example, in the sentence,
“The boy hit the ball,” the subject, “boy,” performs the
action on the ball. This is an example of what is called
the active voice. But in the sentence, “The ball was hit
by the boy,” the subject, “ball,” is receiving the action.
It is being hit. This is called the passive voice. In this
sentence from the text, the subject, “that,” is receiving
the action. Therefore, the verb, “was obliterated,” is
in the passive voice.
• Etymology • Point out that the word obliterated has the Latin root
oblittaerare, which means “to erase.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the noun obliteration
and the adjective obliterative.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word obliterated as it is used in
the sentence include destroyed, wiped out,
annihilated, demolished, eliminated, decimated,
liquidated, and eradicated. Have students record
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that, in his
mind, there is absolutely no possibility of finding
anything that he can completely rely upon or trust. He
is compounding the idea that all of his ideas about
trusting Finny have been destroyed. He is building a
case of righteous anger against Finny.

enmity contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
You are even in enmity. Point out the clues inside the text that would support
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as a noun. It is the
Sentence Patterns object of the preposition “in” in the prepositional
phrase, “in enmity.” Remind students that a phrase is
a group of words that act as a single part of speech.
A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition and
ends with a noun. It links its object to some other
word in the sentence and, even though it is a phrase,
can act as if it is an adjective or an adverb. In this
case, “in enmity” is an adverb phrase that is
modifying “are even.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word enmity has the Latin root
inimicus, which means “enemy.”
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word enmity as it is used in the
sentence include hostility, animosity, antagonism,
friction, antipathy, animus, acrimony, bitterness,
rancor, resentment, aversion, ill feeling, bad
feeling, ill will, bad blood, hatred, hate, loathing,
odium, malice, spitefulness, and malevolence.
narrator has decided that Phineas is his enemy and
that they are equal in the bad feeling that they have
toward each other.
diversions contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
That explained Point out the clues inside the text that would support
blitzball… such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns
• Etymology • Point out that the word diversions has the Latin root
divertere.
diversionary and the verb divert.
• Related words • Related words include diversity, diverse, diversify,
divergence, divergent, diverting, and diverge.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word diversions as it is used in the
sentence include entertainment, amusements,
pastimes, delights, divertissements, fun,
recreations, and pleasures. Have students record
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker has decided that Finny is
devising all these different entertainments such as
“blitzball” and the Super Suicide Society, only to
divert the speaker from his goal of making the highest
grades. The “diversions” are causing Gene “to divert,”
or veer away from his goal.


indiscriminately contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
He was vulnerable Point out the clues inside the text that would support
there… such a meaning.
sentence.
• Adverb –ly ending/ • Point out that this word is used as an adverb because
Prefix in– it modifies the verb “worked.” Point out that the –ly
ending serves as a clue that this word may be used
as an adverb. Point out that this word also has the
prefix in–, which affects the meaning of the base
word discriminate.
• Etymology • Point out that the word indiscriminately has the
Latin root in, which means “not” added to the Latin
root discriminare.
• Forms of the word • Another form of the word includes the adjective
indiscriminate.
• Related words • Words that are related to the base word include
discriminating and discriminate.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word indiscriminately as it is used
in the sentence include undiscriminating,
uncritically, aimlessly, haphazardly, randomly,
arbitrarily, unsystematically, and thoughtlessly.
does not care what he is learning or what subject he
is studying. He studies at random. He is only studying
for the grade.


effulgence contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
It was hard to Point out the clues inside the text that would support
remember when… such a meaning.
Sentence Patterns object of the preposition “with” in the prepositional
phrase, “with a cool effulgence.” Remind students
that a phrase is a group of words that act as a single
part of speech. A prepositional phrase begins with a
is a phrase, can act as if it is an adjective or an
adverb. In this case, “with cool effulgence” is an
modifying “broke.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word effulgence has the Latin root
effulgere, which means “to shine out.”
effulgent.
• Related words • Related words include effuse, effused, effusion,
effusive, effusively, and effusiveness.
• Synonyms • A synonym for the word effulgence as it is used in
the sentence is the word radiance. Have students
cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is describing the cool,
brilliant, radiant beauty of the summer days.


• Meaning in context • Ask the students to read the two paragraphs that
listlessly precede the paragraph that contains this sentence.
Then, ask the students to read the entire paragraph
None of this mattered that contains this sentence. Discuss what the
now… meaning of the word might be within the context of
(p. 59) the paragraphs. Point out the clues inside the text
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as an adverb because
Sentence Patterns it is modifying the verb “would have agreed.” Point out
that the –ly ending serves as a clue that this word
may be used as an adverb.
• Etymology • Point out that the word listlessly has the Middle
English root liste, which means “desire.”
listlessness and the adjective listless.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word listlessly as it is used in the
sentence include lethargic, enervated, spiritless,
lifeless, languid, languorous, inactive, inert,
sluggish, and torpid. Have students record the word
and all of its synonyms on note cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker has spent a large part of the
summer in what he has discovered to be an imagined
competition with Finny. He has now realized that
Finny “was not of the same quality.” He is a better
person. He never was hateful. The narrator has just
lost the main impetus for most of his actions over the
summer. He is listless because he realizes that
“none of this mattered now.” He has no drive. He
lacks enthusiasm for anything. It is almost as if he is
disappointed that Finny doesn’t hate him and is not in
competition with him.
undulation contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
From behind us the Point out the clues inside the text that would support
last… such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns
• Etymology • Point out that the word undulation has the Latin root
• Forms of the word undula, which means “small wave.”
• Related words • Another form of the word includes the verb undulate.
• Synonyms • A related word includes the adjective undulant.
• Synonyms for the word undulation as it is used in
the sentence include surge, swell, heave, ripple,
billow, flow, roll, fluctuation, rise, and fall. Have
• Diction/Tone note cards.
• Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that the
setting sun is casting shadows over the hills, rises,
and depressions in the land. The shadows are
outlining the bushes, plants, and irregularities of the
land’s surface, making them more noticeable.


jounced contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Holding firmly to the Point out the clues inside the text that would support
trunk… such a meaning.
(pp. 59–60) • Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as transitive verb.
Sentence Patterns
• Etymology • Point out that the word jounced has the Middle
English root jouncen.
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the noun jounce and
the adjective jouncy.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word jounce as it is used in the
sentence include bounce and jostle. Have students
cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that it was
very small movement that caused Finny to fall.
Students may want to discuss the similarity in sounds
between jounce and joust, a word that describes
combat between two knights.

Answer Key
Discussion Topics

1. Read the first paragraph on page 49 that begins, • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
“The next morning I saw dawn for the first time.” tone
Describe Gene’s tone as he describes what he sees
when he first wakes on the beach. Use examples • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
from the text to support your position. responses and interpretations
Overall, Gene seems to be melancholic. He notes
that the dawn is “a strange gray thing” and not “the
gorgeous fanfare over the ocean” that he had
expected it to be. He seems disappointed that the
dawn was not what he expected. He calls the ocean
“dead” and the beach “gray and dead-looking.”
Even a sleeping Phineas looks “more dead than
asleep.” The waves are also “dead” and “gray,” but
they are also “hissing mordantly,” as if they are
sarcastically berating him for being here on the
beach instead of at school where he knows he
should be. The hissing waves could represent an
undercurrent of frustration and anger that lies
beneath Gene’s melancholy.
2. Read the second paragraph on pages 49–50 that • Analyze text structures such as compare and
begins, “I turned over…” How do Gene’s contrast for how they influence understanding
perceptions change as he watches the rising sun
Use examples from the text to support your position.
Gene’s attitude seems to lift somewhat as he

watches the rising sun slowly begin to transform the
beach, turning it from something gray to something
beautiful. He notices that the gray “burlap sky” is
beginning to change “very gradually.” He notices
“beacons of color” beginning to “pierce the sky,”
adding slivers of beauty to what was only a dead
gray. He notices that the ocean reflects the “colored
slivers in the sky,” and he comments that the
formerly “hissing” and “gray” waves now have
“bright high lights” on their tips. He becomes aware
of a “deep midnight green” that is “lurking” under the
gray surface of the ocean. The “gray and dead-
looking” beach slowly transforms from “deadness”
to a “spectral gray-white” to “more white than gray,”
to “totally white and stainless, as pure as the shores
of Eden.” This progression of color changes
parallels a lifting of Gene’s mood. Gene, who had
formerly described Phineas as looking “more dead
than asleep,” now thinks of him as being like
“Lazarus, brought back to life by the touch of God.”
Gene is no longer speaking of things that are dead
and gray, but is marveling at the beauty that the
dawn has wrought over the beach and everyone on
it. Gene is discovering that the dawn is not the
instant “glorious fanfare over the ocean” that he
expected, but that given time, it would transform a
beach and everything on it from looking dead to
looking alive, pure, and touched by God.


3. On page 51, Finny tells Gene, “You never waste • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
your time. That’s why I have to do it for you.” What generalizations, and predictions and support
does this suggest about how Finny might view Gene them from text
as a person?
Gene is comfortable studying and following the
school rules. He is a “bookworm.” He is extremely
conservative in his actions and does not have the
irreverent sense of play that characterizes Finny.
This comment suggests that Finny has taken it upon
himself to bring the straight-laced, uptight Gene out
of his shell.
4. During the conversation with Finny on pages 51–52, • Describe and analyze the development of plot
Gene comes to the conclusion that he wants to and identify conflicts and how they are
graduate at the head of the class because then he addressed and resolved
would “be even” with Finny. What does he mean?
Gene knows that Finny is superior to him on the

athletic field, but Gene is superior to Finny in the
academic field. Gene feels that if he could graduate
at the head of his class and win academic awards,
he could consider himself “even” with Finny who
has won several athletic awards. He has finally
found a way to compete with Finny.
5. On page 52, Finny tells Gene, “Relax, Your brain’ll • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
explode if you keep this up.” Later, on pages 52–53, metaphor, anaphora, and symbolism
Gene acknowledges that his brain did “explode,”
and describes “a swift chain of explosions.” The • Describe and analyze the development of plot
“explosions” represent— and identify conflicts and how they are
addressed and resolved
Gene is disavowing certain ideas that, until now, he
had believed to be true. In the anaphora that occurs
after the hyphen on page 53, Gene lists the ideas
that he has now concluded to be false. They are:
• That Gene could ever have a best friend
• That “in the jungle of a boy’s school,” there
could ever be “affection and partnership and
sticking by someone and relying on someone”
• That there could be “anyone in this school—in
this world—whom I could trust”
Gene is convincing himself that Finny is not a true
friend and that Finny must have some underlying
reason for his actions that have nothing to do with
friendship and trust. Gene is listing the ways he is
feeling betrayed.
6. On page 53, in the paragraph that begins, “Then a • Describe and analyze the development of plot
second realization broke as clearly and bleakly…,” and identify conflicts and how they are
which sentence from the paragraph best explains addressed and resolved
Gene’s “second realization”?
• Analyze text structure
“It was all cold trickery, it was all calculated, it was
all enmity.” This sentence, the last one in the
paragraph, brings together all the other sentences,
• Draw inferences such as conclusions,
which are the examples that Gene is citing for
them from text
believing that Finny is not really his best friend, but
only engaged in a competition to see who can “get
ahead.”


7. On page 54, Gene states that he feels relieved to • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
discover that “the deadly rivalry was on both sides generalizations, and predictions and support
after all.” What does this suggest about Gene? them from text
On page 44, after Finny forbids Gene from telling • Analyze characters
anyone that Finny had broken the swimming record,
Gene tells Finny, “You’re too good to be true.” On
page 45, Gene reflects that Finny seemed “too
unusual for rivalry” and that “few relationships
among us at Devon” were “not based on rivalry.”
Finny’s keeping his record-breaking swim a secret
is shocking to Gene because it suggests that Finny
competes for competition’s sake and not for
personal glory. Gene cannot understand pure
motives. Gene does understand rivalry, however.
He now believes that he can see calculation behind
Finny’s actions. He identifies Finny’s actions as
tools Finny is using to put himself ahead of Gene,
and Gene now feels comfortable because he
believes he has identified motives in Finny that he
has in himself.
8. On page 54, Chet Douglass represents the value • Analyze text structures such as cause and
of— effect
love of learning; learning just for the sake of • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
learning symbolism
9. The author provides a description of Chet • Analyze characteristics of text, including
Douglass’s study habits in order to— patterns of organization and word choice
explain why Gene believes that he can surpass

Chet Douglass academically and graduate at the
head of his class (p. 54)
10. On page 54, Gene’s reasoning as to why he • Understand literary elements such as irony
believes he will graduate ahead of Chet Douglass is
ironic because—
Chet Douglass is a true academic, loving to learn

new things because it helps him to look at the world
“in a new way.” When he continues to read Voltaire
in French even after the class has moved on to
other subjects, he is demonstrating his “very
genuineness of his interest in learning.” Gene,
however, sees Chet’s “genuineness” as a weakness
and studies “indiscriminately,” not because he loves
to learn but because he seeks to achieve the goal of
graduating at the top of his class—ahead of Chet.
The irony is that Chet is really the superior scholar
and will probably remember more of what he learns
because it is important to him. Gene, however, does
not find learning interesting but only a means to an
end. It is the grade he seeks and not what the grade
represents, which is the amount of learning that has
supposedly occurred. Gene will probably not have
Chet’s depth of understanding about subjects they
both study, yet Gene believes that his indiscriminate
study will earn him the top academic prize that tells
the world that he—not Chet—is the superior
student.


11. The speaker’s point of view on pages 53–55 helps • Compare and contrast varying aspects of texts
the reader to understand— such as themes, conflicts, and allusions
why Gene is determined to hate Finny

12. On page 55, why does Gene “redouble” his • Analyze text structures such as cause/effect
academic efforts? and how they influence understanding
Gene believes that he and Finny will no longer be • Describe and analyze the development of plot
“even” because “while [Finny] was a very poor and identify conflicts and how they are
student, [Gene] was a pretty good athlete.” Gene addressed and resolved
believes that the “scales… would in the end tilt
definitely toward” himself. Gene sees himself as
surpassing the athletic and popular Finny in the self-
styled competition he has devised.
13. In the paragraph on page 55 that begins, “It was • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
surprising how well we got along…,” Gene’s tone tone
is—
conflicted. Gene is fighting his affection for Finny.

He has to remember what he believes to be Finny’s
“treachery.” He has to “guard against” “some feeling
so hopelessly promising.” He is finding it hard to
remember “who [he] hated and who hated [him].
The hatred and jealousy that he is nurturing does
not seem to belong in the beautiful world he is
experiencing at Devon that summer.
14. On page 55, Gene states that he told Mr. • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
Prud’homme how he and Phineas “had flatly broken generalizations, and predictions and support
a basic rule” and slept on the beach, but that Mr. them from text
Prud’homme had “missed the point.” This suggests
that Gene feels— • Describe and analyze the development of plot
and identify conflicts and how they are
disappointed that he and Phineas will not be addressed and resolved
disciplined or have to serve any consequences for
breaking a “basic rule.” He follows this revelation
with the statement, “No one cared, no one
exercised any real discipline over us; we were on
our own.” He feels that those in authority, those who
should have enforced the rules, have abandoned
him.
15. Read the paragraph on page 56 that begins, “And • Use elements of text to defend responses and
also I didn’t want to let him excel….” What is Gene’s interpretations
overall view of Finny?
Gene sees Finny as a rival and an enemy. He

states that Finny had a heart that “was a den of
lonely, selfish ambition. He was no better than I
was, no matter who won all the contests.”


16. In what way does the conversation that Gene has • Compare and contrast varying aspects of texts
with Finny on page 58 add to Gene’s internal such as themes and conflicts
conflict?
Finny tells Gene that he didn’t know Gene needed

to study, and Gene realizes that Finny thinks
Gene’s academic success comes without effort.
Gene realizes that Finny doesn’t “know yet that he
was unique.” Finny even tells Gene to not “mess
around” and “It’s going to be all A’s” for Gene. This
is not consistent with Gene’s theory that Finny
wants Gene to fail so that Finny can win the rivalry
that Gene believes exists between them.
17. In the paragraph on page 59 that begins, “We • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
followed our gigantic shadows…,” Gene makes the
realization that—
there never was any rivalry between he and Finny

and that Gene “was not of the same quality” as
Finny.
18. On pages 59–60, the paragraph that begins, • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
“Holding firmly to the trunk, I took a step…,” is
mainly about—
Gene jouncing the limb, causing Finny to fall off the

tree limb and “hit the bank with a sickening,
unnatural thud
19. On page 60, Finny, “his balance gone,” swings his • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
head around to look at Gene “with extreme interest” generalizations, and predictions and support
just before he falls. What does this suggest? them from text
Finny realizes that Gene “jounced” the limb and is

surprised. The fact that he looks at Gene “with
extreme interest” and not with anger or
disappointment suggests that Finny is wondering
what motive Gene might have for such an action.
He does not seem to believe that Gene would have
meant any harm.
20. Read the last two sentences on page 60. Why do • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
you think Gene was able to move out on the limb generalizations, and predictions and support
with “unthinking sureness” and jump, forgetting them from text
“every trace” of fear?
Gene has been looking for a way to make himself

“even” with Finny. He has just caused Finny to
make “the first clumsy physical action” that Gene
“had ever seen him make.” Gene is now free to
jump, knowing that his jump cannot be compared to
Finny’s jump. He has finally bested Finny in a
physical task the task of jumping from the limb.

_________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Chapter 4
1. When Gene wakes up at the beach, words such as gray, drained light, dead, and
mordantly help create a mood of—
A. melancholy
B. surprise
C. regret
D. anticipation
2. Chet Douglass symbolizes the value of—

A. forgiving others
B. setting reachable goals
C. the love of learning
D. working as a team
3. When Gene tells Mr. Prud’homme how he and Finny had slept on the beach, it becomes
evident that—
A. Gene regrets telling him about the beach
B. Gene is worried about receiving punishment for his actions
C. Mr. Prud’homme enjoys a good story
D. the rules are not being strictly enforced during the summer
4. During the time before final examinations, a turning point occurs when—
A. Leper decides to jump from the tree to join the Suicide Society
B. Finny tells Gene that he did not think Gene needed to study
C. the French examination is announced
D. Finny declares that the Suicide Society is “only a game”
5. Which statement from the text best shows that Gene feels like he has won the competition
against Finny?
A. What he meant was clear enough, but I was groping for what lay behind his words, for
what his thoughts could possibly be.
B. I said nothing, my mind exploring the new dimensions of isolation around me.
C. None of this mattered now; I would have listlessly agreed to anything.
D. With unthinking sureness I moved out on the limb and jumped into the river, every
trace of my fear of this forgotten.

_________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Short-Answer Quiz
Chapter 4
1. In the conversation on pp. 51–52, Finny tells Gene, “You never waste your time. That’s
why I have to do it for you.” What does Gene conclude about Finny’s opinion of him
Support your answer with evidence from the selection.
2. In Chapter 4, why does Gene believe that he will graduate ahead of Chet Douglass?
Support your answer with evidence from the selection.
3. Why is Finny’s opinion of Gene’s need to study important to Gene? Explain your answer

Answer Key
1. When Gene wakes up at the beach, words such as • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
gray, drained light, dead, and mordantly help create mood
a mood of—
A. melancholy • Reference: p. 49
B. surprise
C. regret
D. anticipation
2. Chet Douglass symbolizes the value of— • Understand and analyze literary terms such a
A. forgiving others symbolism
B. setting reachable goals
C. the love of learning • Reference: p. 54
D. working as a team
3. When Gene tells Mr. Prud’homme how he and • Draw inferences
Finny had slept on the beach, it becomes evident
that— • Reference: p. 55
A. Gene regrets telling him about the beach
B. Gene is worried about receiving punishment
for his actions
C. Mr. Prud’homme enjoys a good story
D. the rules are not being strictly enforced during
the summer
4. During the time before final examinations, a turning • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
point occurs when— texts including the patterns of organization,
A. Leper decides to jump from the tree to join the syntax, and word choice
Suicide Society
B. Finny tells Gene that he did not think Gene • Reference: pp. 56–59
needed to study
C. the French examination is announced
D. Finny declares that the Suicide Society is
“only a game”
5. Which statement from the text best shows that • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
Gene feels like he has won the competition against responses and interpretations
Finny?
A. What he meant was clear enough, but I was • Reference: pp. 58–60
groping for what lay behind his words, for
B. I said nothing, my mind exploring the new
dimensions of isolation around me.
C. None of this mattered now; I would have
listlessly agreed to anything.
D. With unthinking sureness I moved out on the
limb and jumped into the river, every trace of
my fear of this forgotten.

Answer Key
Short Answer Quiz
1. In the conversation on pp. 51–52, Finny tells Gene, • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
“You never waste your time. That’s why I have to responses and interpretations
do it for you.” What does Gene conclude about
Finny’s opinion of him? Support your answer with • Reference: pp. 51–52
Suggested Response
Gene decides that Finny must want to sabotage his
academic success so that Finny can continue to be
more successful than Gene. Gene decides that
Finny must feel threatened that they might “be
even,” that they might both “come out on top.”
When Gene offers the possibility that he might be
head of the class, Finny confirms Gene’s
suspicions with his off-hand comment, “I’d kill
myself out of jealous envy.” Gene is convinced of
the hate and rivalry that must exist between them.
2. In Chapter 4, why does Gene believe that he will • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
graduate ahead of Chet Douglass? Support your responses and interpretations
Suggested Response
Due to his increased competitiveness with Finny,
Gene becomes “quite the student.” When Chet
continues to read Voltaire in French even after the
class has moved on the other things, he is
demonstrating his “very genuineness of his interest
in learning.” Gene, however, sees Chet’s
“genuineness” as a weakness and as a distraction.
Gene studies “indiscriminately,” not because he
loves to learn but because he seeks to achieve his
goal of graduating at the top of his class.
3. Why is Finny’s opinion of Gene’s need to study • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
important to Gene? Explain your answer and responses and interpretations
support it with evidence from the selection.
Suggested Response
Finny tells Gene that he didn’t know Gene “needed
to study,” and Gene realizes that Finny thinks
Gene’s academic success comes without effort.
Gene recognizes that Finny “doesn’t know yet that
he was unique.” This is not consistent with Gene’s
theory that Finny wants Gene to fail so that Finny
can win the rivalry that Gene believes exists
between them. Gene now knows that “there never
was and never could have been any rivalry”
because Gene “was not of the same quality” as
Finny.


Chapter 5
pp. 61~71

___________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Vocabulary Words
distinction (p. 62) ludicrous (p. 66)
transformation (p. 62) irresolutely (p. 67)
denounce (p. 63) reverie (p. 67)
diminished (p. 64) erratic (p. 67)
decalogue (p. 66) disown (p. 70)
Discussion Topics
1. What tone is prevalent in the first three paragraphs of the chapter?
2. On page 61, Gene states that the masters feel as though “it was especially unfair that it
should strike one of the sixteen-year-olds, one of the few young men who could be free
and happy in the summer of 1942.” What does Finny’s injury represent to the masters?
3. When Gene dresses in Finny’s clothes, the reflection he sees in the mirror symbolizes—
4. Which sentence on page 62 best describes Gene’s inner conflict?
5. Which sentence on page 63 is an example of irony?
6. On pages 63-64, in the paragraph that begins, “Dr. Stanpole hesitated…,” the doctor
states, “If I had the slightest hope that he could do more than walk I’d be all for trying for
everything. There is no such hope. I’m sorry, as of course everyone is.” These statements
emphasize—
7. Why does Dr. Stanhope call Finny’s injury a tragedy?
8. On page 64, Gene states, “Most of all I cried because of kindness, which I had not
expected.” This admission emphasizes his—
9. On page 64, Gene sees Finny for the first time after Finny’s fall. From the description of
Gene’s reaction, the reader can tell that he is—

10. Reread the paragraph on page 31 that begins, “We were standing on a limb….” Compare
and contrast Gene’s description of the prelude to his jump that helped to “officially”
establish the Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session” with Finny’s description of
the prelude to his jump, which ended with his fall.
11. In the paragraph on page 65 that begins, “Finny, I—, the author uses a simile to—
12. On page 65, when Gene states, “I was fighting for air in this close room,” it emphasizes—
13. On page 65, Finny recalls that the instant before his fall, he noted Gene looking
“personally shocked” as if Gene was the one falling from the limb. This suggests that
Gene’s action—
14. On pages 65–66, in the sentence that begins, “There was a hard block of silence…,” why
does Gene use the word detonate?
15. On page 66, a turning point for Gene in the story occurs when—
16. Why does Dr. Stanpole decide that “Finny was not yet well enough to see visitors, even
old pals like” Gene?
17. On page 67, Gene states, “I went south for a month’s vacation in my home town and spent
it in an atmosphere of reverie and unreality, as though I had lived that month once already
and had not been interested by it the first time either.” This statement helps the reader to
understand—
18. Why does Gene decide to visit Finny at his home?
19. On page 70, Gene states, “It struck me then that I was injuring him again. It occurred to
me that this could be an even deeper injury than what I had done before.” What does he
mean?
20. When Finny returns to Devon, Gene will most likely—

Vocabulary Activities for

distinction contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
the word might be within the context of the
It’s high, somewhat paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
stiff collar… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns object of the preposition of in the prepositional
phrase, “of strangeness and distinction.” Remind
students that a phrase is a group of words that act
as a single part of speech. A prepositional phrase
begins with a preposition and ends with a noun. It
links its object to some other word in the sentence
and, even though it is a phrase, can act as if it is an
adjective or an adverb. In this case, “of strangeness
and distinction” is modifying the noun “sense.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word distinction has the Latin
root distinctus, which means “distinguish.”
• Related words • Related words include distinct, distinctly,
distinctness, distinctive, distinctively, and
distinctiveness.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word distinction as it is used in
the sentence include importance, significance,
note, consequence, renown, fame, celebrity,
prominence, eminence, preeminence, repute,
reputation, merit, worth, greatness, excellence,
and quality. Have students record the word and all
felt special, as if he were a person of note and
renown. This begs the question that perhaps he
does not normally feel like a person of note, that
perhaps he normally has low self-esteem.

Vocabulary Activities Chapter 5 (continued)

transformation contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
The sense of paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
transformation… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns object of the preposition of in the prepositional
phrase, “of transformation.” Remind students that a
phrase is a group of words that act as a single part
preposition and ends with a noun. It links its object
to some other word in the sentence and, even
though it is a phrase, can act as if it is an adjective
or an adverb. In this case, “of transformation” is
modifying “sense.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word transformation has the
Latin root transformare.
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the verb transform
and the adjective transformable.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word transformation as it is used
in the sentence include change, alteration,
mutation, conversion, metamorphosis,
transfiguration, transmutation, remaking, and
morphing. Have students record the word and all of
feels as if he has changed into a totally different
person. It is interesting that he sees Finny in the
mirror’s reflection. Perhaps he is recognizing briefly
that he has some of the qualities that make Finny
special.


denounce contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
He might denounce… paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
(p. 63) would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns
• Etymology • Point out that the word denounce has the Latin root
denuntiare.
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the verb denounce
and the nouns denouncement and denouncer.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word denounce as it is used in
the sentence include condemn, criticize, attack,
censure, decry, revile, vilify, discredit, reject,
malign, slur, and castigate. Have students record
knows he betrayed Finny by jouncing the limb. Now
that Finny is awake, Gene expects Finny to tell
others about the betrayal on the limb.
diminished contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
He seemed to have paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
diminished… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as a verb.
Sentence Patterns
• Etymology • Point out that the word diminished has the Middle
English root diminishen.
diminishment and the adjective diminishable.
• Related words • Related words include diminutive and diminution.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word diminished as it is used in
the sentence include decreased, lessened,
declined, reduced, faded, waned, and dwindled.
Finny looks frail, not strong and healthy. He seems
smaller in size. This shows how ill he has been
since his fall.


decalogue contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
It was only a feeling paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
he had… would support such a meaning.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as an noun.
Sentence Patterns
• Etymology • Point out that the word decalogue has the Greek
root dekalogos, which means “ten laws.”
• Diction/Tone • The use of this word suggests that Finny has his
own set of commandments that outline his code of
ethics. He considers these commandments to be so
important that they are his decalogue, his Bible.
• Meaning in context • Ask the students to read the paragraph that
ludicrous immediately precedes the paragraph that contains
this sentence. Ask the students to read the entire
It was so ludicrous… paragraph that contains this sentence. Discuss what
(p. 66) the meaning of the word might be within the context
of the two paragraphs. Point out the clues inside the
Sentence Patterns adjective. The adjective follows the linking verb
“was,” and the adjective modifies the pronoun ‘It.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word ludicrous has the Latin root
ludicrus, which means “playful.”
ludicrousness and the adverb ludicrously.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word ludicrous as it is used in the
sentence include ridiculous, farcical, laughable,
risible, preposterous, foolish, insane, idiotic,
stupid, inane, silly, asinine, nonsensical, and
absurd. Have students record the word and all of its
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker realizes that all his
imaginings during this summer have been totally in
error. He feels guilty about not only what happened
on the limb, but about the misjudgments that led up
to what happened on the limb.


irresolutely contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
But to me it seemed paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
irresolutely… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifies the adjective suspended. Point out that the
ending –ly serves as a clue that this word may be
an adverb. Note also that this word has the prefix ir–
, which means “not.”
• Etymology • Point out that the base word resolute comes from
the Latin root resolutus, which means “to resolve.”
irresoluteness, irresolution and the adjective
irresolute.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word irresolutely as it is used in
the sentence include indecisively, hesitantly,
vacillatingly, equivocally, dithering, waveringly,
ambivalently, doubtfully, uncertainly, and
undecidedly. Have students record the word and all
feels that the official end of the Summer Session
came too soon. He views the month he spent at
home as wasted. The speaker cannot seem to find
closure. Emotionally, he is not ready for the Fall
Session.


reverie contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I went south for a paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
month’s vacation… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns object of the preposition “of” in the prepositional
phrase, “of reverie and unreality.” Remind students
that a phrase is a group of words that act as a single
part of speech. A prepositional phrase begins with a
or an adverb. In this case, “of reverie and unreality”
is modifying the noun “atmosphere.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word reverie has the Middle
English root revelry, which means “to dream, rave.”
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word reverie as it is used in the
sentence include daydream, daydreaming, trance,
musing, inattention, preoccupation, and lack of
concentration. Have students record the word and
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that while
he is at home, his mind has been preoccupied. He is
not himself. Discuss the behaviors that a person in
his state would display (quiet, moody, unfocused,
and disinterested in others).
erratic contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
At the end of paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
September… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifies the noun “trains.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word erratic has the Latin root
errare, which means “to wander.”
erratically and the noun erraticism.
• Related words • Related words include err, errancy, errand, errant,
and errantry.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word erratic as it is used in the
sentence include unpredictable, inconsistent,
changeable, variable, inconstant, irregular, fitful,
unstable, changing, fluctuating, undependable,
and unreliable. Have students record the word and
September, 1942, traveling is difficult and somewhat
frustrating because trains seldom run according to
their schedules.


disown contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I would have to back paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
out of it… would support such a meaning.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is normally a transitive verb.
Sentence Patterns/ In this sentence, however, the verb is in the infinitive
Prefix dis– form. An infinitive form of the verb is a form that can
behave as if it were a noun, an adjective, or an
adverb. Most infinitives begin with “to.’ In this
sentence, the infinitive to disown is behaving like
an adverb because it modifies the verb “would
have.” Note also that this word has a prefix dis–,
which means “not.” Discuss how this affects the
meaning of the base word.
• Etymology • Point out that the base word own comes from the
Middle English owen. The prefix dis– comes from
the Latin dis–, which means “apart, asunder.”
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word disowned as it is used in
the sentence include reject, abandon, renounce,
deny, forsake, and cast aside. Have students
cards.
wants to take back his confession. It wants to undo
and distance himself from what has been said. He
even begins to question his own memory, asking
himself if he had “definitely and knowingly done it to
him after all.”

Answer Key
Discussion Topics

1. What tone is prevalent in the first three paragraphs • Analyze the characteristics of text, including
of the chapter? patterns of organization, syntax, and word
choice
Gene feels guilty and fearful of retribution for his
action. Upon learning that Finny’s leg is “shattered,” • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
he doesn’t ask for clarification, suggesting that it tone
would be too upsetting to him to find out the true
extent of the serious injury for which he was
responsible. He reflects that out of his hearing,
“people must have talked of other things,” but to
him, “everyone talked of Phineas.” Gene seems to
perceive that conversation topics change when he is
present. He reasons that he supposed “this was only
natural” but may be concerned about the subject
matter of those “other things.” This suggests that he
is wondering if others know of his guilt and are
speculating about it when he is not there. He
recognizes that “the effect of [Finny’s] injury on the
masters seemed deeper than after other disasters,”
which underscores the fact that the consequence of
Gene’s action on that limb has had far-reaching
effects. In the third paragraph, Gene “couldn’t go on
hearing about it much longer.” He knows he will
have to prepare a defense for his action, but no one
seems suspicious. The last sentence, “Phineas must
still be too sick, or too noble, to tell them,” suggests
that Gene knows it will only be a matter of time
before everyone will find out that Finny’s best friend
is responsible for his injury (pp. 61–62).
2. On page 61, Gene states that the masters feel as • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
though “it was especially unfair that it should strike symbolism
one of the sixteen-year-olds, one of the few young
men who could be free and happy in the summer of • Connect literature to historical contexts
1942.” What does Finny’s injury represent to the
masters?
In 1942, young men who were only a year older than

Finny were not able to be “free and happy in the
summer of 1942.” They had been drafted into a war
and were dying or becoming maimed on the
battlefield. Because of their injuries, they could no
longer “be free and happy.” Finny’s injury
symbolizes the injuries that so many young men
were suffering because his injury is now preventing
him from being “free and happy in the summer of
1942.”
3. When Gene dresses in Finny’s clothes, the • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
reflection he sees in the mirror symbolizes— symbolism
Phineas as he existed before his fall from the tree.

Some students may want to explore the idea that
the reflection may also symbolize the characteristics
of Phineas that are present but repressed in Gene.
When Gene dons Phineas’s clothes, those
characteristics of humor and optimistic awareness
are revealed (p. 62).


4. Which sentence on page 62 best describes Gene’s • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
inner conflict? responses and interpretations
“That night I slept easily, and it was only on waking

up that this illusion was gone, and I was confronted
with myself, and what I had done to Finny.”
5. Which sentence on page 63 is an example of irony? • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
“Oh, you know Finny.” This is an example of verbal
irony because Gene admits in the next sentence • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
that he “was pretty sure” he “didn’t know Finny at verbal irony
all.”
6. On pages 63–64, in the paragraph that begins, “Dr. • Analyze the development of plot and identify
Stanpole hesitated…,” the doctor states, “If I had the conflicts and how they are addressed and
slightest hope that he could do more than walk I’d resolved
be all for trying for everything. There is no such
hope. I’m sorry, as of course everyone is.” These
statements emphasize—
the seriousness and life-changing effect of Finny’s

injuries. Finny is maimed for life and will never be as
he was. There is no hope for a miraculous cure.
7. Why does Dr. Stanhope call Finny’s injury a • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
tragedy? tragedy
Finny had been a naturally gifted athlete, who had

been awarded several accolades for sportsmanship
and performance. This natural gift, which had been
the source of so much joy for Finny and those
around him, has now been destroyed, never to be
retrieved (p. 64).
8. On page 64, Gene states, “Most of all I cried • Analyze the development of plot and identify
because of kindness, which I had not expected.” conflicts and how they are addressed and
This admission emphasizes his— resolved
fear that his role in Finny’s “accident” will be

revealed at any moment, causing others to hate and
revile him for causing this “tragedy.”
9. On page 64, Gene sees Finny for the first time after • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
Finny’s fall. From the description of Gene’s reaction, generalizations, and predictions and support
the reader can tell that he is— them from text
shocked and surprised to see exactly how seriously

Finny is injured. Gene has been fully and abruptly
confronted with the consequences of his momentary
action on the limb. The knowledge of his
responsibility for Finny’s condition and the ensuing
guilt have triggered an intense physical response,
the feeling that he is “about to black out.”


10. Reread the paragraph on page 31 that begins, “We • Summarize texts by identifying main ideas and
were standing on a limb….” Compare and contrast supporting details
Gene’s description of the prelude to his jump that
helped to “officially” establish the Super Suicide • Compare and contrast varying aspects of texts
Society of the Summer Session” with Finny’s including the patterns of organization, syntax,
description of the prelude to his jump, which ended and word choice
with his fall.
During the first jump described on page 31, Gene

relates that both Finny and Gene are standing on
the limb, with Gene “a little further out than Finny.”
Gene turns to say something to Finny, begins to
lose his balance, and has “a moment of total,
impersonal panic” as he realizes he is about to fall.
Finny reaches out and grabs Gene’s arm, restoring
his balance, removing his panic, and allowing him to
make “a good jump.” On page 65, Finny remembers
that both Finny and Gene were on the limb. He
remembers that “something jiggled” and that he
turned to look at Gene, thinking that he “could reach
out and get hold” of him so he “wouldn’t fall off” the
limb. Gene claims that he “reached out” for Finny,
but “there was only air.”
11. In the paragraph on page 65 that begins, “Finny, • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
I—,” the author uses a simile to— simile
emphasize Gene’s apprehension in being unable to

avoid Finny, the friend he has betrayed and the one
witness who knows the whole, unvarnished truth of
what happened on that limb
12. On page 65, when Gene states, “I was fighting for • Identify conflicts and how they are addressed
air in this close room,” it emphasizes— and resolved
his desperation to leave

13. On page 65, Finny recalls that the instant before his • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
fall, he noted Gene looking “personally shocked” as responses and interpretations
if Gene was the one falling from the limb. This
suggests that Gene’s action—
surprised Gene as much as it surprised Finny. Gene

probably did not realize that he was capable of such
betrayal. The action may have originated from an
instinctive, primal, and heretofore unrecognized
source within Gene. Up until the incident on the
limb, Gene had been engaged in an imagined rivalry
with Finny, a rivalry that allowed Gene to excuse his
feelings of competitive jealousy for Finny’s
accomplishments. The fall ended Finny’s innocently
carefree summer, but it also ended Gene’s
innocence about himself. He now knows that he is
capable of doing evil and that revelation about
himself “personally shocked” him.
14. On pages 65–66, in the sentence that begins, • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
“There was a hard block of silence…,” why does responses and interpretations
Gene use the word detonate?
He is showing how much he fears Finny’s answer

and its effect on them both.


15. On page 66, a turning point for Gene in the story • Analyze characteristics of text, including the
occurs when— patterns of organization, syntax, and word
choice
Finny tells Gene, “I’m sorry about the feeling I had.”
Gene realizes that Finny is not going to expose him
and is apologizing for even thinking that Gene could
perpetrate such a betrayal. Up until this point, Gene
has been trying to hide his action. On page 65, he
asks as if he does not know, “What happened, what
happened? How did you fall, how could you fall off
like that?” Finny’s “sincere, drugged apology for
having suspected the truth” has now spurred Gene
to tell the truth (“Finny, I’ve got something to tell you.
You’re going to hate it, but there’s something I’ve
got to tell you.”)
16. Why does Dr. Stanpole decide that “Finny was not • Analyze text structures such as cause and
yet well enough to see visitors, even old pals like” effect for how they influence understanding
Gene?
When Dr. Stanpole enters the room just as Gene generalizations, and predictions and support
was about to “tell the truth,” he must note an them from text
elevated level of stress in Finny. Gene’s words are
agitating, rather than calming, Finny. Dr. Stanpole
tells Gene on page 64, “You’ve got to be cheerful
and hopeful. He needs that from you.” Gene
obviously is being neither cheerful nor hopeful, and
Finny, who had already fallen “back against the
pillows,” is not benefiting from Gene’s visit. Dr.
Stanpole wants to protect his patient. Sending Finny
home will insulate him from those who would
otherwise cause him stress.
17. On page 67, Gene states, “I went south for a • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
month’s vacation in my home town and spent it in an generalizations, and predictions and support
atmosphere of reverie and unreality, as though I had them from text
lived that month once already and had not been
interested by it the first time either.” This statement
helps the reader to understand—
that just as Gene spends a good amount of the

summer session at Devon questioning his motives,
the motives of others, and what was real and unreal,
he spends the month of his vacation “in an
atmosphere of reverie and unreality, as though I had
lived that month once already and had not been
interested by it the first time either.” Gene’s guilt and
fear follow him home and plague him during his
vacation.
18. Why does Gene decide to visit Finny at his home? • Analyze text structures such as cause and
He wants to tell Finny the truth about what
happened on the limb (p. 69).


19. On page 70, Gene states, “It struck me then that I • Analyze characteristics of text, including the
was injuring him again. It occurred to me that this patterns of organization, syntax, and word
could be an even deeper injury than what I had done choice
before.” What does he mean?
Gene realizes that by acknowledging his betrayal, responses and interpretations
he has admitted disloyalty and it is the disloyalty that
hurts Finny more than any physical wound. Finny is
a person who seeks “a flow of simple, unregulated
friendliness” (p. 22); who “was the essence of
careless peace” (p. 24); who has been “courageous”
enough to tell Gene he was his “best pal” (p. 48);
who “had tremendous loyalty to the class, as he did
to any group he belonged to, beginning with him and
[Gene] and radiating outward past the limits of
humanity toward spirits and clouds and stars”
(p. 42), and who is so honest that he believes in
“never say[ing] you are five feet nine when you are
five feet eight and a half” (p. 35). The betrayal has
become “an even deeper injury” than the broken leg.
20. When Finny returns to Devon, Gene will most • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
likely— generalizations, and predictions and support
them from text
try to “make it up to him” by going out of his way to
“take it back” and hide the truth of what happened
on the limb from Finny (pp. 70–71)

MASTER
_________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Chapter 5
1. Which of the following sentences describes Gene’s inner conflict after Finny’s accident?
A. Out of my hearing people must have talked of other things, but everyone talked about
Phineas to me.
B. The effect of his injury on the masters seemed deeper than after other disasters I
remembered there.
C. I had no idea why this gave me such intense relief, but it seemed, standing there in
Finny’s triumphant shirt, that I would never stumble through the confusions of my own
character again.
D. That night I slept easily, and it was only on waking up that this illusion was gone, and I
was confronted with myself, and what I had done to Finny.
2. During his conversation with Gene, Dr. Stanpole remarks, “Oh, you know Finny.” Why is
this statement ironic?
A. Gene knows Finny better than anyone.
B. Finny is not an honest person.
C. Gene believes that he really does not know Finny.
D. Finny does not have clear, predictable character traits.
3. Why does Gene burst into tears when Dr. Stanpole puts his hand on Gene’s shoulder?
A. Gene believes that he does not deserve any kindness.
B. Dr. Stanpole is someone that Gene admires.
C. Gene is uncomfortable with any show of physical affection.
D. Gene feels threatened by the possibility that Dr. Stanpole knows how Finny was hurt.
4. Gene decides to visit Finny at his home in Boston because—

A. Gene has missed Finny over the September break
B. Gene wants to tell Finny the truth about how Finny was hurt
C. Finny has invited his roommate to visit before going back to school
D. Gene’s train to Devon is delayed

A. ignore Finny in any conversations and activities
B. discontinue his friendship with Finny
C. try to undo the admission of guilt he made to Finny
D. help Finny with all of his normal activities

_________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Short-Answer Quiz
Chapter 5
1. What does Finny’s injury represent to the masters? Explain your answer and support it
2. After Gene visits the infirmary, why does Dr. Stanpole decide that Finny is better off
without any visitors? Support your answer with evidence from the selection.
3. Do you believe that Gene “jounced the limb” on purpose? Explain your answer and

Answer Key
1. Which of the following sentences describes Gene’s • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
inner conflict after Finny’s accident? responses and interpretations
A. Out of my hearing people must have talked of
other things, but everyone talked about • Reference: pp. 61–62
Phineas to me.
B. The effect of his injury on the masters
seemed deeper than after other disasters I
remembered there.
C. I had no idea why this gave me such intense
relief, but it seemed, standing there in Finny’s
triumphant shirt, that I would never stumble
through the confusions of my own character
again.
D. That night I slept easily, and it was only on
waking up that this illusion was gone, and I
was confronted with myself, and what I had
done to Finny.
2. During his conversation with Gene, Dr. Stanpole • Understand literary elements such as irony
remarks, “Oh, you know Finny.” Why is this
statement ironic? • Reference: p. 63
A. Gene knows Finny better than anyone.
B. Finny is not an honest person.
C. Gene believes that he really does not know
Finny.
D. Finny does not have clear, predictable
character traits.
3. Why does Gene burst into tears when Dr. Stanpole • Describe and analyze the development of plot
puts his hand on Gene’s shoulder? and identify conflicts and how they are resolved
A. Gene believes that he does not deserve any
kindness. • Reference: p. 64
B. Dr. Stanpole is someone that Gene admires.
C. Gene is uncomfortable with any show of
physical affection.
D. Gene feels threatened by the possibility that
Dr. Stanpole knows how Finny was hurt.
4. Gene decides to visit Finny at his home in Boston • Analyze text structures such as cause and
because— effect and how they influence understanding
A. Gene has missed Finny over the September
break • Reference: pp. 67–70
B. Gene wants to tell Finny the truth about how
Finny was hurt
C. Finny has invited his roommate to visit before
going back to school
D. Gene’s train to Devon is delayed
5. When Finny returns to Devon, Gene will most • Draw inferences
likely—
A. ignore Finny in any conversations and • Reference: pp. 70–71
activities
B. discontinue his friendship with Finny
C. try to undo the admission of guilt he made to
Finny

Answer Key
Short Answer Quiz
1. What does Finny’s injury represent to the masters • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
Explain your answer and support it with evidence responses and interpretations
from the selection.
• Reference: pp. 23–24, 61
Suggested Response
The boys of the almost-Upper Middle class remind
the masters “of what peace was like, of lives which
were not bound up with destruction.” These few
young men “could be free and happy” despite the
war, yet here was the “model boy” who possessed
“a winning urge to be good” taken down by disaster.
The masters are deeply affected by the “unfair” irony
that such a “free and happy” young man would
encounter tragedy in the protected world of Devon
School, a place that seems worlds away from the
tragedies of World War II.
2. After Gene visits the infirmary, why does Dr. • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
Stanpole decide that Finny is better off without any responses and interpretations
visitors? Support your answer with evidence from
the selection. • Reference: pp. 64–67
Suggested Response
When Dr. Stanpole enters the room, Gene is about
to tell Finny “the worst thing in the world.” Finny has
just fallen “back against the pillows” and is probably
showing elevated levels of stress. Dr. Stanpole
expressly warns Gene to be “cheerful and hopeful,”
that Finny “needs that” from Gene. Instead, Gene
brings words that “might detonate” and sudden
movements that overturn a chair. Dr. Stanpole
wants to protect his patient, and Gene is “sent
away.”
3. Do you believe that Gene “jounced the limb” on • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
purpose? Explain your answer and support it with responses and interpretations
• Reference: Chapter 4 and Chapter 5
Suggested Response
If the answer is yes—Gene’s conclusion that Finny
is “not of the same quality as he” makes him realize
the futility of trying to compete with Finny. For a
mere moment on that limb, Gene has the power
over Finny. Gene clearly states to Finny, “I
deliberately jounced the limb so you would fall off.”
If the answer is no—Gene’s feelings toward Finny

are inconsistent: “Sometimes I found it hard to
remember his treachery, sometimes I discovered
myself thoughtlessly slipping back into affection for
him again.” When Gene’s knees bend on the limb, it
is as if the joints are acting upon their own accord.
Gene doubts his own malice when he visits Finny in
Boston. He starts to believe that Finny “might even
be right” and asks himself, “Had I really and
definitely and knowingly done it to him after all?”

Chapter 6
pp. 72~85

___________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Vocabulary Words
exhorted (p. 73) sinecure (p. 77)
vindicated (p. 74) automaton (p. 78)
idiosyncratic (p. 74) goaded (p. 78)
immersions (p. 75) maimed (p. 79)
turbid (p. 76) dispensations (p. 81)
Discussion Topics
1. On page 72, the speaker compares the “easygoing summer spirit” to fallen leaves in order
to—
2. Why is it ironic for Gene that the hymn the students hear on the opening day of The Winter
Session is titled Dear Lord and Father of Mankind Forgive Our Foolish Ways?
3. The hymn that is played on the opening day of the Winter Session symbolizes—
4. For Gene, Phineas’s fall from the tree symbolizes—
5. On pages 72–74, Gene’s tone is—
6. On page 75, Gene comments about Brinker stating, “Ordinarily he should have been a
magnet for me, the center of all the excitement and influences in the class. Ordinarily this
would have been so—if the summer, the gypsy days, had not intervened.” What does this
suggest?
7. On page 74, why is Brinker described as establishing “his headquarters” and receiving
“emissaries” who would “confer” with him?
8. On page 75, in the paragraph that begins, “As I had to do whenever…,” the speaker uses
a simile to—
9. What reasons does Gene give for the boys choosing to never swim in the Naguamsett
River during The Summer Session?

10. What do the Devon River and the Naguamsett River symbolize?
11. On page 76, there is a paragraph that contains the single sentence, “The Devon School
was astride these two rivers.” This suggests that the Devon School represents—
12. Why does Gene apply to take “such a nonentity of a job” as assistant senior crew
manager?
13. From the description of Cliff Quackenbush on pages 76–79, the point of view helps the
reader to understand—
14. The cold water of the Naguamsett River that Gene and Quackenbush fall into
symbolizes—
15. The next time Gene and Quackenbush meet, they will most likely—
16. On pages 79-80, in the paragraph that begins, “I fought that battle, that first skirmish of a
long campaign, for Finny,” Gene states that he felt as though he had fought that battle for
himself. This leads the reader to conclude that—
17. Gene’s surprise when Phineas calls him on the first day of school helps the reader to
understand that—
18. How does Finny justify Gene’s behavior during his visit to Finny’s home?
19. What is ironic about Finny’s phone call to Gene on the first day of school?
20. In this chapter, a turning point for Gene occurs when—

exhorted contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
In those bring days… paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is a transitive verb. Remind
Sentence Patterns students that the noun or pronoun that is the subject
of the transitive verb either performs or receives an
action. For example, in the sentence, “The boy hit
the ball,” the subject, “boy,” performs the action on
the ball. This is an example of what is called the
“active voice.” But in the sentence, “The ball was hit
by the boy,” the subject, “ball,” is receiving the
action. It is being hit. This is called the passive
voice. In this sentence from the text, the subject of
the clause, “sermon,” is performing the action.
Therefore, the verb exhorted is in the active voice.
• Etymology • Point out that the word exhorted has the Latin root
exhortari, which means “to encourage.”
exhortative, exhortatory and the nouns exhorter
and exhortation.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word exhorted as it is used in the
sentence include urged, encouraged, called upon,
enjoined, charged, pressed, bid, appealed to,
entreated, implored, begged, and adjured. Have
note cards.
sermon is meant to strongly urge the students to
remember the traditions and the rules that have
been in effect at Devon for generations.


vindicated contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
It was forced on me paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
as I… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is a transitive verb. Remind
Sentence Patterns students that the noun or pronoun that is the subject
of the transitive verb either performs or receives an
action. For example, in the sentence, “The boy hit
the ball,” the subject, “boy,” performs the action on
the ball. This is an example of what is called the
“active voice.” But in the sentence, “The ball was hit
by the boy,” the subject, “ball,” is receiving the
action. It is being hit. This is called the passive
voice. In this sentence from the text, the subject of
the clause, the pronoun “this,” is performing the
action. Therefore, the verb vindicated is in the
active voice.
• Etymology • Point out that the word vindicated has the Latin root
vindicare, which means “surety, avenger.”
vindicator.
• Related words • Related words include vindication, vindicatory,
vindictive, vindictively, and vindictiveness.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word vindicated as it is used in
the sentence include acquitted, cleared, absolved,
and exonerated. Have students record the word
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker realizes that the rules of
Devon are made for the safety of the students. Gene
and Finny broke the rules when they jumped from
the tree. Finny is now broken physically, while Gene
is broken mentally. His train of thought reflects his
depression.


idiosyncratic contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
We had been an paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
idiosyncratic… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifies the noun “band.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word idiosyncratic has the Greek
root idiosunkrasia, which means “a mixing of
temperaments.”
idiosyncrasy and the adverb idiosyncratically.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word idiosyncratic as it is used in
the sentence include distinctive, individual,
individualistic, characteristic, peculiar, special,
unique, one-of-a-kind, eccentric, unconventional,
anomalous, odd, quirky, offbeat, strange,
bizarre, and off the wall. Have students record the
students in the summer had been virtually free of
any rules. Phineas was only an unofficial leader,
leading by whim and not prescription. The speaker
is contrasting the freedom of the summer session
with the rule-bound, official dictates of the Winter
Session.


immersions contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Not of the tree and paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
pain… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns object of the preposition “from” in the prepositional
phrase, “from immersions.” Remind students that a
phrase is a group of words that act as a single part
or an adverb. In this case, “from immersions” is
modifying the participle, “glowing.” Point out that this
prepositional phrase is behaving as if it is an adverb.
Remind the students that an adverb can modify a
verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
• Etymology • Point out that the word immersions has the Latin
root immergere, which means “to immerse or dip
into.”
immersible and the verb immerse.
• Related words • Related words include immerge, immergence, and
immure.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word immersions as it is used in
the sentence include the participle forms of the
verbs dunk, submerge, dip, plunge, and douse.
• Diction/Tone/ • Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that
Allusion Phineas was “glowing” because he had been in the
water and his skin was shining because it was wet.
However, because the paragraph is making an
allusion to Phineas as being “like a river god,” his
immersions could be an allusion to his being
baptized in the river.


turbid contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
The Devon’s course paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
was determined… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifies the proper noun “Naguamsett.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word turbid has the Latin root
turbidus, which means “disordered.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the adverb turbidly
and the nouns turbidness and turbidity.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word turbid as it is used in the
sentence include murky, opaque, cloudy, unclear,
muddy, and roily. Have students record the word
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is contrasting the clear,
clean, and pleasant waters of the Devon River with
the cloudy, murky, unpleasant waters of the
Naguamsett River.


sinecure contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
There is no such paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
position officially… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is a noun. It is the object of
Sentence Patterns the preposition “of” in the prepositional phrase, “of a
sinecure.” Remind students that a phrase is a group
of words that acts as if it is a single part of speech. A
prepositional phrase begins with a preposition and
ends with a noun. It links its object to some other
word in the sentence and, even though it is a
phrase, can act as if it is an adjective or an adverb.
In this case, the prepositional phrase “of a sinecure”
is modifying the noun “opposite.” Point out that this
prepositional phrase is behaving as if it was an
adjective.
• Etymology • Point out that the word sinecure has the Latin root
sine, which means “without,” combined with the
Latin root cura, which means “care.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the adjective nouns
• sinecurism and sinecurist.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word sinecure as it is used in the
sentence include easy job, cushy job, easy
money, free ride, and gravy train. Have students
cards.
has volunteered for a job that has no advantages
and no prestige. This sets up the conflict between
Quackenbush and Gene, for Quackenbush cannot
believe that any senior would volunteer for such a
thankless job unless he was compelled by some
kind of physical deformity and could do nothing else.


automaton contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Quakenbush wasn’t paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
going to let me… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns the preposition “like” in the prepositional phrase,
“like the automaton.” Remind students that a
phrase is a group of words that acts as if it is a
single part of speech. A prepositional phrase begins
with a preposition and ends with a noun. It links its
object to some other word in the sentence and, even
or an adverb. In this case, the prepositional phrase
“like a automaton” is modifying the verb “do.” Point
out that this prepositional phrase is behaving as if it
was an adverb.
• Etymology • Point out that the word automaton has the Latin
and Greek root automatos, which means “self-
• Forms of the word acting.”
• Another form of the word is the adjective
• Related words automatous.
• Related words include automatize, automatization,
automatist, automatism, automation, automatic,
• Synonyms automatically, and automaticity.
• Synonyms for the word automaton as it is used in
the sentence include robot, android, cyborg, and
droid. Have students record the word and all of its
• Diction/Tone synonyms on note cards.
• Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that he
doesn’t want to think. He just wishes to function
automatically. This is a symptom of deep
depression. He is now being reluctantly pulled into a
conflict with Quackenbush because Quackenbush is
forcing a confrontation.


goaded contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I didn’t want to add to paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
his humiliation… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that the word goaded is a verb, but it is
Sentence Patterns being used as an adjective, modifying the noun
“egotism.” Remember that a verbal is a verb that is
behaving as if it is another part of speech. The three
types of verbals are called infinitives, gerunds, and
participles. Goaded in this sentence is an example
of a type of verbal called a “past participle.” A
participle is a verb that is acting like an adjective. It
is a past participle because it has the –ed ending.
• Etymology • Point out that the word goaded has the Middle
English root gode.
• Forms of the word • Another form of the word includes the noun goad.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word goad as it is used in the
sentence include provoked, spurred, prodded,
hounded, badgered, incited, roused, stirred,
moved, stimulated, motivated, prompted,
induced, encouraged, impelled, and pressured.
Quakenbush has no self-esteem. He has been
teased and has been the target of unkind jokes.
Consequently, Quakenbush feels compelled, or
goaded, to provoke a conflict with someone
perceived to be weaker than himself. He hopes to
win a battle, thus assuaging a bruised ego.


maimed contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I didn’t know why for paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
an instant… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is a transitive verb that is
Sentence Patterns contained in the verb phrase “were maimed.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word maimed has the Middle
English root maimen.
• Forms of the word • Another form of the word is the noun maimer.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word maimed as it is used in the
sentence include injured, wounded, crippled,
disabled, incapacitated, impaired, marred,
mutilated, lacerated, disfigured, deformed, and
mangled. Have students record the word and all of
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker feels as if he truly is
maimed and is fighting back as a matter of pride. He
then notes that he remembers that Finny is maimed,
suggesting that he is fighting for Finny’s honor.
Discuss with the students in what emotional and
psychological ways Gene might be unwittingly
maimed.


dispensations contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
He was in charge of paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
the dormitory… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns the preposition “of’ in the prepositional phrase, “of
the dispensations.” Remind students that a phrase
is a group of words that acts as if it is a single part of
“of the dispensations” is modifying the indefinite
pronoun “one.” Point out that this prepositional
phrase is behaving as if it was an adjective.
• Etymology • Point out that the word dispensations has the Latin
root dispensare, which means “to distribute.”
dispensational.
• Related words • Related words include dispensable,
dispensability, dispensableness, dispensary,
dispensatory, and dispense.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word dispensations as it is used
in the sentence include allocations, allotments,
and apportionments. Have students record the
realizes that one of the reasons he had enjoyed the
summer so much was because Mr. Ludsbury had
not been there during the summer. Gene is being
sarcastic.

Answer Key
Discussion Topics

1. On page 72, the speaker compares the “easygoing • Analyze characteristics of text, including
summer spirit” to fallen leaves in order to— patterns of organization, syntax, and word
choice
explain that the summertime peace, the freedom
from rigidly following all the school traditions, the • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
lackadaisical enforcement of the school rules, and simile
the playful games that occurred during The
Summer Session have been “scattered” and blown
away like dead leaves by “a new and energetic
wind,” Devon’s “one hundred and sixty-third Winter
Session.” The time-honored rules and traditions are
now to be rigidly enforced. The Winter Session has
brought a figurative “coolness.”
2. Why is it ironic for Gene that the hymn the students • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
hear on the opening day of The Winter Session is irony
titled Dear Lord and Father of Mankind Forgive Our
Foolish Ways?
Gene realizes that during the summer session, he,

as well as other students, had broken time-honored
and normally strictly-enforced school rules. He
remembers that “traditions had been broken, the
standards let down, all rules forgotten” and called
those summer session days “bright days of
truancy.” Gene states that they had danced to
“wayward gypsy music, leading us down all kinds
of foolish gypsy ways, unforgiven.” He also knows
that he needs forgiveness for his foolish ways, his
misunderstanding of Finny’s motives, and his role
in causing Finny’s accident, noting that the “bright
days” had come to an end “when Phineas fell.” He
concludes that his fall “probably vindicated the
rules of Devon after all…if you broke the rules, then
they broke you” (pp. 73–74).
3. The hymn that is played on the opening day of the • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
Winter Session symbolizes— symbolism
the strictly-enforced rules, regulations, and

traditions of Devon (pp. 73–74)
4. For Gene, Phineas’s fall from the tree • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
symbolizes— symbolism
the end of the innocent, playful, foolish, rule-

breaking Summer Session (p. 74)
5. On pages 72-74, Gene’s tone is— • Analyze characteristics of text, including
patterns of organization, syntax, and word
choice
reflective and sober • Understand and analyze literary terms such as

tone


9. What reasons does Gene give for the boys choosing • Analyze characteristics of text, including
to never swim in the Naguamsett River during The patterns of organization, syntax, and word
Summer Session? choice
Gene calls the Naguamsett River “ugly, saline, • Analyze text structures such as cause and
fringed with marsh, mud and seaweed.” He calls it effect, compare and contrast for how they
“turbid,” which suggests that the river’s water is influence understanding
muddy and unclear. He sees the Naguamsett River
as being impersonal, “governed by unimaginable
factors like the Gulf Stream, the Polar Ice Cap, and
the moon.” The Devon River, however, is described
as a “fresh-water” river. This suggests that the water
of the Devon River is clearer than that of the salty
Naguamsett. There are no adjectives such as
“turbid” that describe the Devon River. The Devon
River is also seen as being more friendly and
accessible, with its course “determined by some
familiar hills a little inland; it rose among highland
farms and forests which we knew, passed at the end
of its course through the school grounds, and then
threw itself with little spectacle over a small waterfall
beside the diving dam.” For swimming, the Devon
River is considered to be the better river (p. 76).
10. What do the Devon River and the Naguamsett River • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
symbolize? responses and interpretations
• On one level, students may respond that the • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
Devon River represents the carefree attitude of symbolism
The Summer Session because it is where the
boys do their swimming; its water is fresh and
clear; it has friendly, familiar forces such as
hills, farms, and forests, which the boys know,
direct its course, and it passes through the
school. Along with this interpretation, the
Naguamsett, with its “saline,” “turbid,” and cold
water, where the boys do their rowing during
The Winter Session, could symbolize The
Winter Session, with the impersonal,
“unimaginable factors” that guide its course.
• On another level, some students may respond
that the Devon River represents the innocence
of childhood, with its fresh, clear water that is
perfect for summer swimming and the friendly,
familiar forces that guide its course. It is the
upper river. It is the smaller river. It is also
throws “itself with little spectacle over a small
waterfall” and is completely absorbed by the
“turbid” or confusing Naguamsett, just as
adolescence completely overtakes childhood.
The salt in the Naguamsett River fouls the
freshness of the Devon River. The Naguamsett
is “governed by unimaginable factors,” making it
frightening. It is not as innocent as the Devon.
The Naguamsett is the lower river that flows for
a few miles to disappear into the vast ocean.
This parallels adolescence rushing into
adulthood (pp. 76–78).


11. On page 76, there is a paragraph that contains the • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
single sentence, “The Devon School was astride responses and interpretations
these two rivers.” This suggests that the Devon
School represents— • Understand and analyze literary terms such
as symbolism
a bridge between two different entities. Literally, it is
the place where the fresh-water Devon empties into
the saline Naguamsett. Figuratively, it is the place
where children turn into adults: adolescence. The
syntax of the sentence helps to denote its
importance. It is a one-sentence paragraph that
stands between two large paragraphs. This
emphasizes the importance of the sentence by
making it stand out, suggesting that this sentence
contains an important, thematic idea. Gene has just
presented comparisons between The Summer
Session and The Winter Session. In previous
chapters, he has described the care-free summer as
compared with the rule-bound winter. At the end of
the care-free summer, Finny fell from the branch.
Gene is now a changed person. He is now guilt-
ridden and confused by the dark thoughts of jealousy
that led him to “jounce” the branch. He knows that in
some way, things that he used to care about, such as
following an established, traditional leader like
Brinker, are no longer important to him. Finny’s sense
of fun and fantasy must have influenced Gene in
some way. Finny’s fall from the tree happened at
Devon, at the end of the summer, and just before the
winter. The event has become the dividing line
between Gene’s innocence and guilt, and it will be
forever tied to Gene’s memory of his student days at
Devon. Devon sits “astride these two rivers,” where a
fresh-water river empties into a saline river and is
lost. The memory of what happened at Devon will sit
astride Gene’s memory, where childhood playfulness
was emptied into “turbid,” guilty recriminations.
12. Why does Gene apply to take “such a nonentity of a • Analyze characteristics of text, including
job” as assistant senior crew manager? patterns of organization, syntax, and word
choice
Gene’s competitive spirit is gone. It disappeared
when Finny hit the bank with that “sickening thud.” He • Analyze text structures such as cause and
has taken this job that was “usually taken by boys effect, compare and contrast for how they
with some physical disability.” Gene’s disability is his influence understanding
guilt, and he knows that Quackenbush’s “flat black
eyes would never detect [Gene’s] trouble.” He was
hoping just to “do the work” like “the automaton” he
“wished to be.” Gene doesn’t want to think or
them from text
compete and groans inwardly when he realizes
Quackenbush has decided that he and Gene are
going “to be pitted against each other.”


6. On page 75, Gene comments about Brinker • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
stating, “Ordinarily he should have been a magnet generalizations, and predictions and support
for me, the center of all the excitement and them from text
influences in the class. Ordinarily this would have
been so—if the summer, the gypsy days, had not
intervened.” What does this suggest?
Gene recognizes a change in himself. Ordinarily,

Gene realizes that he would have aspired to
admire and follow Brinker, who was part of the
group of “official class leaders and politicians” and
was “this year’s dominant student,” becoming “the
center of all the excitement and influences in the
class.” But after “the summer, the gypsy days,”
Gene believes that “Brinker, with his steady wit
and ceaseless plans,” has “nothing to offer in
place of Leper’s dust motes and creeping ivy and
snails.” Gene has discovered that he wants to
retain some of the “gypsy music” of the summer
and that he is not the rigid rule follower that he
was before the summer (pp. 74–75).
7. On page 74, why is Brinker described as • Analyze characteristics of text, including patterns
establishing “his headquarters” and receiving of organization, syntax, and word choice
“emissaries” who would “confer” with him?
Brinker is being compared to an official and allusion
powerful political leader such as a president or
prime minister, receiving delegates and
ambassadors and deciding the course of a nation.
Brinker is perceived by the students at Devon to
be the school’s official, political and powerful
leader.
8. On page 75, in the paragraph that begins, “As I • Analyze literary language
had to do whenever…,” the speaker uses a simile
to— • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
simile
emphasize the charismatic power that Phineas’s
athletic grace and playfulness incite in his
companions. An image of Phineas looking like “a
river god,” balancing on “the prow of a boat,”
looking “transfigured,” and looking “as though he
had transcended gravity establishes that Phineas,
even as he playfully balances on one foot, attracts
the homage of the boys around him. This image
alludes to Greek and Roman myths, where the
elements of the earth are ruled by handsome,
playful sprites, nymphs, or gods, suggesting that
Phineas has a special, unique quality about him.


13. From the description of Cliff Quackenbush on • Compare and contrast varying aspect of texts
pages 76-79, the point of view helps the reader to such as themes, conflicts, and allusions with
understand— text
why Quackenbush bullies Gene, even though he

thinks Gene is physically disabled. Quackenbush
“had been systematically disliked since he first set
foot in Devon.” He has borne “humiliations” from his
classmates for years. Thinking that Gene is physically
disabled, Quackenbush considers Gene “inferior to
himself” and verbally attacks because of the “furious
arrogance which sprang out now at the mere hint of
opposition from someone” inferior to himself. For
once, Quackenbush thinks he will win the
competition.
14. The cold water of the Naguamsett River that Gene • Understand and analyze literary terms such
and Quackenbush fall into symbolizes— as symbolism
a civilizing influence that cools, but does not solve the • Compare and contrast varying aspect of texts
conflict. It “extinguishe[s] Quackenbush’s rage” so such as themes, conflicts, and allusions with
that he lets go of Gene, and it cools Gene’s reaction, text
even though he is still “seared by what
[Quackenbush] said.” The conflict is not solved,
however (p. 79).
15. The next time Gene and Quackenbush meet, they will • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
most likely— generalizations, and predictions and support
them from text
not be friendly or understanding toward each other
(pp. 78–79)
16. On pages 79–80, in the paragraph that begins, “I • Compare and contrast varying aspect of texts
fought that battle, that first skirmish of a long such as themes, conflicts, and allusions with
campaign, for Finny,” Gene states that he felt as text
though he had fought that battle for himself. This
leads the reader to conclude that— • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
Gene realizes that Finny’s injury has made Finny them from text
physically maimed, but Gene’s guilt and remorse has
made Gene emotionally maimed. They mirror each
other. When Quackenbush called Gene a
“maimed—,” Gene was not only defending Finny. He
was defending himself.


17. Gene’s surprise when Phineas calls him on the first • Compare and contrast varying aspect of texts
day of school helps the reader to understand that— such as themes, conflicts, and allusions with
text
Gene has not only been upset because he knows he
caused Finny’s accident, he has been mourning what
he thought was the loss of the special friendship he
and Finny had shared over the summer. At the end of
Chapter 5, Finny tells Gene to go away. Throughout
Chapter 6, Gene has been pining for what he
perceives to be lost: “those bright days of truancy”
where they had thought only of themselves (p. 73),
and the “wayward gypsy music” that Finny seemed to
be figuratively singing (p. 74). Gene sits as if he were
at a funeral, “chilled through the chapel service” as he
remembers when it had all “come to an end, in the
last long rays of daylight at the tree, when Phineas
fell” (p. 74). He feels refreshed only when he
remembers Finny as he was before the fall. When
Quackenbush, who “knew nothing of the gypsy
summer, nothing of the loss [Gene] was fighting to
endure,” and “knew nothing and felt nothing as
Phineas had done,” challenged him, Gene, in an act
of desperation, hits Quackenbush across the face
(p. 79). When Mr. Ludsbury accuses Gene and the
other older boys of taking advantage of the substitute
masters, Gene mourns the lost opportunities of the
summer by saying, “if only I had” (p. 82). When Gene
sees Finny’s phone number on the pad in Mr.
Ludsbury’s study, his heart beat is interrupted, which
shows his trepidation. He has not expected a call
from Finny. He does not expect Finny to be friendly.
After all, the last time Gene and Finny had spoken,
Gene had admitted his betrayal. Even as Gene
listens to Finny on the telephone he seems afraid that
he might hear more than just “simple outgoing
affection” in Finny’s voice (p. 83). He is surprised that
Finny still wants him for a roommate.
18. How does Finny justify Gene’s behavior during his • Describe and analyze the development of
visit to Finny’s home? plot and identify conflicts and how they are
Finny states that Gene was “crazy.” He is chalking it
up to unexplained craziness that is easily forgiven
because “Roommates are roommates. Even if they
do have an occasional fight” (p. 83).


19. What is ironic about Finny’s phone call to Gene on • Understand and analyze literary terms such
the first day of school? as symbolism
Gene has been mourning the loss of the special

friendship that he and Finny had shared over the
summer. He has been feeling the guilt for causing
Finny’s accident. He has acted as if all joy had gone
out of his life. When Finny calls, he expects
recriminations. Yet, Finny spends his money on a
long-distance call to assure that Gene will remain his
roommate. He wants to see if Gene has “recovered,”
when it is Finny that is truly recovering. He
apologizes to Gene for having “a trace of doubt”
about whether Gene would want to continue their
friendship as roommates (p. 83).
20. In this chapter, a turning point for Gene occurs • Analyze characteristics of text, including
when— patterns of organization, syntax, and word
choice
he realizes that Finny still wants to be roommates
and have a close friendship. Gene feels “a soaring
sense of freedom” when Finny asks him to play
sports for him. Gene feels he has a purpose in life.
He “can become a part of Phineas” by playing sports
for him. Gene has a way for assuaging his guilt
(p. 85).

_________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Chapter 6
1. The hymn played on the opening day of the Winter Session, Dear Lord and Father of
Mankind Forgive Our Foolish Ways, is ironic because the boys—
A. engaged in rule-breaking activities during the Summer Session
B. are acting foolishly in their seats in the Devon chapel
C. will be registering for more religious classes during their senior year
D. needed spiritual strength during the Duration of the war
2. For Gene, Finny’s fall from the tree symbolizes the—

A. end to their friendship
B. lack of maturity in their group of friends
C. end of the carefree Summer Session
D. importance of secret societies at boys’ schools
3. In the description on pages 72–74, Gene’s tone is—

A. excited
B. reflective
C. worried
D. interested
4. When Gene walks by the Devon River on his way to the Crew House, he remembers one
of Finny’s favorite tricks and compares Finny to a—
A. brave sailor
B. conquering pirate
C. river god
D. powerful Viking
5. During his phone conversation with Finny, a turning point occurs for Gene when—
A. Gene realizes that Finny still wants to be close friends
B. Finny talks of the cost of the long-distance phone call
C. Finny makes fun of Gene wanting to be assistant crew manager
D. Gene says that he wants to manage the crew

_________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Short-Answer Quiz
Chapter 6
1. How has the atmosphere at Devon School changed from the Summer Session to the
Winter Session? Support your answer with evidence from the selection.
2. During the Summer Session, why do the boys choose to swim in the Devon River rather
than in the Naguamsett River? Explain your answer and support it with evidence from the
selection.
3. Why does Gene apply for the job of assistant senior crew manager? Support your answer

Answer Key
1. The hymn played on the opening day of the Winter • Understand literary elements such as irony
Session, Dear Lord and Father of Mankind Forgive
Our Foolish Ways, is ironic because the boys— • Reference: pp. 73–74
A. engaged in rule-breaking activities during the
Summer Session
B. are acting foolishly in their seats in the Devon
chapel
C. will be registering for more religious classes
during their senior year
D. needed spiritual strength during the Duration of
the war
2. For Gene, Finny’s fall from the tree symbolizes the— • Understand and analyze literary terms such
A. end to their friendship as symbolism
B. lack of maturity in their group of friends
C. end of the carefree Summer Session • Reference: p. 74
D. importance of secret societies at boys’ schools
3. In the description on pages 72–74, Gene’s tone is— • Understand and analyze literary terms such
A. excited as tone
B. reflective
C. worried • Reference: pp. 72–74
D. interested
4. When Gene walks by the Devon River on his way to • Analyze literary language to understand
the Crew House, he remembers one of Finny’s simile
favorite tricks and compares Finny to a—
A. brave sailor • Reference: pp. 75–76
B. conquering pirate
C. river god
D. powerful Viking
5. During his phone conversation with Finny, a turning • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
point occurs for Gene when— texts including the patterns of organization,
A. Gene realizes that Finny still wants to be close syntax, and word choice
friends
B. Finny talks of the cost of the long-distance • Reference: pp. 82–85
phone call
C. Finny makes fun of Gene wanting to be
assistant crew manager

Answer Key
Short Answer Quiz
1. How has the atmosphere at Devon School changed • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
from the Summer Session to the Winter Session responses and interpretations
selection. • Reference: pp. 72–74
Suggested Response
The Summer Session, a “stopgap while most of the
masters were away and most of the traditions stored
against sultriness” is being “scattered” by the Winter
Session “like so many fallen leaves.” In the summer,
the boys thought of “what Devon owed us” instead
of the proper, traditional way of thinking promoted by
the opening-day sermon, “What We Owed Devon.”
The “wayward gypsy music” and “foolish gypsy
ways” of the single Summer Session have to give
way to the “forces” of the “unbroken traditions” and
“continuity” of the one hundred and sixty-third Winter
Session.
2. During the Summer Session, why do the boys • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
choose to swim in the Devon River rather than in the responses and interpretations
Naguamsett River? Explain your answer and
support it with evidence from the selection. • Reference: pp. 75–76
Suggested Response
The “fresh-water” Devon is the upper river, with a
“thick fringe of pine and birch.” The Naguamsett is a
lower river that is “ugly, saline, fringed with marsh,
mud and seaweed.” The Devon is comfortable and
known; its course is “determined by some familiar
hills.” The Naguamsett, on the other hand, is
“governed by unimaginable factors.” The fresh,
childlike innocence of the Devon tumbles into the
dirty, salted Naguamsett with a “little spectacle over
a small waterfall.” The school sits “astride these two
rivers” as if balancing between the purity of
childhood and the reality of adulthood. The boys
choose to have one more child-like summer
swimming in the Devon.
3. Why does Gene apply for the job of assistant senior • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
crew manager? Support your answer with evidence responses and interpretations
from the selection.
Suggested Response
Gene’s competitive spirit is gone, disappearing with
Finny’s injury. He wants a job that is “usually taken
by boys with some physical disability.” Gene is
disabled by his guilt, and he hopes that
Quackenbush will “never detect [Gene’s] trouble.”
Gene hopes to just exist as an “automaton,” but
Quackenbush “wasn’t going to let [Gene] just do the
work for him.” Gene does not want to think or
compete, and he groans inwardly when he realizes
that Quackenbush sees them as “pitted against
each other.”


Chapter 7
pp. 86~102

___________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Vocabulary Words
salient (p. 87) funereal (p. 90)
impinge (p. 87) implausibility (p. 90)
rankest (p. 89) burlesque (p. 94)
arresting (p. 89) encumbrance (p. 102)
galvanized (p. 89) provocative (p. 102)
Discussion Topics
1. Gene’s “baptism” in the Naguamsett symbolizes—
2. From the description of Brinker on pages 87, the reader can tell that he symbolizes—
3. Gene states on page 87, “It didn’t seem fitting for Brinker Hadley, the hub of the class, to
be congratulating me on influence.” What does this suggest about how Gene would
position himself in his class’s social hierarchy?
4. What is ironic about the conversation between Gene and Brinker on pages 88–89?
5. Which sentence on page 88 foreshadows Gene’s internal conflict?
6. On page 89, the attitude of the boys in the Butt Room toward Brinker’s accusations shifts
when—
7. On pages 90–91, the story’s point of view helps the reader understand—
8. On page 91, when Gene states, “But this was a clue they soon seemed to forget. I
detected no Sherlock Holmes among them, nor even a Dr. Watson,” it emphasizes that—
9. On page 92, Gene states, “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.” The reader can tell that—

10. On page 93, what does the description of the way the war “commenced its invasion of the
school” suggest?
11. On page 93, Gene states, “Leper stands out for me as the person who was most often and
most emphatically taken by surprise, by this and every other shift in our life at Devon.”
This suggests that Leper—
12. On page 95, Leper states, “They’re ruining skiing in this country, rope tows and chair lifts
and all that stuff.” What does this suggest about Leper?
13. On page 96, in the paragraph that begins, “With Leper it was always a fight…,” Gene’s
attitude toward Leper suggests that the next time others make fun of Leper, Gene will—
14. On page 97, Gene describes “a moment of cheer.” What is ironic about the boys’ attitudes
about the passengers on the troop train?
15. On page 97, Gene states, “Stranded in this mill town railroad yard while the whole world
was converging elsewhere, we seemed to be nothing but children playing among heroic
men.” This suggests that Gene feels—
16. On page 100, Brinker announces that he is going to enlist the next day because—
17. In the paragraph on page 100 that begins, “To enlist…,” the speaker uses metaphorical
language to explain—
18. In the paragraph on pages 100–101 that begins, “Not that it would be a good life…,” Gene
states, “there is something deadly lurking in anything I wanted, anything I loved.” His tone
is—
19. On page 102, Gene bounces “zestfully up the dormitory stairs” because—
20. The simile in the last paragraph on page 102 that begins, “Everything that had
happened…,” emphasizes that—

salient contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
The flaps of his paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
gabardine jacket… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifies the noun “characteristic.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word salient has the Latin root
salire, which means “to leap.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the adverb saliently
and the noun salientness.
• Related words • Related words include salience and saliency.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word salient as it is used in the
sentence include important, main, principal,
major, chief, primary, notable, noteworthy,
outstanding, conspicuous, striking, noticeable,
obvious, remarkable, prominent, predominant,
dominant, key, crucial, prime, and paramount.
Brinker’s most memorable feature are his
“substantial buttocks,” perhaps alluding to a
foreshadowing of an adult Brinker, who is
prosperous and powerful.


impinge contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I was going to say paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
that… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns It is part of the verb phrase, “would impinge.” The
verb phrase is contained inside the nonrestrictive
clause, “who would never impinge.” Remind
students that a nonrestrictive clause adds
information to a sentence but is not necessary for
the sentence to make sense. Nonrestrictive clauses
are set off by commas and usually begin with the
words who or which. Remind students that a clause
is a group of words that contains a subject and a
predicate. Main clauses can stand alone.
Subordinate clauses must be attached to a main
clause in order to have meaning. This word is inside
a subordinate clause that is modifying the proper
noun “Brownie Perkins.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word impinge has the Latin root
impingere.
impingement and impinger.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word impinge as it is used in the
sentence include encroach upon, intrude upon,
infringe upon, invade, trespass, obtrude,
interfere with, and violate. Have students record
Brinker’s roommate is frightened of Brinker, never
bothering Brinker and never invading Brinker’s
space. It is almost as if Brinker has a roommate in
name only.


rankest contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Rankest treachery… paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is an adjective. It modifies
Sentence Patterns the word “treachery.” Remind students that
descriptive adjectives have three degrees of
comparison: positive, comparative, and superlative.
This adjective is the superlative degree. The ending
–est marks it as a superlative adjective.
• Etymology • Point out that the word rankest has the Middle
English root ranc, which means “overbearing,
strong.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the nouns rank,
rankness, the verb rank, and the adverb rankly.
• Related words • Related words include the adjective ranking and the
phrase rank and file.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word rankest as it is used in the
sentence include offensive, unpleasant, nasty,
revolting, sickening, obnoxious, noxious, foul,
fetid, smelly, stinking, reeking, rancid, putrid,
malodorous, and noisome. Have students record
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that Brinker is being factious but playful. He
is dramatizing his words as part of the game.
Ironically, he does not realize that he has hit so
close to the truth.


arresting contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
He raised an arresting paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
hand… would support such a meaning.
Sentence Patterns the word “hand.” Point out also that this could be the
present participle of the verb arrest, which means
“to seize and hold under the authority of the law.” In
that case, the word is a verbal, a verb behaving as if
it is an adjective. Either construction could be used
in this context.
• Etymology • Point out that the word arresting has the Latin root
restare, which means “to stand still.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the nouns arrest,
arrester, arrestor, arrestee, and arrestment, the
verb arrest, and the adverb arrestingly.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word arresting as it is used in the
sentence include striking, eye-catching,
conspicuous, engaging, engrossing, impressive,
imposing, dramatic, and distinctive. Have
note cards.
• Diction/Tone/Pun • Discuss that the narrator’s ambiguity with the
adjective arresting and the present participle of the
verb arrest creates a pun, or play on words. It also
highlights Gene’s confusion, for he is now unsure
about how much Brinker really knows about what
happened while Finny and Gene were both on that
limb.


galvanized contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
It was a mistake; the paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
radio… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns Remind students that the noun or pronoun that is
the subject of the transitive verb either performs or
“The boy hit the ball,” the subject, “boy,” performs
the action on the ball. This is an example of what is
called the “active voice.” But in the sentence, “The
ball was hit by the boy,” the subject, “ball,” is
receiving the action. It is being hit. This is called the
passive voice. In this sentence from the text, the
subject, “voice,” is performing the action. Therefore,
the verb galvanized is in the active voice. It is a
transitive verb. The direct object of the verb in this
sentence is the word “them.”
galvanization and galvanizer.
• Related words • Related words include the adjective galvanic and
the noun galvanism.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word galvanized as it is used in
the sentence include jolt, shock, startle, impel,
stir, spur, prod, motivate, stimulate, electrify,
excite, rouse, arouse, awaken, invigorate,
animate, totalize, energize, catalyze, and inspire.
the sudden silence that was created when the radio
suddenly stopped playing, the desperation in Gene’s
voice could be clearly heard. This electrified the
group. Before this, they had not been paying
attention. Now, however, Gene and Brinker are the
center of intense scrutiny.


funereal contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
We know the scene of paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
the crime… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns the noun “tree.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word funereal has the Latin root
funereus, which means “funeral.”
funereally and the adjective funerary.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word funereal as it is used in the
sentence include somber, gloomy, mournful,
melancholy, lugubrious, sepulchral, miserable,
doleful, woeful, sad, sorrowful, cheerless,
joyless, bleak, dismal, depressing, dreary, grave,
solemn, and serious. Have students record the
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the use of the adjective foreshadows a
death.
implausibility contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I only had to add… paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
Sentence Patterns/ the preposition “of” in the prepositional phrase, “of
Prefix im– implausibility.” Remind students that a phrase is a
group of words that acts as if it is a single part of
“of implausibility” is modifying the noun “chain.”
Point out that this prepositional phrase is behaving
as if it was an adjective. Point out also that this word
has the prefix im–, which means “not.”
• Etymology • Point out that the base word of implausibility is
plausibility. It has the Latin root plausibilis, which
means “deserving applause.”
• Other forms of the word include the adjective
• Forms of the word implausible, the adverb implausibly, and the noun
implausibleness.
• Synonyms for the word implausibility as it is used
• Synonyms in the sentence include improbability and
outrageousness. Have students record the word
• Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that he is
• Diction/Tone trying to convince the crowd that he is building an
elaborate fantasy in order for them to ignore certain
facts.


burlesque contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I couldn’t keep from paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
staring at him… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is as an adjective. It modifies
Sentence Patterns the compound noun “explorer look.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word burlesque has the Latin root
burrae, which means nonsense.”
burlesque, burlesquer, the verb burlesque, and
adverb burlesquely.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word burlesque as it is used in
the sentence include caricature, farcical, and
parodical. Have students record the word and all of
Leper looks strange, as if he had been playing at
being an explorer. This also accentuates that Leper
is slightly different from the other students at Devon.
They don’t understand him, and he doesn’t seem to
care. He seems to be in a world of his own making.
encumbrance contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
He was seated in my paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
chair… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is a noun.
Sentence Patterns
• Etymology • Point out that the word encumbrance has the
Middle English root encombren, which means
“hindrance.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the verb encumber
and the noun encumbrancer.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word encumbrance as it is used
in the sentence include hindrance, obstruction,
obstacle, impediment, constraint, handicap,
nuisance, and inconvenience. Have students
cards.
Finny’s cast is unwieldy and heavy. It restricts his
activity.


provocative contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
He looked up with a paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
provocative grin… would support such a meaning.
Sentence Patterns the noun “grin.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word provocative has the Latin
root provocare, which means “to challenge.”
provocative, provocativeness, and the adverb
provocatively.
• Related words • Related words include provoking, provoke,
provocateur, and provocation.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word provocative as it is used in
the sentence include maddening, exasperating,
inflammatory, and aggravating. Have students
cards.
Finny is back and as playful and aggravating as
ever.

Answer Key
Discussion Topics
1. Gene’s “baptism” in the Naguamsett symbolizes— • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
symbolism and analogy
the adolescent Gene being “thrown” into the adult
world, which contains internal and external conflicts
that are not easily solved and that leave an
enduring emotional residue that cannot be washed
away. Gene comments that swimming in the Devon
was “like taking a refreshing shower itself.” This is
because the Devon was a place for childish play
and childish conflicts that are soon forgotten. The
Naguamsett, however, is for the more mature.
Gene states that he has never before swum in the
Naguamsett. This stands to reason because, until
now, he has been a child with childish issues. Now,
however, Gene is facing unpleasant issues that he
cannot avoid and that threaten to affect his life
significantly. Gene is internally conflicted because
of his guilt over his role in Finny’s fall from the tree.
His inner peace is destroyed. Gene is also dealing
with the ways that World War II is insinuating itself
into his world, destroying the innocent peace at
Devon and forcing him to make decisions about
where he is to fit inside this changing world,
mourning over what is lost. Gene finds it
appropriate that he “had been thrown into it, in the
middle of a fight” because he does not enter the
adult world with the adult responsibilities and
pitfalls easily. To be thrown into a conflicted adult
world while in the middle of a physical conflict
seems appropriate (pg. 86).


2. From the description of Brinker on pages 87, the • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
reader can tell that he symbolizes— symbolism and characterization
the officially-established, politically-astute, • Use elements of text to defend interpretations

institutionally-approved, powerful student leader,
who embodies the conservative, rule-bound,
tradition-laden, strait-laced “Winter Session
efficiency” at Devon. Gene notes that Brinker looks
“the standard preparatory school article in his gray
gabardine suit with square, hand-sewn-looking
jacket pockets, a conservative necktie, and dark
brown cordovan shoes.” This suggests that Brinker
understands the importance of a conservative,
business-like appearance. It also suggests that
Brinker would never use the Devon tie as a belt or
wear a pink shirt to a formal tea, like Finny. Gene
states, “His face was all straight lines—eyebrows,
mouth, nose, everything—and he carried his six
feet of height straight as well.” This suggests that
he tends to think and function within the lines that
society draws, never daring or deciding to be
spontaneous or unconventional. He is “too busy
with politics, arrangements, and offices” to be
athletic, suggesting that Brinker lives by timelines
and calendar dates, leaving little time for
spontaneous play. He is the antithesis to Finny.
Brinker enjoys his power. He frightens his
roommate into giving him sway over the two rooms
they occupy and keeps tabs on all those around
him, taking it upon himself to make “a point of
visiting all the rooms near him the first day.” He
also feels a sense of entitlement. The fact that
Gene does not have a roommate at the time has
drawn Brinker to “congratulate” Gene “on his
“influence.” It would seem that Brinker believes that
if anyone should have a room to himself, it should
be Brinker, “the hub of the class.”
3. Gene states on page 87, “It didn’t seem fitting for • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
Brinker Hadley, the hub of the class, to be generalizations, and predictions and support
congratulating me on influence.” What does this them from text
suggest about how Gene would position himself in
his class’s social hierarchy? • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
Gene sees himself as being part of the crowd. He
feels free to like Brinker “in spite of his Winter
Session efficiency,” but he is slightly intimidated by
“the hub of the class,” thinking that it “didn’t seem
fitting for Brinker Hadley…to be congratulating me
on influence.” Gene seems to be acknowledging
Brinker’s position over him in the pecking order of
the student-body. The easy ebb and flow of
conversational patter that Gene and Finny formerly
shared is not present between Gene and Brinker.
This is further illustrated when Gene decides not to
share with Brinker his thoughts about Brownie
Perkins, Brinker’s roommate. Gene does not seem
to feel comfortable giving Brinker any kind of direct
criticism, an action that normally would not bother a
person who considers himself to be an equal.
There is a slight reserve between them that
suggests that they normally do not move in the
same circles.


4. What is ironic about the conversation between • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
Gene and Brinker on pages 88–89? irony
Brinker has come to chat with Gene as part of his

opening day visits to the rooms near his. He is
being playful when he accuses Gene of “doing
away with his roommate so he could have a whole
room to himself.” It is ironic that in his attempt to be
playful, Brinker hit upon the truth when he states
that it was all Gene’s doing that his roommate is
not at school, and that Gene is guilty of “rankest
treachery.” For Gene, all of Brinker’s statements
have a double meaning, becoming examples of
bitter verbal irony.
5. Which sentence on page 88 foreshadows Gene’s • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
internal conflict? responses and interpretations
“In our free democracy, even fighting for its life, the • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
truth will out.” At the end of Chapter 5, Gene came foreshadowing
to the conclusion that he would “have to disown”
the truth. He felt that for Finny to know the truth
would be like “injuring him again.” (p. 70) Gene
decided that he would have “to make every move
false.” He would have to cover up the truth for
Finny’s sake as well as his own. Gene now fears
“the truth will out.”
6. On page 89, the attitude of the boys in the Butt • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
Room toward Brinker’s accusations shifts when— texts
Gene loses his temper, curses, and says, “Shut up • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
I swear to God you ride a joke longer than anybody tone
I know.” As Gene and Brinker enter the Butt Room,
Gene states that “high spirits came hard in the
haze of the Butt Room.” The boys are lazily
lounging, looking “very strongly, like criminals.”
They are too lethargic to seriously pay attention to
Brinker’s mock accusations until, in the silence that
is created after “the radio had suddenly gone
quiet,” they hear the desperation in Gene’s
“ringing” voice. They become “galvanized” as they
listen for an answer to the boy, who “uncoiled
tensely from the couch,” and asked the question,
“So, you killed him, did you?”
7. On pages 90–91, the story’s point of view helps the • Compare and contrast varying aspects of texts
reader understand— such as conflicts and allusions
why Gene “swung on the younger boy, …making a • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
little fun of him,” and earning his “unmixed hatred.” allusion
Gene had to escape the inquisition in the Butt
Room because it was touching too closely to the
• Understand cause/effect relationships
truth. To do this, he caused the boys in the Butt
Room to laugh at the younger boy, depriving him of
the “very weak foothold among the Butt Room
crowd.” Gene states, “For my escape this was a
price I was willing to pay.” Gene has destroyed the
boy’s credibility with the Butt Room crowd in order
to divert them from discovering the truth.


8. On page 91, when Gene states, “But this was a • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
clue they soon seemed to forget. I detected no allusion
Sherlock Holmes among them, nor even a Dr.
Watson,” it emphasizes that—
the boys in the Butt Room do not seem to be

investigating Gene’s role in Finny’s accident. They
are not following up any “clues.” Gene believes that
“the daily lists of appointments” have diverted any
investigations and that the truth is still safely
hidden.
9. On page 92, Gene states, “Life at Devon was • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
revealed as still very close to the ways of peace; generalizations, and predictions and support
the war was at worst only a bore, as Brinker said, them from text
no more taxing to us than a day spent at harvesting
in an apple orchard.” The reader can tell that—
the effects of World War I have not yet upset the

peaceful routine at Devon. So far, the only anomaly
involved the boys earning money harvesting “the
local apple crop” and spending “several shining
days picking” the apples because “the harvesters
had all gone into the army or war factories.” The
boys look at this activity as being a welcome
diversion. The terrors of the war are not real for the
boys at Devon.
10. On page 93, what does the description of the way • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
the war “commenced its invasion of the school” foreshadowing
suggest?
The boys at Devon have been affected by the war

only on a superficial level. They do not see it as
being a major factor in their lives. However, with
the coming of the “early snow” which “was
commandeered as its advance guard,” the war is
going to become a bigger, more important part of
their lives.
11. On page 93, Gene states, “Leper stands out for me • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
as the person who was most often and most responses and interpretations
emphatically taken by surprise, by this and every
other shift in our life at Devon.” This suggests that • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
Leper— generalizations, and predictions and support
them from text
does not adapt to changes in routine easily and is
caught up in his own world. This is emphasized two
paragraphs later when Leper “had probably not
heard the announcement” about the shoveling of
the railroad yards as part of the “Emergency
Usefulness policy adopted by the faculty that fall.”
He “generally made little sketches of birds and
trees in the back of his notebook” during
announcements. His world is more important to him
than announcements about the real world.


12. On page 95, Leper states, “They’re ruining skiing in • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
this country, rope tows and chair lifts and all that responses and interpretations
stuff.” What does this suggest about Leper?
Leper believes that true enjoyment comes only generalizations, and predictions and support
from observing nature closely. Leper’s world does them from text
not match the faster, more modern world with its
“rope tows and chair lifts and all that stuff” that
causes a person to “whiz” past the trees without
seeing them individually. His attitude can be
compared to that of Emerson and Thoreau.
13. On page 96, in the paragraph that begins, “With • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
Leper it was always a fight…,” Gene’s attitude responses and interpretations
toward Leper suggests that the next time others
make fun of Leper, Gene will— • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
not participate. Gene seems to like Leper even them from text
though Leper is different from most seventeen year
old boys who live “in a keyed-up, competing
school.” Gene’s “fight” to keep from making fun of
• Understand literary elements such as tone
Leper because he “had gotten to know him better”
shows a grudging respect for Leper’s right to be
different from the majority of the other boys.
14. On page 97, Gene describes “a moment of cheer.” • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
What is ironic about the boys’ attitudes about the irony and tone
passengers on the troop train?
The passengers are called “men” even though they

are “all young, all alike” and “not much older than
we were.” Even though they are “probably just
recruits,” they are seen as being “elite.” Even
though they are going to war, they are seen as
“having a wonderful time” and “going places.”
There is an element of envy in Gene’s voice as he
watches the train pass by Gene’s “drab ranks.”
Both groups, the boys from Devon and the soldiers
on the troop train, are contributing toward the war
effort, but the boys who are working in a safe
environment seem to be envying the men who are
“not much older” and who are going to a very
unsafe environment: the battlefield.
15. On page 97, Gene states, “Stranded in this mill • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
town railroad yard while the whole world was responses and interpretations
converging elsewhere, we seemed to be nothing
but children playing among heroic men.” This • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
suggests that Gene feels— generalizations, and predictions and support
them from text
frustrated that he is with the “children.” War seems
to be attractive. It is where men are “heroic.” Gene
feels “stranded.” He wants to shed his childhood
tone
and join the “heroic men.” He doesn’t want the
adult world to pass him by, “converging elsewhere”
without him as a participant.


16. On page 100, Brinker announces that he is going • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
to enlist the next day because— tone
he is frustrated being a student while men are • Analyze relevance of setting and time frame to
going to war. He is scornful of Quackenbush, who text’s meaning
has announced he plans to stay in school until
graduation, and he is scornful of Leper, who seems
unaware of the war. (pp. 98-99) He sees his
• Identify conflicts and how they are addressed
and resolved
residence at a “school for photographers of beaver
dams.” (p. 99) as being “futile” (p. 98) and
ineffective. His agitation when he states, “I’m giving • Understand cause/effect relationships
it up, I’m going to enlist,” shows his intense desire
to shun the peace that being a student affords him
and join the men who are going to the battlefields.
17. In the paragraph on page 100 that begins, “To • Identify conflicts and how they are addressed
enlist…,” the speaker uses metaphorical language and resolved
to explain—
• Understand cause/effect relationships
his reasons for wanting to drop out of school and
enlist. Running away to the army would allow Gene
to avoid facing the fear and conflict that he is
metaphor
experiencing at the school. Instead of dealing with
his guilt and fear, Gene could “slam the door
impulsively on the past,” and re-invent himself. He
could “break the pattern of [his] life and allow “the
“plain, flat, khaki design” of the army uniform to
hide his guilt and the “complex design” of his
character with “all its dark threads” and
“unexplainable symbols” that prompted him to
jounce the limb in the first place.
18. In the paragraph on pages 100–101 that begins, • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
“Not that it would be a good life…,” Gene states, responses and interpretations
“there is something deadly lurking in anything I
wanted, anything I loved.” His tone is— • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
self-accusatory. Gene believes that everyone, them from text
including himself, has evil intentions behind their
actions. This belief is so strong that even when evil
intentions are not present, as with Phineas, Gene
tone
will imagine their existence.
19. On page 102, Gene bounces “zestfully up the • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
dormitory stairs” because— responses and interpretations
he feels he is in control of his life. He has • Draw inferences such as conclusions,

“reckoned [his] responsibilities by the light of the generalizations, and predictions and support
unsentimental night sky.” He has chosen to “meet them from text
this crisis” and enlist. He repeats the words “I
chose” to show that he has made this decision of
his own accord. He feels purposeful.
tone
20. The simile in the last paragraph on page 102 that • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
begins, “Everything that had happened…,” simile and foreshadowing
emphasizes that—
• Identify conflicts and how they are addressed
Gene is not going to enlist the next day, after all. and resolved
Phineas’s return has melted Gene’s resolve to
enlist just like the sun melted “that first false
snowfall of the winter.”
• Analyze characteristics of text, including
patterns of organization characteristics

_________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Chapter 7
1. Gene’s “baptism” in the Naguamsett River symbolizes—

A. Gene’s desire to participate in the crew
B. Gene’s life being thrown into adulthood
C. the less respectable side of the Devon School
D. the newest challenge for the boys at Devon
2. Through Brinker’s poem, his “Shortest War Poem Ever Written,” the reader can conclude
that—
A. Brinker enjoys expressing his feelings through poetry
B. the boys do not think the war will last for a long time
C. the effects of World War II are not felt at Devon
D. World War II is inspiring the boys to do great things
3. When Gene describes Leper as “the person who was most often and most emphatically
taken by surprise,” he means that Leper—
A. does not adapt well to change
B. is one of the most prepared students
C. will always have fun in his life
D. is aware of what happens at Devon
4. Gene chooses not to join the other boys in making fun of Leper because Gene—
A. does not understand why the other boys do it
B. is reminded of Finny when he sees Leper
C. always supports the underdog
D. has gotten to know Leper better
5. At 4:30 on the day they work in the railroad yard, why do the boys experience “a moment
of cheer”?
A. They decide to give up for the day.
B. They accomplish the task of clearing the tracks.
C. They realize the war does not involve them directly.
D. They are excited to have missed a whole day of classes.

_________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Short-Answer Quiz
Chapter 7
1. Why do the attitudes of the boys in the Butt Room change when Gene loses his temper
with Brinker? Explain your answer and support it with evidence from the selection.
2. When the troop train finally passes through the freshly-cleared tracks, why does Gene say
that the Devon boys are “children”? Support your answer with evidence from the selection.
3. Why does Gene’s decision to enlist cause him to bounce “zestfully” up the stairs? Explain

Answer Key
1. Gene’s “baptism” in the Naguamsett River • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
B. Gene’s life being thrown into adulthood • Reference: p. 86
D. the newest challenge for the boys at Devon
2. Through Brinker’s poem, his “Shortest War Poem • Draw inferences
Ever Written,” the reader can conclude that—
A. Brinker enjoys expressing his feelings through • Reference: pp. 91–92
poetry
B. the boys do not think the war will last for a
long time
C. the effects of World War II are not yet felt at
Devon
D. World War II is inspiring the boys to do great
things
3. When Gene describes Leper as “the person who • Draw inferences
was most often and most emphatically taken by
surprise,” he means that Leper— • Reference: p. 93
4. Gene chooses not to join the other boys in making • Analyze text structures such as cause and
fun of Leper because Gene— effect for how they influence understanding
A. does not understand why the other boys do it
B. is reminded of Finny when he sees Leper • Reference: p. 96
D. has gotten to know Leper better
5. At 4:30 on the day they work in the railroad yard, • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
why do the boys experience “a moment of cheer”?
A. They decide to give up for the day. • Reference: p. 97
B. They accomplish the task of clearing the
tracks.
C. They realize the war does not involve them
directly.
D. They are excited to have missed a whole day
of classes.

Answer Key
Short Answer Quiz
1. Why do the attitudes of the boys in the Butt Room • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
change when Gene loses his temper with Brinker responses and interpretations
Explain your answer and support it with evidence
from the selection. • Reference: pp. 88–91
Suggested Response
As Gene and Brinker enter the Butt Room, Gene
states that “high spirits came hard in the haze of the
Butt Room.” The boys are lazily lounging, looking
“very strongly, like criminals.” They are too lethargic
to pay attention to Brinker’s mock accusations until,
in the silence that is created after “the radio had
suddenly gone quiet,” Gene’s desperate voice rings
out in the hush against Brinker: “Shut up! I swear to
God you ride a joke longer than anybody I know.”
Gene’s tone of voice indicates anything but a joke,
and the boys sit up and take notice of what is
becoming a very serious conversation. The
question hangs ominously in the air, “So, you killed
him, did you?” before Gene can brush off the
concern with half-truths, lies, and mispronounced
French.
2. When the troop train finally passes through the • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
freshly-cleared tracks, why does Gene say that the responses and interpretations
Devon boys are “children”? Support your answer
with evidence from the selection. • Reference: pp. 97–98
Suggested Response
Gene sees the soldiers on the train as being “elite,”
as “going places,” as “heroic men.” The Devon boys
are “stranded” while the “whole world was
converging elsewhere,” certainly very far from the
“futility of Devon.” The passing train leaves Gene
and his friends with “deepening gray” outlooks;
even the coaches are “dispiritedly lit” and
“uncomfortable.”
3. Why does Gene’s decision to enlist cause him to • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
bounce “zestfully” up the stairs? Explain your responses and interpretations
answer and support it with evidence from the
Suggested Response
Choosing to enlist, saying those “decisive words,” is
Gene’s “logical climax” to the confusion in his life.
Gene believes that enlisting will help him “slam the
door impulsively on the past” and to “meet this
crisis” at a time of his choosing. For that moment,
Gene concludes that he has worked through his
“responsibilities by the light of the unsentimental
night sky” and he could rest assured that he “owed
no one anything.”

Chapter 8
pp. 103~122

___________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Chapter 8 (pp. 103–122)
Vocabulary Words
absorption (p. 104) discernible (p. 108)
accenting (p. 104) opulent (p. 110)
rhetorical questions (p. 105) reticent (p. 110)
catastrophic (p. 107) whimsical (p. 111)
insinuations (p. 107) aphorisms (p. 113)
Discussion Topics
1. On pages 103–104, Finny’s attitude toward Gene as he removed his work clothes is—
2. In the paragraph on page 104 that begins, “I took the sight of this all right…,” Gene states
that at Devon, “crutches had almost as many athletic associations as shoulder pads. And I
had never seen an invalid whose skin glowed with such health…” Gene is able to tolerate
the sight of Finny using crutches because—
3. On page 108, Gene states, “The war then passed away from me, and dreams of
enlistment and escape and a clean start lost their meaning for me.” What does he mean?
4. On page 109, read the paragraph that begins, “But in a week I had forgotten that….” The
“peaceful summertime stillness” Gene “had prized so much at Devon” symbolizes—
5. On page 109, in the paragraph that begins, “So the war swept over like a wave at the
seashore…,” the war for Gene has come to symbolize—
6. On page 109, in the paragraph that begins, “So the war swept over like a wave at the
seashore…,” the simile helps the reader to understand—
7. The description of the buildings at Devon helps to establish a motif of—
8. On page 111, in the paragraph that begins, “”The winter loves me…,” Gene’s assessment
of Finny’s beliefs helps the reader to understand that Finny—

9. On page 112, in the paragraph that begins, “By the time we had reached it…,” the
description of Finny’s appearance helps the reader to understand—
10. On page 114, Gene states, “He made no pretense of not understanding me.” What does
he mean?
11. Read pages 114–116. Who do “the fat old men” in Finny’s fantasy about the war
symbolize?
12. Why is it significant when Finny shouts on page 116, “Because I’ve suffered…”?
13. On page 116, Gene begins chinning himself “in a fumbling and perhaps grotesque offering
to Phineas.” Why does he do this?
14. Finny makes a statement to Gene on page 117, “Leave your fantasy life out of this. We’re
grooming you for the Olympics, pal, in 1944.” What is ironic about this statement?
15. On page 118, Gene admits that Finny’s fantasy about the war presents a persuasive
argument because—
16. What does the title of Mr. Carhart’s sermon in the chapel suggest about his beliefs about
the war?
17. On pages 118–119, Gene compares Finny’s fantasy about the war with Mr. Carhart’s
sermon about “God in the Foxholes.” What does Gene’s conclusion suggest about where
to find the real truth about the war?
18. What discovery does Gene make about himself both during and after his run on
page 120?
19. On page 121, Finny flatly refuses to comply with Mr. Ludsbury’s request. What does this
suggest about Finny’s attitude toward his fantasy about the war?
20. The last two paragraphs of the chapter suggests that—

Chapter 8 (pp.103–122)
absorption contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Phineas just studied it paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
in wordless… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns the preposition “in” in the prepositional phrase, “in
wordless absorption.” Remind students that a
“in wordless absorption” is modifying the verb
“studied,” telling how he studied. Point out that this
prepositional phrase is behaving as if it was an
adverb.
• Etymology • Point out that the word absorption has the Latin
root absorptio, which means “to absorb.”
absorptivity and the adjective absorptive.
• Related words • Related words include the verb absorb, the nouns
absorbability, absorber, absorbedness
absorbency, absorptance, the adverb absorbedly,
and the adjectives absorbent and absorbing.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word absorption as it is used in
the sentence include involvement in, immersion
in, raptness in, engrossment in, occupation with,
preoccupation with, engagement in, captivation
with, fascination with, and enthrallment with.
Phineas is playfully mocking Gene by pretending
that the clothes he is wearing are worthy of such
concentration.


accenting contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
And I had never seen paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
an invalid… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns In this sentence, however, the verb is in the
participial form. A participle is a verb that is
behaving as if it is an adjective or an adverb. There
are present participles—verbs that end in –ing, and
there are past participles—verbs that end in –ed.
Participles can appear in phrases, groups of words
that behave as if they are single adjectives or single
adverbs. A participial phrase consists of the
participle and any related words. Many times these
phrases are set off with commas. In this case, the
participial phrase begins with the participle
accenting and ends with “eyes.” The phrase is
behaving as if it were an adjective, modifying “skin.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word accenting has the Latin root
accentus, which means “accentuation.”
• Forms of the word • Another form of the word includes the noun accent.
• Related words • Related words include the verb accentuate, the
noun accentuation, and the adjective accentual.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word accenting as it is used in
the sentence include focus attention on, draw
attention to, point up, underline, underscore,
accentuate, highlight, spotlight, feature,
heighten, stress, and emphasize. Have students
cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is commenting about how
healthy Phineas looks. The glowing skin points out
sharp, clear eyes. Phineas looks on the surface to
be completely restored to health.


rhetorical contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
questions the word might be within the context of the
paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
I didn’t pay any would support such a meaning.
attention… • Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is a compound noun.
Sentence Patterns Compound nouns are nouns that are made up of
two or more words.
• Etymology • Point out that the word rhetorical has the Latin root
rhetorice and the Greek root rhetorike, which mean
“rhetorical art.”
• Forms of the word • Another form of the word rhetorical includes the
adverb rhetorically.
• Related words • Words related to the word rhetorical include the
nouns rhetoric, rhetorician, and the adjective
rhetorical.
Phineas makes it a habit to ask rhetorical questions
during a conversation so that his mind can engage
another subject. Because Gene knows Phineas so
well, he recognizes this habit.
catastrophic contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I stood trembling in paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
front… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifies the noun “joke.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word catastrophic has the Greek
root katastrephein, which means “to ruin, undo.”
• Forms of the word • Another form of the word is the adverb
catastrophically.
• Related words • Related words include the nouns catastasis,
catastrophe, catastrophist, and catastrophism.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word catastrophic as it is used in
the sentence include disastrous, calamitous,
cataclysmic, apocalyptic, ruinous, tragic, fatal,
dire, awful, terrible, and dreadful. Have students
cards.
Brinker’s joke terrifies him because it hints at events
that are actually true. Gene knows he must protect
Finny, but he must also protect himself from the
truth.


insinuations contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
It was the ultimate paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
question… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is a noun. It is the direct
Sentence Patterns object in the independent clause, “it drove Brinker’s
insinuations from every mind but mine.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word insinuations has the Latin
root in, which means “see,” combined with the Latin
root sinuare, which means “to curve.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the verb insinuate,
the noun insinuator, the adjectives insinuative,
insinuatory, insinuating, and the adverb
insinuatingly.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word insinuations as it is used in
the sentence include implications, inferences,
suggestions, hints, intimations, connotations,
innuendos, references, allusions, indications,
undertones, overtones, aspersions, slurs, an
allegations. Have students record the word and all
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that he is
beginning to view Brinker’s joke as being more of an
innuendo toward what really happened on the limb
the day Finny fell. Gene must be wondering how
much Brinker really suspects.


discernible contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I could hardly believe paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
it… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifies the pronoun “it” in the clause, “but it was
too plainly printed in the closed expression of his
face to mistake.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word discernible has the Latin
root discernere, which means “to separate, to
perceive.”
• Forms of the word • Another form of the word includes the adverb
discernibly.
• Related words • Related words include the nouns discernment,
discerner, the adjective discerning, the adverb
discerningly, and the verb discern.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word discernible as it is used in
the sentence include visible, detectable,
noticeable, perceptible, observable,
distinguishable, recognizable, identifiable,
apparent, evident, distinct, appreciable, clear,
obvious, manifest, and conspicuous. Have
note cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker detects something in
Finny’s expression that brings him to the discovery
that Finny needs him. Finny is trying to disguise his
need, but Gene sees it.


opulent contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
This opulent society paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
betrayed… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifies the noun “society.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word opulent has the Latin root
opulentus.
• Forms of the word • Another form of the word is the adverb opulently.
• Related words • Related words include the nouns opulence and
opulency.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word opulent as it is used in the
sentence include abundant, profuse, prolific,
plentiful, luxuriant, and plenteous. Have students
cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is drawing a sharp contrast
between the severe exteriors of the buildings with
the extravagant interiors of the buildings. The
exteriors reflect an abundant sobriety, while the
interiors reflect abundant excesses of wealth. There
is almost a punning, or play on words, since another
meaning of the adjective means “luxuriant.”
reticent contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
From the outside the paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
buildings… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns adjective. It modifies the noun “buildings” and
follows the linking verb “were.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word reticent has the Latin root
reticere, which means “to keep silent.”
• Forms of the word • Another form of the word is the adverb reticently.
• Related words • A related word is the noun reticence.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word reticent as it is used in the
sentence include buttoned-up, guarded, secretive,
reserved, and unforthcoming. Have students
cards.
front of the buildings are extremely formidable,
almost forbidding.


whimsical contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
The winter loves me… paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifies the noun “sound.”
• Related words • Related words include the nouns whimsicality and
whimsy.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word whimsical as it is used in
the sentence include fanciful, playful, quaint,
quizzical, curious, droll, eccentric, quirky, and
fey. Have students record the word and all of its
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that Finny understands that the statement
was too fanciful and not something normal teens
would necessarily say. He feels he needs to qualify
that statement with an explanation. It is ironic that
his explanation is almost as whimsical as his original
statement, “The winter loves me.”
aphorisms contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I had prepared myself paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
for that… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
• Etymology • Point out that the word aphorisms has the Latin
root aphorismus and the Greek root aphorismos,
which means “to delimit, define.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the noun aphorist,
the adjective aphoristic, and the adverb
aphoristically.
• Related words • A related word is the intransitive verb aphorize.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word aphorisms as it is used in
the sentence include sayings, maxims, axioms,
adages, epigrams, dictums, gnomes, and
proverbs. Have students record the word and all of
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker has been expecting Finny
to be upset about not being able to ever participate
in sports and is trying to think of sayings or mottos
that would encourage Finny, cheer him up, and let
him know that he can do other worthy things other
than play sports. Gene is mystified when Finny does
not seem to need cheering.

Answer Key
Discussion Topics
Chapter 8 (pp. 103–122)

1. On pages 103-104, Finny’s attitude toward Gene • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
as he removed his work clothes is— tone
playfully sarcastic
2. In the paragraph on page 104 that begins, “I took • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
the sight of this all right…,” Gene states that at generalizations, and predictions and support
Devon, “crutches had almost as many athletic them from text
associations as shoulder pads. And I had never
seen an invalid whose skin glowed with such • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
health…” Gene is able to tolerate the sight of Finny responses and interpretations
using crutches because—
he is able to think about “athletic associations” and

ignore the actual reason for Finny’s crutches,
allowing Gene to prevent the sight of Finny’s
crutches from resurrecting any guilt about why the
crutches are necessary
3. On page 108, Gene states, “The war then passed • Analyze text structures such as cause and
away from me, and dreams of enlistment and effect for how they influence understanding
escape and a clean start lost their meaning for me.”
What does he mean? • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
Gene has just realized that Finny, who knows that them from text
Gene is “the least trustworthy person he had ever
met,” needs him and does not want him to leave
Devon. This suggests that Finny, who knows of
• Analyze the development of plot and identify
conflicts and how they are addressed and
Gene’s betrayal because Gene “had even told
resolved
him,” has forgiven Gene. In the face of this, Gene
does not feel he can abandon his friend. This
decision to stay in school becomes a major turning
point for Gene.
4. On page 109, read the paragraph that begins, “But • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
in a week I had forgotten that...” The “peaceful symbolism
summertime stillness” Gene “had prized so much
at Devon” symbolizes— • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
the warm and trusting friendship that Finny had
offered Gene during the summer session. Since
Finny’s accident, Gene has been mourning the way
the war had been “eroding the peaceful summer
time stillness.” It was during the summertime that
Gene and Finny had become friends. It was Finny’s
fall from the branch that ended the summer
prematurely for Gene. Finny has been absent while
the snow covered the playing fields and
announcements about the war “commenced its
invasion” of the school. But Finny has now returned
to Devon and has made it clear that he has
“chosen” Gene. He allows only Gene to see “the
most humbling sides of his handicap,” something
that only a close and trusted friend would do.
Consequently, in spite of the fact that “the playing
fields were crusted under a foot of congealed
snow,” that the river was frozen, and that World
War II was raging, for Gene, “peace had come
back to Devon” in the form of Finny’s friendship.


5. On page 109, in the paragraph that begins, “So the • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
war swept over like a wave at the seashore…,” the symbolism
war for Gene has come to symbolize—
Gene’s inner conflict. Gene has been agonizing over

his part in Finny’s fall. Aside from his own guilt, he
has been afraid that Brinker will guess the truth.
Gene has also been mourning the loss of Finny’s
companionship and has been harboring the fear that
his and Finny’s friendship has been materially
damaged. Gene now believes that because Phineas
has forgiven him and has demonstrated that he
considers Gene a valued and trusted friend, Gene
has escaped retribution for his act of betrayal. He
believes that the conflict he has been experiencing
has washed over him harmlessly. Gene states that
for him, “peace had come back to Devon.”
6. On page 109, in the paragraph that begins, “So the • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
war swept over like a wave at the seashore…,” the simile and foreshadowing
simile helps the reader to understand—
• Analyze the development of plot and identify
that for Gene, a crisis has passed, and he believes conflicts and how they are addressed and
he has escaped unscathed. Because Phineas has resolved
forgiven him and demonstrated that he wants Gene
for a friend, Gene will not enlist and not become a
part of the adult war after all. Gene believes he and
Phineas can return to the same innocent, trusting
relationship they had shared during the early part of
the summer session. The fact that this wave will be
“followed by another even larger and more powerful,
when the tide is coming in,” foreshadows a larger
conflict that will perhaps take Gene by surprise.
7. The description of the buildings at Devon helps to • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
establish a motif of— motif and oxymoron
contradiction and deception. The exterior of the

buildings are described using oxymorons such as
“Puritan grandeur” and “as though Versailles had
been modified for the needs of a Sunday school.”
The “opulent sobriety” of the exteriors of the
buildings hid the “extravaganza of Pompadour
splendor” that existed behind the prim exteriors that
“were reticent, severe straight lines of red brick or
white clapboard” that “were expected and not pretty,
like Pilgrim bonnets.” The prim exteriors hid the
“pink marble walls,” the “white marble floors” that
were styled after “the High Italian Renaissance.” The
simple “shutters standing sentinel beside each
window” belied the interior “chandeliers flashing with
crystal teardrops,” the “wall of fragile French
windows overlooking an Italian garden of marble bric
-a-brac,” and “the stairs of smooth, slick marble,
more treacherous even than the icy walks.” The
surface appearance does not reflect what is
underneath the surface. It is as if the exteriors of the
buildings are at odds with the opulent interiors. Even
the “wooden plank walks” that “had been placed on
many of the school paths for better footing” are
deceptively dangerous for Finny because he could
slip on “frozen wooden planking.”


8. On page 111, in the paragraph that begins, “”The • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
winter loves me…,” Gene’s assessment of Finny’s responses and interpretations
beliefs helps the reader to understand that Finny—
has an optimistic, but skewed and immature view characterization
of reality. Finny tells Gene that “when you really
love something, then it loves you back.” Gene does
not agree with this but states that Finny’s thought
“was like every other thought and belief of Finny’s:
them from text
it should have been true.” Finny’s view of reality is
based on what should be true rather than on what
is actually true.
9. On page 112, in the paragraph that begins, “By the • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
time we had reached it…,” the description of generalizations, and predictions and support
Finny’s appearance helps the reader to them from text
understand—
that Finny has deceived his doctor and his parents

into returning to Devon too soon. He is still
extremely weak and may be over-exerting himself.
10. On page 114, Gene states, “He made no pretense • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
of not understanding me.” What does he mean? generalizations, and predictions and support
them from text
This comment is made immediately after an
exchange between Gene and Finny. Commenting
on the gym, Finny has stated, “Same old place,
isn’t it?” Gene has replied after a pause, “Not
exactly.” Gene is commenting that the gym will
never be the same because Finny will never again
use this gym as an athlete. Finny has not missed
Gene’s reference to the fact that Finny will never
play sports again and is acknowledging the veracity
of Gene’s statement with “no pretense.” He is not
trying to pretend that there is any hope that he
could possibly return to sports.
11. Read pages 114–116. Who do “the fat old men” in • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
Finny’s fantasy about the war symbolize? symbolism
The “fat old men” in Finny’s invention about World

War II represent the established, responsible, rule-
giving adults such as teachers, parents, “preachers
and the old ladies and all the stuffed shirts” who
are in power over “people who are young” and who
want to keep these young people from doing “just
what they wanted.” These “fat old men” are the
adults “who don’t want us crowding them out of
their jobs” and who want to keep the best of
everything, such as “steaks,” having them
“delivered to their clubs.” This could be a reference
to the items that were rationed due to their short
supply during World War II.


12. Why is it significant when Finny shouts on page • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
116, “Because I’ve suffered…”? responses and interpretations
This is the first time that Finny has acknowledged

the emotional pain he is enduring because of his
fall. Finny has always been playful and seemingly
carefree, making up fantasies and games that are
similar to the one he has devised about the
existence of World War II. He has never been
conflicted. Yet, he “burst out” this statement,
showing the serious and strong emotion that is
attached to it. This is the first time Phineas has
shown “this bitterness in himself” (p. 117), and it
has “more” than “startled” both Gene and Phineas.
Gene’s statement, “Neither of us ever mentioned it
again, and neither of us ever forgot that it was
there,” adds weight to the idea that this fall has
altered Finny emotionally as well as physically, and
it is conceivable that Finny’s appearance of
acceptance is only a veneer, covering deep
emotional pain.
13. On page 116, Gene begins chinning himself “in a • Understanding cause/effect relationships
fumbling and perhaps grotesque offering to
Phineas.” Why does he do this? • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
allusion
Finny’s emotional outburst, “because I’ve suffered,”
has ended “the flighty spirits of the morning.” Gene,
once again reminded that he is responsible for
Finny’s pain, discovers that he does not have “the
right words,” or “the right gesture” to adequately
respond to the pain he recognizes in Finny. The
only thing that Gene can think of to do is to obey
Finny’s request for Gene to “chin yourself a few
dozen times” (p. 114). This is the last request Finny
makes before delivering the outburst that destroys
“the flighty spirits” of play. Gene offers this action
as a “grotesque offering to Phineas,” hoping that
this penitent act of submission, offered as a
suppliant might offer a sacrifice to a god, will help
Finny to recapture some of those “flighty spirits”
and turn away from the hard, and very real emotion
Finny has just acknowledged.
14. Finny makes a statement to Gene on page 117, • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
“Leave your fantasy life out of this. We’re grooming irony
you for the Olympics, pal, in 1944.” What is ironic
about this statement?
Gene has just stated a factual reality: “But there

isn’t going to be any Olympics in ’44. That’s only a
couple of years away. The war—” and Finny is
ironically calling that factual reality a part of Gene’s
“fantasy life.” This use of verbal irony signals that
Finny is endeavoring to return to the “flighty spirits
of the morning” by ironically treating reality as
fantasy and fantasy as reality.


15. On page 118, Gene admits that Finny’s fantasy • Analyze text structures such as cause and
about the war presents a persuasive argument effect for how they influence understanding
because—
• Analyze relevance of setting and time frame to
the war seems to be unreal to the students at text’s meaning
Devon. They are “so far out of the line of fire” that
the only tangible evidence that there is a war
comes through “photographs in the papers and
magazines, newsreels, posters,” a “voice on the
radio”, or “headlines across the top of a
newspaper,” all of which are images of “the false
medium of two dimensions.” The only direct impact
the war has had on the students has been in the
form of meat and gasoline rationing, an event that
Finny’s concept of “the old fat men” can explain
away. This shows the cleverness and intricacy of
Finny’s fantastical argument about the existence of
the war. He is very convincing and seems very
close to being able to prove the veracity of his
premise, that the war is a fantasy made up by “old
fat men.” Because the students are not direct
witnesses to the ravages of the war, they are
having a hard time refuting Finny’s interpretation of
the events that are presented in the “false medium
of two dimensions.”
16. What does the title of Mr. Carhart’s sermon in the • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
chapel suggest about his beliefs about the war? generalizations, and predictions and support
them from text
Mr. Carhart seems to believe that the United States
is engaged in a “holy war” in which God is on the • Interpret possible influences of the historical
side of the United States and is in every foxhole, context on a literary work
assisting the soldiers during battle.
17. On pages 118–119, Gene compares Finny’s • Use elements of text to defend interpretations
fantasy about the war with Mr. Carhart’s sermon
about “God in the Foxholes.” What does Gene’s • Evaluate the credibility of information sources
conclusion suggest about where to find the real to determine credibility
truth about the war?
Gene comments that “if Finny’s opinion of the war
effect, compare and contrast for how they
was unreal, Mr. Carhart’s was at least as unreal.”
influence understanding
This suggests that Gene believes that both Finny’s
and Mr. Carhart’s interpretations of wartime events,
though in extreme opposition to each other, are • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
mixing fantasy with actual reality in order to prove generalizations, and predictions and support
their individual premises. This begs the question them from text
that perhaps the unvarnished truth lies somewhere
between the two extremes.
18. What discovery does Gene make about himself • Identifying main idea and supporting details
both during and after his run on page 120?
Gene realizes that he knows very little about

himself. He discovers that he has untapped
strength and endurance that can be accessed by
refusing to give in to aches, pains, and feelings of
self-pity. He realizes he has been lazy, offering
excuses for poor performance.


19. On page 121, Finny flatly refuses to comply with • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
Mr. Ludsbury’s request. What does this suggest responses and interpretations
about Finny’s attitude toward his fantasy about the
war? • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
This “fantasy” is more than just a game for Finny. them from text
Mr. Ludsbury has just reminded the boys that
“Games are all right in their place,” but that “all
exercise today is aimed of course at the
approaching Waterloo,” alluding to Devon’s
wartime practice of using physical exercise as a
way to physically prepare Devon’s graduates for
military service. He asks Finny and Gene to keep
that idea in their “sights at all times.” It is a small
request, and it is given more as a suggestion than
a command. Yet Finny’s face is “set in
determination” and has an “older look” about it
when he “flatly” tells Mr. Ludsbury, “No.” No
student has ever told the headmaster, “No.” The
word is delivered quietly and without an
accompanying “sir.” It is as if Finny is drawing a
line in the sand. He is coaching Gene to participate
in the 1944 Olympics, not a non-existent war that is
made up by “old fat men” to keep young men from
doing what they want. This fantasy has become
very important to Finny, important enough to fluster
the headmaster and risk punishment for
insubordination or disrespect. Perhaps Finny feels
that if he continues the fantasy, he can ignore the
horrors of the war.
20. The last two paragraphs of the chapter suggest • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
that— responses and interpretations
Finny’s fantasy about “the plot of the fat old men” • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
has become an elaborate game to escape the characterization
harsh reality of the war. Finny’s tone shifts from the
dogged determination he shows to Mr. Ludsbury to
“simple wonder, as he ponders why Mr. Ludsbury
would be excluded from “the plot of the fat old
them from text
men.” Finny seems determined to keep the fantasy
viable when he allows that Mr. Ludsbury is too thin
to be a part of the “plot.” There seems to be more
to Finny’s fantasy than just childish play, something
that the whimsy of the game disguises.

_________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Chapter 8
1. When Gene first sees Finny with his crutches in their room, Gene is able to accept the
sight of Finny’s disability because Gene—
A. shifts his focus to the snow outside the windows
B. is concerned about Brinker’s reaction to Finny’s return
C. associates the crutches with athletic injuries
D. changes the subject to the absence of maids
2. For Gene, the “peaceful summertime stillness” is a symbol for—

A. relaxed classes
B. Finny’s friendship
C. the Suicide Society
D. the distant war
3. The author uses the descriptions of the Devon School’s buildings to explain the theme
of—
A. “love conquers all”
B. “appearances can be deceiving”
C. “good triumphs over evil”
D. “quality is better than quantity”
4. When Finny reaches the gym on his first day back, he has to rest because he—
A. regrets skipping class to go to the gym
B. wants to gather courage before seeing his old trophies
C. is trying to do too many tricks on his crutches
D. is not truly recovered enough to return to school
5. Gene begins to see that Finny’s fantasy about the war presents a persuasive argument
since—
A. the war is a government conspiracy
B. Devon is so far from the war’s reality
C. he is tired of war-time projects
D. he wants to contradict Brinker’s beliefs

_________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Short-Answer Quiz
Chapter 8
1. When Finny returns, why does Gene decide against enlisting? Explain your answer and
2. When Finny claims that “the winter loves [him],” what does Gene conclude about Finny’s
beliefs? Support your answer with evidence from the selection.
3. What is significant about Finny’s outburst in the gym, “Because I’ve suffered”? Explain

Answer Key
Chapter 8 (pp. 103–122)
1. When Gene first sees Finny with his crutches in their • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
room, Gene is able to accept the sight of Finny’s
disability because Gene— • Reference: p. 104
A. shifts his focus to the snow outside the
windows
B. is concerned about Brinker’s reaction to
Finny’s return
C. associates the crutches with athletic injuries
2. For Gene, the “peaceful summertime stillness” is a • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
symbol for— symbolism
A. relaxed classes
B. Finny’s friendship • Reference: p. 109
C. the Suicide Society
D. the distant war
3. The author uses the descriptions of the Devon • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
School’s buildings to explain the theme of— theme
A. “love conquers all”
B. “appearances can be deceiving” • Reference: pp. 110–111
4. When Finny reaches the gym on his first day back, • Draw inferences
he has to rest because he—
A. regrets skipping class to go to the gym • Reference: pp. 112–113
B. wants to gather courage before seeing his old
trophies
D. is not truly recovered enough to return to
school
5. Gene begins to see that Finny’s fantasy about the • Analyze text structures such as cause and
war presents a persuasive argument since— effect for how they influence understanding
A. the war is a government conspiracy
B. Devon is so far from the war’s reality • Reference: p. 118
C. he is tired of war-time projects
D. he wants to contradict Brinker’s beliefs

Answer Key
Short Answer Quiz
Chapter 8 (pp. 103–122)
1. When Finny returns, why does Gene decide • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
against enlisting? Explain your answer and support responses and interpretations
it with evidence from the selection.
• Reference: pp. 100 and 108–109
Suggested Response
Enlisting was to have been Gene’s “logical climax,”
a way of finding a sort of peace with his past in the
intensity of war. When Gene realizes that “in some
way” Finny needed him, “dreams of enlistment and
escape and a clean start lost their meaning.” Gene
sees that Finny has “chosen” him, and it is only to
Gene that Finny “could show the most humbling
signs of his handicap.” With this renewal of
friendship, “peace had come back to Devon” for
Gene, and he no longer needs to go to war in
search of it.
2. When Finny claims that “the winter loves [him],” • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
what does Gene conclude about Finny’s beliefs? responses and interpretations
selection. • Reference: pp. 111 and 116
Suggested Response
Finny possesses an immature view of reality that
provides an optimistic lens for viewing the world,
his “world of invention.” In this view, the act of
loving something means “it loves you back, in
whatever way it has to love.” Gene disagrees with
Finny’s viewpoint, but he desperately wants to
believe that optimism can still be true in spite of the
“facts” he continually discusses. Finny’s beliefs, in
Gene’s opinion, “should have been true.”
3. What is significant about Finny’s outburst in the • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
gym, “Because I’ve suffered”? Explain your answer responses and interpretations
Suggested Response
Finny’s words bring “amazement” into the gym and
effectively end “the flighty spirits of the morning.”
This is the first time that Finny acknowledges the
emotional pain he is enduring because of his injury.
Gene explains the impact, “Phineas I know had
been even more startled than I to discover this
bitterness in himself.” Finny’s outburst is a raw,
strong statement that the fall maimed him
emotionally and physically, an admission that
neither Finny nor Gene would be able to forget.
Despite all of Finny’s wit and proclamations of
friendship, there is an emotional pain just beneath
the surface.


Chapter 9
pp. 123~137

___________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Chapter 9 (pp. 123–137)
Vocabulary Words
vagaries (p. 123) accolade (p. 133)
liaison (p. 126) latent (p. 135)
multifariously (p. 130) choreography (p. 136)
dowager (p. 131) concocted (p. 137)
cacophony (p. 132) illusory (p. 137)
Discussion Topics
1. On page 123, Gene states, “What deceived me was my own happiness; for peace is
indivisible, and the surrounding world confusion found no reflection inside me.” What does
he mean?
2. Why could it be possible for Gene to find Leper Lepellier’s enlistment into the military to be
ironic?
3. On page 124, in the paragraph that begins, “Early in January…,” which sentence best
explains how the film inspired Leper to enlist?
4. On page 125, in the paragraph that begins, “You usually listened to Leper’s quiet
talking…,” Gene’s rhetorical questions help the reader to understand—
5. What tone is established on page 126, in the paragraph that begins, “This established our
liaison with World War II…”?
6. On page 127 in the paragraph that begins, “Everyone contributed to this legend…,” Finny
separates Gene and himself “from the Butt Room crowd, from Brinker and Chet, and all
other friends.” What does this suggest about Finny?
7. On page 128, in the paragraph that begins, “And these Saturdays..,” describe how the
speaker establishes his dreary and depressing view of Saturdays in the late winter.
8. Read pages 129–131. In what ways have Brinker’s attitudes changed since the morning
that he and Gene decided not to enlist?

9. On page 131, in the paragraph that begins, “The Saturday was battleship gray…,” Gene
describes the fears of Brownie Perkins in order to—
10. On page 131, in the paragraph that begins “The buried cider was half-consciously
plotted…,” Gene uses a simile to emphasize—
11. Read pages 131-132. What characteristic links all of the Winter Carnival prizes?
12. On page 132, in the paragraph that begins, “Chet Douglass stood next to him…,” Gene
provides information about Chet in order to—
13. Read pages 133–134. How does Phineas orchestrate the attack on Brinker’s stash of
cider?
14. On page 134, Gene states, “There was going to be no government, even by whim, even
by Brinker’s whim, on this Saturday at Devon.” This emphasizes—
15. The tone of the paragraph on pages 134–135 that begins, “He gave me a long, pondering
look…,” suggests—
16. On page 135–136, in the paragraph that begins, “The hard cider began to take charge…,”
the description of the boys’ activities helps the reader to visualize—
17. On page 137, Gene states that during the Winter Carnival, “we had concocted, this
afternoon of momentary, illusory, special and separate peace.” What does he mean?
18. The tone of Leper’s telegram suggests that he is—
19. For Phineas, the message contained in Leper’s telegram becomes a symbol for—
20. On page 137, Gene speaks of his “liberation” from “the gray encroachments of 1943” and
“the escape we concocted” in order to find “separate peace.” At the end of the chapter
Leper writes that he has “escaped” and needs help. Compare and contrast what is
suggested by Gene’s “escape” with what is suggested by Leper’s “escape.”

Chapter 9 (pp. 123–137)
vagaries contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
His enlistment paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
seemed just another would support such a meaning.
of Leper’s… • Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
Sentence Patterns the preposition “of” in the prepositional phrase, “of
Leper’s vagaries.” Remind students that a phrase is
a group of words that acts as if it is a single part of
“of Leper’s vagaries” is modifying the adjective
“another.” Point out that this prepositional phrase is
behaving as if it is an adverb.
• Etymology • Point out that the word vagaries has the Latin root
vagari, which means “to wander.”
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word vagaries as it is used in the
sentence include changes, fluctuations,
variations, quirks, peculiarities, oddities,
eccentricities, caprices, foibles, whims, and
fancies. Have students record the word and all of its
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is explaining that he is
used to Leper doing whimsical things. His enlistment
seems to fit into that category, making it unimportant
to the rest of the student population. This shows the
lack of respect and concern that the rest of the
students have for Leper. He is dismissed as being
too different, and, therefore, not worthy of concern.


liaison contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
This established our paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
liaison with would support such a meaning.
World War II… • Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
(p. 126) (denotation) of the word. Discuss which definition
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is a noun. It is serving as the
Sentence Patterns direct object in the sentence.
• Etymology • Point out that the word liaison has the Latin root
ligatio, which means “to bind.”
• Related words • A related word is the intransitive verb liaise.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word liaison as it is used in the
sentence include intermediary, mediator,
middleman, contact, link, connection, go-
between, representative, and agent. Have
note cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the act of joking about the ridiculous
notion of Leper being a hero established a way for
the students to talk about the progression of war.
multifariously contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
If he could not enlist… paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is an adverb. It modifies the
Sentence Patterns adjective “civilian.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word multifariously has the Latin
root multifariam, which means “in many places.”
multifarious and the noun multifariousness.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word multifariously as it is used
in the sentence include diverse, many, numerous,
various, varied, diversified, multiple,
multitudinous, multiplex, manifold, multifaceted,
different, heterogeneous, miscellaneous,
assorted, and myriad. Have students record the
Brinker has been a leader or a member of several
different organizations. His resigning from all of
them is showing his disillusionment and rebellion.


dowager contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Nearby, entirely out of paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
place in this would support such a meaning.
snowscope… • Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
sentence.
Sentence Patterns the preposition “like” in the prepositional phrase,
“like a dowager.” Remind students that a phrase is
a group of words that acts as if it is a single part of
“like a dowager” is modifying the noun “classroom
table.” Point out that this prepositional phrase is
behaving as if it was an adjective.
• Etymology • Point out that the word dowager has the Latin root
dotare, which means “to endow.”
• Related words • Related words include dowager’s hump.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is using a comparison to
help the reader to visualize how incongruent the
formal table, which symbolizes the traditions of the
school, looks as it sits next to the “sloppy statues,”
which symbolize rebellion against the staid,
established and formal traditions of the school.
cacophony contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Chet in any case was paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
an improvement… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
• Etymology • Point out that the word cacophony has the Greek
root kakophonos, which means “bad sound.”
cacophonous and the adverb cacophonously.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word cacophony as it is used in
the sentence include din, racket, noise, clamor,
discord, dissonance, discordance, and uproar.
school band produces sounds that are not pleasant.


accolade contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
You had to be rude at paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
least sometimes… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
• Etymology • Point out that the word accolade has the Latin root
accolare, which means “to embrace.”
• Forms of the word • Another form of the word is the transitive verb
accolade.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word accolade as it is used in the
sentence include honor, title, and laurel. Have
note cards.
students who wanted to be respected leaders strive
to have other students describe them as having
“personality.” To be viewed as having “personality,”
rudeness and edginess seemed to be required. This
suggests that those students who crave status will
exhibit rudeness and edginess and that those
students who are “too nice” will never be considered
leaders. The fact that Finny is the exception,
suggests that Finny is not only a natural leader but
that he is not necessarily rude and edgy.
latent contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I jerked the jug to my paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
mouth… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifies the noun “violence.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word latent has the Latin root
latere, which means “to lie hidden.”
• Forms of the word • Another form of the word includes the adverb
latently.
• Related words • A related word is the noun latency.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word latent as it is used in the
sentence include dormant, untapped,
undiscovered, hidden, concealed, underlying,
invisible, unseen, undeveloped, unrealized,
unfulfilled, and potential. Have students record the
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that this word suggests that there is an
underlying conflict brewing between Gene and
Brinker. It almost surfaces in the confrontation over
the cider, but shifts away, unrecognized. This
foreshadows a larger conflict later in the novel.


choreography contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
It was his wildest paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
demonstration of would support such a meaning.
himself… • Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
sentence.
• Etymology • Point out that the word choreography has the
Greek root khoreia, which means “choral dance”
combined with the Latin root graphia, which means
“to write.”
choreographic and the adverb choreographically.
• Related words • Related words include choreograph and
choreographer.
reader understands that Phineas is literally dancing
on the table, exuding pure joy. His joy is his peace.
All is right in his world, and his dance is an
expression of his happiness. Calling his dance a
“choreography of peace” makes it seem like a
ballet, a beautiful and intricate series of steps that
only the most skilled dancers can perform.
concocted contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
It wasn’t the cider paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
which made me… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is a transitive verb in the
Sentence Patterns past perfect tense.
• Etymology • Point out that the word concocted has the Latin root
concoquere, which means “to boil together.”
concocter, concoctor, and concoction.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word concocted as it is used in
the sentence include prepared, made, and
assembled. Have students record the word and all
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that by
working together, the boys are able to put together
an activity that provides an afternoon of
“momentary, illusory, special and separate peace,”
allowing them to forget momentarily about the
stresses and conflicts in their lives.


illusory contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
It wasn’t the cider paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
which made me… would support such a meaning.
Sentence Patterns modifies the noun “peace.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word illusory has the Latin root
illudere which means “to mock.”
• Related words • Related words include the adjectives illusive,
illusionistic, illusionary, the adverbs illusively,
illusionistically, the nouns illusiveness,
illusionist, illusionism, and illusion.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word illusory as it is used in the
sentence include delusory, delusive, illusionary,
imagined, imaginary, fanciful, fancied, unreal,
chimerical, sham, false, fallacious, fake,
mistaken, erroneous, misguided, and untrue.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the speaker is making it clear that this
afternoon of joyful, innocent play only ignores the
stress, conflicts and problems that exists. It does not
provide peace. It only gives the illusion that there is
peace. The war still rages. The conflicts still exist.
This carnival is a momentary respite from dealing
with the problems.

Answer Key
Discussion Topics
Chapter 9 (pp. 123–137)

1. On page 123, Gene states, “What deceived me • Analyze characteristics of text, including the
was my own happiness; for peace is indivisible, patterns of organization, syntax, and word
and the surrounding world confusion found no choice
reflection inside me.” What does he mean?
Gene is suggesting that by “lapsing” into “Finny’s

vision of peace,” which involves the childish denial
of the existence of the war, pretending that the
peaceful world of Devon is unchanged, and
pretending that the 1944 Olympics are going to be
held as usual, Gene is able to find “peace” within
himself. Even though he knows on an intellectual
level that World War II is not “manipulated by a
bunch of calculating fat old men, appealing though
this idea was,” he is able to ignore the war on an
emotional level, concentrating on Finny’s fantasy
and not letting the “surrounding world confusion”
find “reflection” inside of him. Playing Finny’s game
and not dwelling on the war is allowing Gene to
disconnect from the emotional turmoil and fear that
the war is generating. The peace Gene is feeling,
however, is based on a fantasy and is deceiving.
2. Why could it be possible for Gene to find Leper • Understanding and analyze literary terms such
Lepellier’s enlistment into the military to be ironic? as irony
The very action of losing a student to the military

should have made the war seem more real to
Gene. Instead, he states that Leper’s enlistment
“made the war seem more unreal than ever,”
creating a situational irony. Gene states that “no
real war could draw Leper voluntarily away from his
snails and beaver dams.” This enlistment must just
be one of Leper’s “vagaries” or quirks. There is
nothing brave, militaristic or warrior-like about
Leper, the naturalist (p. 123).
3. On page 124, in the paragraph that begins, “Early • Use elements of text to clarify and defend
in January…,” which sentence best explains how interpretations
the film inspired Leper to enlist?
“To Leper it revealed what all of us were seeking: a

recognizable and friendly face to the war” (p. 124).
4. On page 125, in the paragraph that begins, “You • Understand and analyze text structures such
usually listened to Leper’s quiet talking…,” Gene’s as rhetorical questions
rhetorical questions help the reader to
understand— • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
the importance of Leper’s revelation. Gene realizes them from text
that Leper has inadvertently touched upon a major
truth that applies to the natural world, making it
applicable to Gene’s and Phineas’s worlds. He
knows it is important, but he has not figured out just
exactly how it applies to Phineas and himself. The
rhetorical questions suggest that this idea will be
revisited. Leper’s revelation, “Everything has to
evolve or else it perishes,” presents a major
thematic statement.


5. What tone is established on page 126, in the • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
paragraph that begins, “This established our liaison tone
with World War II…”?
The students are joking sarcastically. responses and interpretations
6. On page 127 in the paragraph that begins, • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
“Everyone contributed to this legend…,” Finny generalizations, and predictions and support
separates Gene and himself “from the Butt Room them from text
crowd, from Brinker and Chet, and all other friends.”
What does this suggest about Finny?
The boys of the Butt Room are building fantasies

about Leper’s participation in a war that Finny’s
fantasy refuses to even acknowledge. Gene states
that “everyone contributed to (Leper’s) legend
except Phineas.” The fantasies cannot exist
together. Phineas stops Gene from going to the
Butt Room by stating, “How do you expect to be an
athlete if you smoke like a forest fire?” In Phineas’s
world, “there was no war at all,” and Phineas and
Gene occupy that world as they train for the
Olympics of 1944.
7. On page 128, in the paragraph that begins, “And • Analyze the characteristics of text, including
these Saturdays..,” describe how the speaker patterns of organization, syntax, and word
establishes his dreary and depressing view of choice
Saturdays in the late winter.
Saturdays are described as being “worst in the late

winter.” The snow is no longer pristine and white,
but “has lost its novelty and its shine.” When one
looks at the school in late winter, it is not the snow-
covered fields and gothic buildings that leave an
impression, but the “network of drains” that are full
of the “dismal gurgling of dirty water.” Cracks in the
snow reveal frozen mud. Shrubbery is “bare and
frail, too undernourished to hide the drains it was
intended to hide.” Trails of “dirt and cinders led in by
others” mar the snowy fields. The sky is “an empty
hopeless gray.” Winter is characterized as being
“an old, corrupt, tired conqueror” that is “sick of
victory” and “grows careless in its watch.” The
winter thaw leaves a “ruined countryside” that has
the noises of the drains alone to serve as “a dull
recessional to winter.”


8. Read pages 129–131. In what ways have Brinker’s • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
attitudes changed since the morning that he and responses and interpretations
Gene decided not to enlist?
Brinker is transforming from model student-leader to

disillusioned rebel. Gene states that Brinker has
“begun a long, decisive sequence of withdrawals
from school activity ever since the morning I
deserted his enlistment plan.” Gene submits that
Brinker “could not do much without company,”
suggesting that Brinker is not as decisive or effective
when he is on his own. Brinker seems to need
others around him before he can function. He
decides to “cease to be so multifariously civilian,”
suggesting that he no longer sees the benefit of
being a part of so many different “civilian”
organizations. Gene describes some of his
resignations as being “bursts of irresponsibility,”
which suggests a change in his attitude from being a
responsible, model student to being irresponsible.
His appearance is changing. His “well-bred clothes”
have been replaced with “khaki pants supported by
a garrison belt, and boots which rattled when he
walked.” He has developed a “disillusioned way” of
responding to others, as if he has become
unfocused. When Gene suggests that there may be
a rule against Finny’s Winter Carnival, Brinker turns
from being “Brinker the Lawgiver” to “rebel for the
Duration.” Brinker’s inability to lead Gene into joining
him in the army seems to have changed him. He is
no longer the impeccably dressed, officially
sanctioned, clean-cut model student that he was in
previous years.
9. On page 131, in the paragraph that begins, “The • Analyze the characteristics of text, including
Saturday was battleship gray,” Gene describes the patterns of organization, syntax, and word
fears of Brownie Perkins in order to— choice
not only describe the trembling, frightened, • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
ineffectual, student, who spends hours frightening responses and interpretations
himself severely with imagined scenarios that might
prevent him from completing his assigned mission,
but to highlight the power and brutality of his
roommate, Brinker. Brownie is terrified of Brinker.
He truly fears Brinker would physically harm him if
the cider is not properly guarded. Being his
roommate, Brinker would know Brownie’s
weaknesses better than any other student, yet
Brinker requests him every year to be his roommate
and forces him to stand guard over his cider. It is
almost as if Brownie and Brinker share a slave/
master relationship. Brownie, who creeps “back to
the dormitory, too exhausted to enjoy the carnival”
because he has exhausted himself with fretting and
worrying over imagined catastrophes would never
challenge Brinker in any way, intellectually,
physically, or socially. He would never attempt to
aspire to be Brinker’s equal. Yet, each year Brinker
requests him to be his roommate, suggesting that
Brinker craves the power and authority over
friendship. It also suggests that Brinker is not as
sure of himself as he would like others to believe. A
person secure in his own power would not need a
roommate as timid and ineffectual as Brownie.


10. On page 131, in the paragraph that begins “The • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
buried cider was half-consciously plotted…,” Gene simile
uses a simile to emphasize—
that “the heavy circular classroom table” that

represents the rule-bound, tradition-bound, official
mandates of the school, looks, with all of its
heaviness and formality, uncomfortably
incongruous as it sits in the soft snow near the
“large, sloppy statues” that page 133 reveals are
caricatures of Mr. Ludsbury, Mr. Patch-Withers, Dr.
Stanpole, the new dietitian, and the town’s
“professional belle.” The imposing authority of the
table is negated as it is juxtaposed against the
irreverent snow statues. The normally imposing
table now looks silly in its surroundings, creating a
mood of irreverent frivolity just as the sight of a
prim, proper, elderly, tradition-bound, rule-driven
dowager in a rowdy saloon would look silly,
ineffectual, and uncomfortable, possibly eliciting
irreverent humor from saloon patrons.
11. Read pages 131–132. What characteristic links all • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
of the Winter Carnival prizes? responses and interpretation
All of the prizes would be considered illegal and

scandalous by an adult. They are treasures that
boys, not adults, would revere as being valuable.
They represent boyish mischief and hi-jinx. The list
includes:
• Finny’s illegal icebox, hidden for months in a
basement
• a Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary with the
most stimulating words marked
• a set of Youk barbells
• the Iliad with the English translation written
above each sentence
• photographs of Betty Grable, the “pin-up” girl
during World War II
• a lock of hair that belongs to Hazel Brewster,
the “professional town belle”
• a rope ladder that would aid someone who
occupies a third floor room or higher to illegally
and covertly leave the dormitory
• a forged draft card that will allow minors to buy
alcohol
• $4.13 that belongs to the Headmaster’s
Discretionary Benevolent Fund
• Brinker’s bottles of cider that he had collected
from unwilling underclassmen (not part of the
official list, but to be distributed to all the
participants)


12. On page 132, in the paragraph that begins, “Chet • Analyze characteristics of text, including the
Douglass stood next to him…,” Gene provides patterns of organization, syntax, and word
information about Chet in order to— choice
explain that this carnival is not sanctioned by the

school and only open to the people in Finny’s
dormitory. An explanation of what it takes to be “a
really important member of the class” is also
presented. Gene notes Chet is too nice to be “a
really important member of the class.” Gene
explains that to be respected, a person “had to be
rude at least sometimes and edgy often to be
credited with ‘personality’ and without that accolade
no one at Devon could be anyone.” Phineas is held
up as an exception.
13. Read pages 133–134. How does Phineas • Use elements of text to clarify and defend
orchestrate the attack on Brinker’s stash of cider? responses and interpretation
After the boys go through a lengthy and • Analyze the characteristics of text, including the
surreptitious preparation in order to assemble the patterns of organization, syntax, and word
equipment for the Winter Carnival, there is an air of choice
expectancy. They have gathered near “the hub of
the carnival,” right over the spot that Brinker has
buried his cider. There “was a certain amount of
milling around; twenty boys, tightly reined in all
winter,” looking like they were “ready to stampede.”
Phineas is the founder and spirit behind the Winter
Carnival, so he “should have started the sports
events.” Phineas purposely ignores the energetic
expectations of the group of boys, knowing that if
he abdicates the role of leader, Brinker will be the
natural successor. As Brinker, who does not know
how to proceed, repeatedly asks Finny for
guidance, Finny ignores him, seeming to “sink
deeper into his list.” Brinker becomes desperate,
calling Finny’s name “with a maximum use of
teeth,” and demanding direction by asking, “What is
next?” The “tightening circle” of boys submits a
question with “dangerous gentleness” that
underlines the growing tension both in Brinker and
in the group of boys. Brinker’s frustration reaches a
peak, just as Finny’s mind “reached its climax,”
suggesting that Finny has timed his response to
match the growing tension that he has orchestrated
in both Brinker and the boys. He observes “Brinker
at the core of the poised perimeter of boys.” His
“organ voice” unleashes the boys by designating
Brinker as their target when he states “good
naturedly,” “Next? Well that’s pretty clear. You are.”
By understanding Brinker’s nature and the nature
of the restless group, Finny has orchestrated the
attack, effectively eliminating and governing
behavior that Brinker may have been harboring.
The cider that Brinker had thought to control is now
forfeit. “For there was going to be no government,
even by whim, even by Brinker’s whim, on this
Saturday at Devon.”


14. On page 134, Gene states, “There was going to be • Identify conflicts and how they are resolved
no government, even by whim, even by Brinker’s
whim, on this Saturday at Devon.” This
emphasizes—
that the games are going to be unofficial,

unsanctioned, and unconventional. No person—not
even Brinker—will be allowed to impose or enforce
any rules, agendas, whether public or personal, or
any kind of adult-established principles of fair-play.
No one person will be “in charge.” The Winter
Carnival will share some characteristics with
another invention of Finny’s: “Blitzball.” Rules, if
they exist, will be momentary and arbitrary. Non-
restraint will be the order of the day. Physical
activity will be playful, but intense, and the pursuit
of unbridled, unregulated, and slightly mischievous
fun will be the primary goal of all participants.
15. The tone of the paragraph on pages 134-135 that • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
begins, “He gave me a long, pondering look…,” tone
suggests—
• Identify conflicts and how they are resolved
that there may be a brewing conflict and
unresolved hostility between Brinker and Gene. In
the previous paragraph, Gene pours cider down an
• Use elements of text to clarify and defend
unwilling Brinker’s throat in order to “stop” his
mouth. This is not the first time that Gene has
desired that Brinker stop talking. Brinker’s “joke”
about Gene’s involvement in Finny’s fall from the
tree has caused him much anxiety. Gene’s
aggression in “stopping Brinker’s mouth” could be
reflecting this animosity toward Brinker as he
causes Brinker’s eyes to bulge and the blood
vessels in his throat “to pulsate.” This suggests that
Brinker is choking, struggling against Gene. Brinker
is not used to having something like an unexpected
drink of cider, imposed on him. He has always
been the leader, officially and unofficially. The tone
is tense as Brinker decides whether or not to hit
Gene. The simile that compares the possibility of
carnival’s “breaking apart into a riot” to a “bomb”
that hangs between them suggests that an
explosion between the two of them is imminent and
that others are watching the confrontation. There is
“a blackening scowl” on Brinker’s mouth as he
“fires” out the words, “I’ve been violated.” The
moment for violence passes, but the conflict is not
resolved.


16. On page 135–136, in the paragraph that begins, • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
“The hard cider began to take charge…,” the generalizations, and predictions and support
description of the boys’ activities helps the reader them from text
to visualize—
the boyish joy and abandonment with which Gene, responses and interpretations
Brinker, Chet and Phineas are playing during the
Winter Carnival. At the beginning of the paragraph,
Gene comments that he cannot tell whether it is the
allusion
alcoholic cider or their “own exuberance” that
“intoxicated” them, suggesting that they are drunk
on their own, imaginative high spirits. “Intoxicated”,
they play with no limitations, sending “restraint
flying.” Brinker knocks down a statue of the
Headmaster, suggesting a rebellion against
authority. Gene has the “sensation of soaring flight”
even though he only slides down a “small slope
and off the miniature ski jump.” Chet is absorbed in
playing one of his “Spanish inventions,” suggesting
that he is joyfully lost in his musical creativity.
Finally, dancing because of “his own inner joy at
life for a moment as it should be,” there is Phineas,
who had “recaptured that magic gift for existing
primarily in space,” in “his wildest demonstration of
himself,” dancing a “choreography of peace.” The
description of Phineas seems to contain an allusion
to mythological fairy sprites who would dance
around a fire in deep forests. Phineas has
“recaptured that magic gift for existing primarily in
space,” suggesting that Phineas is defying gravity
and has taken flight, “spinning…into the air.”
Combined with the overlaying images of flight and
“intoxication,” the allusion of something magical
helps the reader to understand the unrestrained joy
and high spirits the boys are experiencing.
17. On page 137, Gene states that during the Winter • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
Carnival, “we had concocted, this afternoon of responses and interpretations
momentary, illusory, special and separate peace.”
What does he mean?
The boys have managed to escape from a rule-

bound, war-impacted, frightening world that has
adult responsibilities and serious consequences
into a world of liberated, unregulated boyish fun
and fantasy. The innocent, albeit illicit, boyish play
becomes their “momentary, illusory, special and
separate peace” that allows them to forget the
public and private fears that are plaguing them in
1943. It is almost as if they have become the Lost
Boys of Neverland, with Phineas playing the part of
Peter Pan.


18. The tone of Leper’s telegram suggests that he is— • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
facing a major crisis in his life. He is afraid. He
feels unsafe. He feels an enemy may be after him, • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
for he does not want “to risk” giving an address. tone
The short, fragmented sentences suggest urgency.
He requires immediate help from the one person
he trusts and believes to be his best friend. There
is a tone of desperation in his message.
19. For Phineas, the message contained in Leper’s • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
telegram becomes a symbol for— symbolism
the end of the “momentary, illusory, special and

separate peace” that the ribald, innocent, boyish
games of the Winter Carnival have engendered
and the return of the fears, problems, and conflicts
that the adult world is forcing onto them. As he
reads the message, the playful joy “drained away”
from Finny’s face, replacing “uproariousness” with
“shock.” The “separate peace” is violated.
20. On page 137, Gene speaks of his “liberation” from • Compare and contrast varying aspect of texts
“the gray encroachments of 1943 and “the escape such as themes, conflicts, and allusions with
we concocted” in order to find “separate peace.” At text
the end of the chapter Leper writes that he has
“escaped” and needs help. Compare and contrast
what is suggested by Gene’s “escape” with what is
suggested by Leper’s “escape.”
Gene is commenting on his feeling of euphoria at

being able to momentarily “blot out the gray
encroachments to 1943” while playing
unsanctioned, but innocent, silly, boyish games.
Gene’s “gray encroachments” could be referring to
the ways that World War II is changing his world, or
they could embody Gene’s personal fears that he
have been secretly haunting him during this year.
Gene’s participation in the frivolities of the Winter
Carnival has allowed him to momentarily forget his
fears, both about the war and about himself and
enjoy “a separate peace.” Leper has also
“escaped,” but the tone of his message is terse and
frightened. Considering that Leper is in the military,
an “escape” that requires help from a civilian friend
suggests that Leper has left the military under
suspicious, possibly illegal circumstances. He
suggests that he does not feel safe, a condition
commensurate with the feelings of a soldier in
battle. Because he has been a soldier, Leper’s
daily life has been directly and personally affected
by the war. For Leper, the war is not “a gray
encroachment,” but personal and immediate.
Perhaps by liberating himself from the military,
Leper is also trying to find his own “separate
peace” not only from the war, but from private fears
that may haunt him. It may be considered ironic
that while the boys are using unsanctioned games
to escape the dreary winter and their internal
problems, Leper may be using an unsanctioned
“escape” from the military to escape the horrors of
war and his own private demons.

_________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Chapter 9
1. Why does Gene find Leper’s decision to enlist so ironic?

A. Leper is the least likely student to fight in the war.
B. Leper’s decision makes the war a reality for Gene.
C. Phineas believes Leper will be a war hero.
D. Gene always believed that Leper would be the first to enlist.
2. Which statement from the text best shows how the film inspires Leper to enlist?
A. No real war could draw Leper voluntarily away from his snails and beaver dams.
B. On that morning, satisfying one of his urges to participate in nature, Leper Lepellier
was the first thing the rising sun struck in the United States.
C. To Leper it revealed what all of us were seeking: a recognizable and friendly face to
the war.
D. Threats to enlist that winter were always declaimed like Brinker’s, with a grinding of
back teeth and a flashing of eyes; I had already heard plenty of them.
3. On pages 126–127, what is Brinker’s tone when he describes Leper’s military

participation?
A. Childish fear
B. Joking sarcasm
C. Unbearable shame
D. Righteous anger
4. When Gene says, “There was going to be no government, even by whim, even by
Brinker’s whim, on this Saturday at Devon,” he means that—
A. Saturdays at Devon are usually very well-governed
B. the Devon Masters would be in attendance
C. Brinker does not show potential for leadership
D. the games would not be limited by set rules
5. The tone of Leper’s telegram suggests that he—

A. is enjoying the United States ski troops
B. misses his closeness with nature
C. feels unsafe and desperate
D. wants to stay in touch with Gene

_________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Short-Answer Quiz
Chapter 9
1. In letting himself believe Finny’s “vision of peace,” has Gene found peace? Explain your
answer and support it with evidence from the selection.
2. How has Brinker Hadley changed since he decided not to enlist? Support your answer
3. How does the idea of escape apply both to the boys at the Winter Carnival and to Leper in
his telegram to Gene? Support your answer with evidence from the selection.

Answer Key
Chapter 9 (pp. 123–137)
1. Why does Gene find Leper’s decision to enlist so • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
ironic? irony
A. Leper is the least likely student to fight in the
war. • Reference: pp. 123–124
B. Leper’s decision makes the war a reality for
Gene.
C. Phineas believes Leper will be a war hero.
D. Gene always believed that Leper would be
the first to enlist.
2. Which statement from the text best shows how the • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
film inspires Leper to enlist? responses and interpretations
A. No real war could draw Leper voluntarily
away from his snails and beaver dams. • Reference: pp. 123–125
B. On that morning, satisfying one of his urges to
participate in nature, Leper Lepellier was the
first thing the rising sun struck in the United
States.
C. To Leper it revealed what all of us were
seeking: a recognizable and friendly face to
the war.
D. Threats to enlist that winter were always
declaimed like Brinker’s, with a grinding of
back teeth and a flashing of eyes; I had
already heard plenty of them.
3. On pages 126–127, what is Brinker’s tone when he • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
describes Leper’s military participation? tone
A. Childish fear
B. Joking sarcasm • Reference: pp. 126–127
C. Unbearable shame
D. Righteous anger
4. When Gene says, “There was going to be no • Describe and analyze the development of plot
government, even by whim, even by Brinker’s and identify conflicts and how they are
whim, on this Saturday at Devon,” he means that— addressed and solved
A. Saturdays at Devon are usually very well-
governed • Reference: p. 134
D. the games would not be limited by set rules
5. The tone of Leper’s telegram suggests that he— • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
A. is enjoying the United States ski troops responses and interpretations
B. misses his closeness with nature
C. feels unsafe and desperate • Reference: p. 137

Answer Key
Short Answer Quiz
Chapter 9 (pp. 123–137)
1. In letting himself believe “Finny’s vision of peace,” • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
has Gene found peace? Explain your answer and responses and interpretations
• Reference: p. 123
Suggested Response
When Gene allows himself to “lapse” into Finny’s
belief that the war was a “trick of the eye,” he takes
on a deceived “happiness” based on a fantasy.
Finny’s “private explanation of the world” is
dependent upon the manipulation of “a bunch of
calculating fat old men.” Finny’s childish denial
enables Gene to disconnect from the “surrounding
world confusion” and pretend that the peaceful world
of Devon is a true representation of reality.
2. How has Brinker Hadley changed since he decided • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
not to enlist? Support your answer with evidence from responses and interpretations
the selection.
Suggested Response
Brinker is transforming from model student-leader
into disillusioned rebel. Brinker’s inability to lead
Gene into enlisting with him seems to have deflated
his “multifariously civilian” way of life. He is
undergoing a “change of heart” that is evidenced not
only by the “burst of irresponsibility” seen in his
multiple resignations but also in his outward
appearance. The “well-bred clothes” are disappearing
in favor of khaki pants and “boots which rattled when
he walked.” After hearing Brinker’s reaction to the
possibility that the Winter Carnival might be against
some rule, Gene notes that “Brinker the Lawgiver had
turned rebel for the Duration.”
3. How does the idea of escape apply both to the boys • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
at the Winter Carnival and to Leper in his telegram to responses and interpretations
Gene? Support your answer with evidence from the
Suggested Response
The Winter Carnival provides for the boys a
“liberation” and an “afternoon of momentary, illusory,
special and separate peace” as a relief “from the gray
encroachments of 1943.” The carnival gives the boys
“life for a moment as it should be.” Leper, on the
other hand, has also “escaped,” but his telegram
seems terse and frightened. He “need[s] help” and is
concerned about “risk” and “safety.” The carefree
atmosphere of the carnival is “drained away” by
Leper’s pleading telegram. While the boys are using
unsanctioned games to escape the pending reality of
war, it is possible that Leper is using an unsanctioned
“escape” from the actual horrors of military service.

Chapter 10
pp. 138~151

___________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Chapter 10 (pp. 138–151)
Vocabulary Words
ricochet (p. 138) austerity (p. 140)
preeminently (p. 139) aesthete (p. 140)
hearths (p. 139) angularity (p. 141)
presaged (p. 139) fervently (p. 142)
decipher (p. 140) querulous (p. 143)
Discussion Topics
1. Read the first two paragraphs of the chapter on pages 138–139. Explain the meaning of
Gene’s statement “…for as it turned out I never got to the war.”
2. On page 139, Gene states, “The natural state of things is coldness, and houses are fragile
havens, holdouts in a death landscape, unforgettably comfortable, simple though they are,
just because of their warmth.” The use of figurative language helps the reader to
understand—
3. On page 139, in the paragraph that begins, “Leper’s was one of these hearths…,” the
speaker’s tone suggests that he is—
4. On page 140, Gene relates that, after a night of trying to decipher Leper’s message, he
finally comes to the conclusion that Leper must have “escaped from spies” and feels “a
measureless relief,” stating, “There was some color, some hope, some life in this war after
all.” How does this provide a clue about Gene’s inner conflict?
5. Which sentences on page 141 provide clues about Leper’s emotional state?
6. On page 142, in the paragraph that begins, “Well, she’s probably pleased…,” the reader
can tell that Gene is—
7. On page 143, in the paragraph that begins, “I escaped…,” the description of Leper’s face
and eyes helps the reader to understand that—

8. On page 143, Gene states, “None of this could have been said by the Leper of the Beaver
dam.” What realization has Gene made about Leper?
9. Which sentence on page 144 best describes why Gene becomes so afraid?
10. On page 144, the author provides information about a Section Eight discharge in order to
convey—
11. Why does Gene purposely knock Leper out of his chair?
12. Which sentences on page 145 best characterize Gene?
13. On page 145, the author has Leper repeat the sentence fragment, “always were a savage
underneath,” in order to emphasize—
14. On page 146, Gene states that he stayed for lunch because—
15. A turning point in Mrs. Lepellier’s attitude toward Gene occurs when—
16. Hearing Leper’s story from his point of view helps the reader to understand—
17. On page 151, Gene states “The crust beneath us continued to crack and as we reached
the border of the field the frigid trees also were cracking with the cold. The two sharp
groups of noises sounded to my ears like rifles being fired in the distance.” How does the
description of the setting contribute to the interaction between Leper and Gene?
18. In the paragraph on page 151 that begins, “Do you think I want to hear…,” Gene makes
several statements to Leper. What is ironic about Gene’s statements?
19. In the last paragraph of the chapter, Gene states, “I left Leper telling his story into the
wind. He might tell it forever, I didn’t care.” This suggests that Leper—
20. Gene’s tone in the last two paragraphs of the chapter is—

Chapter 10 (pp. 138–151)
• Meaning in Context • Ask the students to read the entire paragraph that
richochet contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
The next year this paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
became the dominant would support such a meaning.
activity… • Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
nighttime ricochet.” Remind students that a phrase
is a group of words that acts as if it is a single part of
“of nighttime ricochet” is modifying the noun “kind.”
as if it was an adjective.
• Forms of the word • Another form of the word is the intransitive verb
ricochet.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the narrator is making it clear that he
feels as if he spent the war moving from one base to
another. This word implies that he feels powerless,
as if he is like a ball, being bounced back and forth,
never staying in one place for very long.
preeminently contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I and my year—not paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
“my generation”… would support such a meaning.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is an adverb modifying the
Sentence Patterns adjective “eligible.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word preeminently has the Latin
root praeeminere, which means “to stand out, to
excel.”
preeminent and the noun preeminence.
• Related words • Related words include the verb preempt, the nouns
preemptor, preemption, the adjective preemptory,
and the adverb preemptively.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word preeminently as it is used
in the sentence include primarily, principally,
above all, chiefly, mostly, mainly, and in
particular. Have students record the word and all of
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the narrator is making it clear that the
boys in his graduating class would be the first to go
to be selected to take part in “a mass assault
against suicidally-defended Japan.” It is only
because of “the final holocaust of the bomb” that the
assault is cancelled, saving the lives of the boys his
age.


hearths contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Leper’s was one of paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
these hearths… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
these hearths.” Remind students that a phrase is a
“of these hearths” is modifying the pronoun “one.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word hearths has the Old English
root heorth.
• Related words • Related words include the nouns hearthside and
hearthstone.
• Synonyms • A synonym for the word hearths as it is used in the
sentence is homes. Have students record the word
• Diction/Metonymy • Discuss that the word hearth, as it is used here, is
an example of metonymy. Metonymy is the
substitution of the name of an object that is closely
associated with a word for the word itself. For
example, “The White House announced today…” is
an example of metonymy. The President of the
United States lives in the White House. He is the
one doing the announcing. In the case of the word
hearth, the hearth is being substituted for the home
that surrounds it and the family that is warmed by it.


presaged contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I reached it in the paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
early morning after would support such a meaning.
this night… • Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is a transitive verb that is
Sentence Patterns occurring in a restrictive clause, “which presaged
the war.” Remind students that a clause is a group
of words that contains a subject and a predicate. A
restrictive clause begins with a relative pronoun and
is necessary for the meaning of the sentence. If the
restrictive clause is removed from the sentence, the
meaning of the sentence is changed. Restrictive
clauses are not set off by commas.
• Etymology • Point out that the word presaged has the Latin root
praesagire, which means “to perceive.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the noun presage
and the adjective presageful.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word presage as it is used in the
sentence include portend, augur, foreshadow,
foretell, prophesy, herald, warn of, signal, bode,
promise, threaten, and forebode. Have students
cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the narrator is making it clear that this
trip is foreshadowing the many trips he took during
the war.
decipher contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I reached it in the paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
early morning after would support such a meaning.
this night… • Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
sentence.
Sentence Patterns In this sentence, however, the verb is in the infinitive
form. An infinitive form of the verb is a form that can
adverb. Most infinitives begin with “to.” In this
sentence, the infinitive to decipher is behaving like
an adverb because it modifies the verb “tried.”
decipherable and the nouns decipherer and
decipherment.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word decipher as it is used in the
sentence include decode, decrypt, break, work
out, solve, interpret, unscramble, translate, make
sense of, unravel, and figure out. Have students
cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the narrator is making it clear that he is
confused by Leper’s message.


austerity contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
But if that meant paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
austerity toward would support such a meaning.
strangers… • Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is a noun inside the
Sentence Patterns subordinate clause, “if that meant austerity.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word austerity has the Latin root
austerus and the Greek root austeros.
austere, the adverb austerely, and the noun
austereness.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word austerity as it is used in the
sentence include severity, strictness,
seriousness, solemnity, gravity, frugality, thrift,
restraint, and starkness. Have students record the
people he encounters while traveling to Leper’s
home in Vermont are not particularly friendly or
helpful. They keep to themselves.
aesthete contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
The sun was the paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
blessing of the would support such a meaning.
morning… • Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
sentence.
• Etymology • Point out that the word aesthete has the Greek root
aisthetikos, which means “of sense perception.”
• Related words • Related words include the adjective aesthetic, the
adverb aesthetically, the nouns aesthetician,
aestheticism, and aesthetics.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word aesthete as it is used in the
sentence include artist and artiste. Have students
cards.
• Diction/Tone/ • Discuss that the narrator using a metaphor to
Metaphor describe the sun. He is stating that the sun is so
beautiful that it must be an artist who has a special
propensity for creating such a beautiful day.


angularity contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Everything else was paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
sharp and hard… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns the preposition “from” in the prepositional phrase,
“from every angularity.” Remind students that a
“from every angularity” is modifying the noun “joy.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word angularity has the Latin root
angulus, which means “angle.”
angular, the adverb angularly, and the noun
angularness.
sun created such a beautiful day that the sharp
angles of the countryside seemed to soften and
become more appealing.
fervently contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
“I’m pleasing myself!” paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
he cried… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is an adverb. It modifies the
Sentence Patterns verb “cried.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word fervently has the Latin root
fervere, which means “to boil.”
fervent and the noun ferventness.
• Related words • Related words include the adjective fervid, the
adverb fervidly, and the nouns fervidness,
fervency, and fervor.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word fervently as it is used in the
sentence include passionately, vehemently,
ardently, intensely, fanatically, and heatedly.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the narrator is making it clear that
Leper is close to hysteria.


querulous contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I can see what you’re paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
thinking… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifies the noun “whisper.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word querulous has the Latin root
querulus, which means “to complain.”
querulously and the noun querulousness.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word querulous as it is used in
the sentence include petulant, peevish, pettish,
complaining, fractious, fretful, irritable, testy,
snappish, cantankerous, grumpy, sullen, sulky,
and cranky. Have students record the word and all
Leper is not sure that he has been fairly diagnosed.
This revelation is a complaint, not a statement of
fact.

Answer Key
Discussion Topics
Chapter 10 (pp. 138–151)

1. Read the first two paragraphs of the chapter on pages • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
138–139. Explain the meaning of Gene’s statement responses and interpretations
“…for as it turned out I never got to the war.”
• Connect literature to historical contexts
Gene states that when he “went into uniform,” the
“enemies began to recede so fast “ that programs
“scheduled to culminate in two years became
outmoded in six months, and crowds of men gathered
for them in one place were dispersed to twenty
others.” The United States was beginning to win the
war. Battle strategies were changed. Concentrations
of soldiers were shifted. As new weapons became
available, men “who had traveled to three or four
bases” to learn how to use existing weapons “were
sent on to a fifth, sixth, and seventh” base to “master
the new” weapons. As victory for the allies
approached, soldiers “were shuttled around America,”
preparing for “a mass assault against suicidally-
defended Japan.” The assault never occurred
because “men a little bit older closed in on the enemy
faster than predicted, and then there was the final
holocaust of the Bomb.” The bomb prompted Japan to
surrender, and eliminated the need for a large army to
invade Japan. Troops were not necessary in great
numbers after the war ended, and many men returned
to civilian life. Gene feels that he “never got to the
war” because he was part of that group of soldiers
who were being “shuttled” from one place to another
inside the United States. He never traveled overseas.
He never served on the battlefield. He just traveled
“from one unknown settlement to another,” with the
traveling becoming “the dominant activity, or rather
passivity, of my army career, not fighting, not
marching” but just traveling from one place to another,
performing a “kind of nighttime ricochet.” He feels as if
he did not contribute significantly to the war effort. He
was just bouncing from one base to another.
2. On page 139, Gene states, “The natural state of • Understand and analyze literary elements
things is coldness, and houses are fragile havens, such as figurative language
holdouts in a death landscape, unforgettably
comfortable, simple though they are, just because of • Analyze literary language
their warmth.” The use of figurative language helps
the reader to understand—
that Leper lived in a part of Vermont that had

unbelievable cold winters. The houses “are fragile
havens,” places of refuge, oases of warmth in a cold
and frozen landscape. They are “holdouts,”
suggesting that they are standing in defiance of the
cold, but they are also “fragile,” suggesting that the
cold is capable of overcoming the houses’ ability to
sustain warmth. They are “simple” houses, not fancy
or fine. They are considered memorable not because
of their grandeur, but because they the only places of
warmth in such a “death landscape.”


3. On page 139, in the paragraph that begins, “Leper’s • Compare and contrast varying aspects of
was one of these hearths…,” the speaker’s tone texts such as themes and conflicts within
suggests that he is— text
tired, depressed, uncomfortable, and slightly

confused. The train ride is “bleak.” The “damp depot”
where Gene emerged from the train was “seemingly
near no town whatever,” suggesting that Gene is
feeling isolated from civilization. The bus station had
people who were not fully awake “or seemed clean.”
After getting off the train, Gene boarded a bus that left
passengers at “desolate stopping places in the
blackness.” Gene sees his journey to Leper’s as “a
chilled nighttime wandering in which I tried to decipher
between lapses into stale sleep, the meaning of
Leper’s telegram.”
4. On page 140, Gene relates that, after a night of trying • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
to decipher Leper’s message, he finally comes to the responses and interpretations
conclusion that Leper must have “escaped from spies”
and feels “a measureless relief,” stating, “There was
some color, some hope, some life in this war after all.”
How does this provide a clue about Gene’s inner
conflict?
At the beginning of Chapter 9, Gene states that “the

surrounding world confusion found no reflection inside
me. So I ceased to have any real sense of it.” The war
has not been a part of Gene’s immediate world. Gene
has been enjoying a sense of peace by lapsing “into
Finny’s vision of peace,” which involves the fantasy
that there is no war, just a conspiracy. Leper is the
“first friend…who ever tangled with it.” Leper is
bringing the immediacy of the real war into Gene’s
world. Gene cannot conceive that the war would be so
bad, so full of horror, that it would cause a classmate,
someone he knew personally, to do anything less
than honorable. In the previous paragraph that
begins, “I reached the town at dawn,” Gene reasons
that a person could not “escape” from the army. To
“escape” from the army would be desertion,
something less than honorable. Consequently, Gene
reasons, “The most logical thing a soldier escapes
from is danger, death, the enemy,” and “the only
enemies in this country would be spies.” Gene doesn’t
“try to go beyond” this conclusion. He wants to believe
the half-fantasy that this war might have “some color,
some hope, some life” and that even Leper could be a
hero after all, just like the Butt Room stories implied.
By clinging to this fantasy, Gene is able to comfort
himself and believe that “this wasn’t going to be such
a bad war.” He comforts himself because, deep
inside, he knows that at the end of the school year, it
will be his turn to go “into uniform” and be an
immediate part of the war.


5. Which sentences on page 141 provide clues about • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
Leper’s emotional state? responses and interpretations
• “Although I was walking straight toward his front • Understand and analyze literary terms such
door he beckoned me on several times, and he as foreshadowing
never took his eyes from me, as though it was
they which held me to my course.”
• “People get problems in living rooms.”
• It was a try toward relieving the foreboding
manner; it only worked to deepen it.
6. On page 142, in the paragraph that begins, “Well, • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
she’s probably pleased…,” the reader can tell that generalizations, and predictions and support
Gene is— them from text
becoming frightened of Leper and the information that

Leper is going to share
7. On page 143, in the paragraph that begins, “I • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
escaped…,” the description of Leper’s face and eyes generalizations, and predictions and support
helps the reader to understand that— them from text
Leper’s anger comes from terror • Describe and identify conflicts and how they
are addressed and resolved
8. On page 143, Gene states, “None of this could have • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
been said by the Leper of the Beaver dam.” What generalizations, and predictions and support
realization has Gene made about Leper? them from text
Gene realizes that Leper has gone through an

experience that has changed him from the innocent,
unassuming, naïve Leper he knew in school to this
frightened, angry, and bitter Leper, who challenges
Gene with the question, “What do you know about it,
anyway?”
9. Which sentence on page 144 best describes why • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
Gene becomes so afraid? responses and interpretations
“For if Leper was psycho it was the army which had • Describe and identify conflicts and how they
done it to him, and I and all of us were on the brink of are addressed and resolved
the army.” Gene realizes that at the end of the school
year, he and his classmates will be in the same army
that has driven Leper to become “psycho.” He is
afraid that the army will affect them the way it has
affected Leper.
10. On page 144, the author provides information about a • Analyze characteristics of text, including
Section Eight discharge in order to convey— patterns of organization, syntax and word
choice
that for the rest of his life, Leper knows that he will
always be known as a “psycho” and looked upon with
disgust. He knows he will never live a “normal” life or
garner any respect from others.
11. Why does Gene purposely knock Leper out of his • Analyze text structures such as cause and
chair? effect for how they influence understanding
Leper has revealed that he knows Gene “knocked

Finny out of the tree,” crippling “him for life.” Because
Gene does not want to hear anymore, he knocks the
chair out from under Leper, throwing him to the floor.


12. Which sentences on page 145 best characterize • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
Gene? responses and interpretations
“A swell guy, except when the chips were down. You

always were a savage underneath.”
13. On page 145, the author has Leper repeat the • Analyze the characteristics of text, including
sentence fragment, “always were a savage patterns of organization, syntax, and word
underneath,” in order to emphasize— choice
the importance of the statement. Leper, though

mentally ill, has correctly pinpointed Gene’s character.
Leper knows who Gene really is. The author has also
used the character of Leper to presents an important
thematic idea. If the statement applies to Gene,
students may explore the idea that the statement
could also apply to others, including themselves.
14. On page 146, Gene states that he stayed for lunch • Identifying main idea and supporting details
because—
he was “too ashamed to leave” and that he needed

“too much to know the facts”
15. A turning point in Mrs. Lepellier’s attitude toward • Analyze the characteristics of text, including
Gene occurs when— the patterns of organization, syntax, and
word choice
she discovers that Gene likes her cooking (p. 146)
16. Hearing Leper’s story from his point of view helps the • Identify main ideas and their supporting
reader to understand— details
not only the reason why Leper was labeled a “psycho”

but how real the visions seem to be for him. The
reader can also understand that Leper is confused
about what is real and what is not, and what is
reasonable and what is not. Leper explains how the
corporal’s face begins to change in stages until be
began to look like a woman. As Leper describes each
stage, his voice thickens “unrecognizably”, showing
the strain that the visions have on him as they
become more bizarre. Leper then provides a reason
for his screaming when he explains, “I began to yell
so that everyone would see it too, I didn’t want to be
the only one to see a thing like that…” Leper is
providing what sounds like a rational reason to explain
his irrational behavior—his screaming. Then Leper
pleads, “you can see there wasn’t anything crazy in
the way I was thinking, can’t you, I had a good reason
for everything I did, didn’t I—He wants confirmation
that he behaved in a rational manner. This shows his
confusion. He is not completely sure whether he is
sane or not.


17. On page 151, Gene states, “The crust beneath us • Analyze characteristics of text, including
continued to crack and as we reached the border of patterns of organization, syntax, and word
the field the frigid trees also were cracking with the choice
cold. The two sharp groups of noises sounded to my
ears like rifles being fired in the distance.” How does
the description of the setting contribute to the
interaction between Leper and Gene?
Answers may vary, but responses may include the

following:
The ground upon which the boys are standing is
cracking just like Leper’s sanity. The noises of the
trees and the ground cracking reminds Gene of
distant rifle shots, something that would be heard on a
battlefield, forming a reference to the war that
contributed to Leper’s breakdown.
18. In the paragraph on page 151 that begins, “Do you • Identify and analyze literary terms such as
think I want to hear…,” Gene makes several irony
statements to Leper. What is ironic about Gene’s
statements?
Gene vehemently states that he doesn’t care what

happened to Leper and that it has nothing to do with
him. In reality, he is very disturbed by how the army
has affected Leper, and he knows that he will be
facing the same conflicts at the end of the year when
he will “go into uniform.” His angry reaction belies his
statements that he doesn’t care.
19. In the last paragraph of the chapter, Gene states, “I • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
left Leper telling his story into the wind. He might tell it generalizations, and predictions and support
forever, I didn’t care.” This suggests that Leper— them from text
will relive his visions again and again. He does not

need an audience to relay his story. He will tell it to
the wind, an entity that truly does not care.
20. Gene’s tone in the last two paragraphs of the chapter • Understand and analyze literary terms such
is— as tone
desperately frightened

__________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Chapter 10
1. When Gene calls the homes in Vermont “fragile havens” he is—

A. identifying the unreliable safety they provide
B. describing their heavenly décor
C. showing the delicate design of their exteriors
D. envious of where Leper lives
2. Which statement from the text best shows that Leper’s mental state has changed since he
left Devon?
A. Leper had come to the entrance of the room on the right, the dining room.
B. He shrugged, a look of disgust with my question crossing his face.
C. None of this could have been said by the Leper of the beaver dam.
D. Leper went over in his chair and collapsed against the floor.
3. The sentence “For if Leper was psycho it was the army which had done it to him, and I
and all of us were on the brink of the army,” establishes that—
A. Gene does not respect military service
B. Gene is afraid of serving in the war
C. Leper is very different from the rest of Gene’s friends
D. the army provided very little training
4. Gene purposely knocks Leper out of his chair because he wants Leper to—
A. go back to the military and continue serving
B. continue to rest in his parents’ home
C. talk about something other than dining rooms
D. stop revealing the truth about Finny’s accident
5. Gene stays at Leper’s house for lunch because he—

A. is ashamed of how he treats Leper
B. adores Mrs. Lepellier’s cooking
C. enjoys being in Vermont
D. wants to spend more time with Leper

__________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Short-Answer Quiz
Chapter 10
1. Why does Gene feel that he “never got to the war”? Explain your answer and support it
2. When Gene arrives in Vermont, why does he conclude that Leper must have “escaped
from spies”? Explain your answer and support it with evidence from the selection.
3. Why is it important that Leper tells his story in his own words? Support your answer with

Answer Key
Chapter 10 (pp. 138–151)
1. When Gene calls the homes in Vermont “fragile • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
havens” he is— metaphor
A. identifying the unreliable safety they provide
B. describing their heavenly décor • Reference: p. 139
C. showing the delicate design of their exteriors
Leper’s mental state has changed since he left responses and interpretations
Devon?
A. Leper had come to the entrance of the room • Reference: p. 143
on the right, the dining room.
B. He shrugged, a look of disgust with my
question crossing his face.
C. None of this could have been said by the
Leper of the beaver dam.
D. Leper went over in his chair and collapsed
against the floor.
3. The sentence “For if Leper was psycho it was the • Draw inferences
army which had done it to him, and I and all of us
were on the brink of the army,” establishes that— • Reference: p. 144
A. Gene does not respect military service
B. Gene has doubts about serving in the war
C. Leper is very different from the rest of Gene’s
friends
D. the army provided very little training
4. Gene purposely knocks Leper out of his chair • Analyze text structures such as cause and
because he wants Leper to— effect for how they influence understanding
A. go back to the military and continue serving
B. continue to rest in his parents’ home • Reference: p. 145
D. stop revealing the truth about Finny’s
accident
5. Gene stays at Leper’s house for lunch because • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
he—
A. is ashamed of how he treats Leper • Reference: p. 146
B. adores Mrs. Lepellier’s cooking
C. enjoys being in Vermont
D. wants to spend more time with Leper

Answer Key
Short Answer Quiz
Chapter 10 (pp. 138–151)
1. Why does Gene feel that he “never got to the war”? • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
Explain your answer and support it with evidence responses and interpretations
from the selection.
Suggested Response
Gene refers to the “dominant activity” of his army
career as a “passivity,” indicating the total lack of
involvement he felt as a soldier. The “monotonous
routine” of Gene’s military experience consists
chiefly of “journeys through unknown parts of
America.” Gene feels as if he is not contributing to
the war effort because he is “not fighting, not
marching” in the battles overseas. He realizes that
he is participating in a “drama” which “now had too
many actors.”
2. When Gene arrives in Vermont, why does he • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
conclude that Leper must have “escaped from responses and interpretations
spies”? Explain your answer and support it with
evidence from the selection. • Reference: p. 140
Suggested Response
Gene’s immediate world is colored by Finny’s
conspiracy theory, and he willingly accepts the
“hopeful interpretation” of Leper’s telegram. Gene
finds that he must believe that Leper “escaped from
spies,” that in no way could he accept that his
friend was dishonorable and deserted his duties.
The ongoing delusional humor of the Butt Room
stories provide the groundwork for Gene’s
“measureless relief,” and he consciously does not
“try to go beyond” his determination that “the first
friend of mine who ever went into [the war] tangled
almost immediately with spies.” Gene desperately
wants for there to be “some color, some hope,
some life in this war after all.”
3. Why is it important that Leper tells his story in his • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
own words? Support your answer with evidence responses and interpretations
from the selection.
Suggested Response
Leper describes his military experience in “a
distorted voice, as though his tongue was swollen.”
His description of events, filled with frantic run-on
sentences, reinforces his claim that he is “psycho.”
Despite his mid-sentence pleas to Gene (“you can
see there wasn’t anything crazy in the way I was
thinking, can’t you”), Leper exhibits his intense
confusion about reality. Leper is unsure of his own
sanity, and he begs that Gene will see the “good
reason” and “logic” in Leper’s military experience.


Chapter 11
pp. 152~177

___________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Chapter 11 (pp. 152–177)
Vocabulary Words
timbre (p. 168) brusquely (p. 175)
incarnate (p. 168) discount (p. 175)
acoustics (p. 169) waggishly (p. 175)
deranged (p. 172) guileful (p. 176)
ensuing (p. 174) tumult (p. 177)
Discussion Topics
1. At the beginning of the chapter, Gene states that he wants “to see Phineas, and Phineas
only.” Why is this important to Gene at this time?
2. On pages 154, Gene states, “It made me happy, but I kept wondering about next spring,
about whether khaki, or suntans or whatever the uniform of the season was, had this aura
of promise in it. I felt fairly sure it didn’t.” This shows that Gene—
3. On page 156, what do the pictures over Gene’s bed reveal about him?
4. From Brinker’s reaction to finding out about Leper on page 157, the reader can tell that
Brinker—
5. On page 157, in what way does Brinker equate Finny with Leper?
6. On page 158, in the paragraph that begins, “It was one of the few ironic remarks…,” Gene
realizes that—
7. On page 160, Brinker accuses Gene of putting off enlisting because he pities Finny. This
suggests that Brinker—
8. On page 160, why does Brinker say that he is going to continue to remind Finny about his
injury?

9. In the first paragraph on page 161 that begins, “I had no idea…,” why does Gene state
that he is afraid of Brinker’s “simple directness”?
10. On page 163, Finny reveals to Gene that he finally believes that the war is real because—
11. On page 164, Gene and Finny’s tone is mostly—
12. On page 168, Brinker represents the value of—
13. On pages 169–172, Finny’s testimony suggests that he—
14. On page 172, in the paragraph that begins, “No one said anything…,” how does the author
convey to the reader that Phineas is not sure he wants to reveal that Leper is at Devon?
15. On page 174, in the paragraph that begins, “Everyone could hear…,” the reader can tell
that Gene is hoping—
16. On page 176, why is Leper’s simile effective in describing what happened on the limb?
17. On page 176, Leper tells Brinker, “You be the fool.” What does this reveal about Leper?
18. On pages 176–177, Finny repeats the statement, “I don’t care,” and regards Gene “with a
handsome mask of a face.” What does this suggest about Finny’s attitude toward Leper’s
testimony and the “inquiry” in general?
19. The last two paragraphs of the chapter help the reader to determine that Finny’s fall down
the stairs happened as a result of—
20. The conversation between Finny and Gene on page 155 helps the reader to understand
that Finny’s fall is serious because—

Chapter 11 (pp. 152–177)
timbre contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
And I said, “Brinker’s paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
voice was full…” would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns the preposition “with” in the prepositional phrase,
“with an additional timbre.” Remind students that a
“with an additional timbre” is modifying the noun
“voice.” Point out that this prepositional phrase is
behaving as if it was an adjective.
• Etymology • Point out that the word timbre has the Greek root
tumpanon, which means “kettledrum.”
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word timbre as it is used in the
sentence include tone, sound, sound quality,
voice, voice quality, color, tone color, tonality,
and resonance. Have students record the word and
Brinker’s voice has changed slightly, adding a note
of sincerity, communicating that he feels this is the
right thing to do, and striving to convince the others
that he is on the right course. Using the word timbre
suggests that Brinker’s voice is modulated so that it
will be heard throughout the room. It is a powerful,
authoritative voice.


incarnate contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
He’s enjoying this, I paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
thought bitterly… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifies the noun “Justice.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word incarnate has the Latin root
incarnare, which means “to make flesh.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the transitive verb
incarnate and the nouns incarnator and
incarnation.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word incarnate as it is used in the
sentence include in human form, in the flesh, in
physical form, in bodily form, made flesh,
corporeal, physical, fleshly, embodied, and
personified. Have students record the word and all
Brinker sees himself as being Justice personified,
the symbol and representation of justice.
Consequently, he feels justified in conducting this
inquisition.
acoustics contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
The acoustics were so paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
bad and… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns subject of the sentence.
• Etymology • Point out that the word acoustics has the Greek
root akoustikos, which means “pertaining to
hearing.”
• Related words • Related words include the noun acoustic nerve, the
noun acoustician, the adjectives acoustic,
acoustical, and the adverb acoustically.
other students have become disembodied voices.
The light is so bad and the acoustics are so bad that
Gene cannot see who is speaking or identify the
speaker. To Gene, all the other students have faded
into the background as faceless entities, with
Brinker, Gene, and Finny being on stage, in the
spotlight.


deranged contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
the word might be . Point out the clues inside the
To myself, however, I text that would support such a meaning.
made a number… • Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
sentence.
Sentence Patterns Remind students that the noun or pronoun that is
the subject of the transitive verb either performs or
“The boy hit the ball,” the subject, “boy,” performs
the action on the ball. This is an example of what is
called the “active voice.” But in the sentence, “The
ball was hit by the boy,” the subject, “ball,” is
receiving the action. It is being hit. This is called the
passive voice. In this sentence from the text, the
subject, “Leper,” received the action of deranging.
Therefore, the verb deranged is in the passive
voice.
• Etymology • Point out that the word deranged has the French
root deranger.
• Forms of the word • Another form of the word is the noun derangement.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word deranged as it is used in the
sentence include insane, mad, disturbed,
unbalanced, unhinged, unstable, irrational,
crazed, demented, berserk, frenzied, lunatic, and
psycho. Have students record the word and all of its
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the narrator is using a more formal
word than “pycho” to describe Leper’s condition.
Perhaps this would add credibility to the thought that
Leper’s testimony should not be considered
credible.


ensuing contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
He never raised his paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
voice… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that the word ensuing is an intransitive
Sentence Patterns verb, but it is being used as an adjective, modifying
the noun “silence.” Remember that a verbal is a verb
that is behaving as if it is another part of speech.
The three types of verbals are infinitives, gerunds,
and participles. This example is a type of verbal
called a present participle. A participle is a verb that
is acting like an adjective. It is a present participle
because it has the –ing ending.
• Etymology • Point out that the word ensuing has the Latin root
insequi, which means “to follow closely.”
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word ensuing as it is used in the
sentence include resulting, following, developing,
proceeding, succeeding, emerging, stemming,
arising, deriving, issuing, and occurring. Have
note cards.
silencing of the voices occurs very soon after
Brinker, who is using a normally modulated
speaking voice, starts to speak. This suggests that
the witnesses to this inquiry are vitally interested in
its outcome. Silence does not need to be requested.
It occurs because the boys want to hear Leper’s
testimony.


• Meaning in context • In addition to reading the paragraph that contains
brusquely this sentence, ask the students to read the entire
paragraphs that occur both before and after the
“Up there where?” paragraph that contains this sentence. Discuss what
said Brinker… the meaning of the word might be within the context
(p. 175) of these paragraphs. Point out the clues inside the
Sentence Patterns modifies the verb “said.” Note that the ending –ly
sometimes can serve as a clue that the word may
be an adverb.
• Etymology • Point out that the word brusquely has the Latin root
bruscum, which means “butcher’s broom.” It also
comes from an Italian word which means “rude.”
brusquely and the noun brusqueness.
• Related words • A related word is the noun brusquerie.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word brusquely as it is used in
the sentence include curt, abrupt, blunt, short,
sharp, terse, peremptory, gruff, offhand,
discourteous, impolite, and rude. Have students
cards.
Brinker has little patience with Leper’s imaginative
descriptions.
discount contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
“On the limb!” Leper’s paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
annoyed… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as a transitive verb
Sentence Patterns in the sentence.
• Etymology • Point out that the word discount has the French
root decompter.
• Forms of the word • Another form of the word is the adjective
discountable.
• Related words • A related word is the transitive verb
discountenance.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word discount as it is used in the
sentence include disregard, pay no attention to,
take no notice of, dismiss, ignore, overlook,
disbelieve, and reject. Have students record the
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the narrator is hopeful that the
witnesses will see Leper’s infirmity, causing them to
attach little worth to his damaging testimony.


waggishly this sentence, ask the students to read the entire
Leper smiled paragraph that contains this sentence. Discuss what
waggishly. the meaning of the word might be within the context
(p. 175) of these paragraphs. Point out the clues inside the
sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifies the verb “smiled.”
• Forms of the word • Forms of the word include the adjective waggish
and the noun waggishness.
• Related words • Related words include the verb wag, and the noun
wag and waggery,
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that Leper is trying to appear witty or clever.
guileful contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Leper’s face became paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
guileful… would support such a meaning.
Sentence Patterns adjective. It modifies the noun “face” and follows the
linking verb “became.”
guilefully and the noun guilefulness.
• Related words • Related words include the noun guile, the transitive
verb guile, and the adjective guileless.
• Synonyms • A synonyms for the word guileful as it is used in the
sentence is deceitful. Have students record the
word and all of it synonym on note cards.
Leper has experienced a shift in his tone. He feels
he needs to protect himself from some future,
imagined attack. This signals the forthcoming
venting against Brinker, exposing Leper’s
resentment that stems from the way he had been
treated while at Devon. This also underlines the way
that Leper has changed. He is no longer the mild-
mannered, vague student, who is only concerned
with the welfare of his snails.


tumult contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Then these separate paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
sounds… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns the preposition “into” in the prepositional phrase,
“into the general tumult.” Remind students that a
“into the general tumult” is modifying the verb
“collided.” Point out that this prepositional phrase is
behaving as if it was an adverb.
• Etymology • Point out that the word tumult has the Latin root
tumultus
• Related words • Related words include adjectives tumultuary,
tumultuous, the adverb tumultuously, and the
noun tumultuousness.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word tumult as it is used in the
sentence include clamor, din, noise, and racket.
noise is loud, communicating the tragic significance
to all those who hear it.

Answer Key
Discussion Topics
Chapter 11 (pp. 152–177)
1. At the beginning of the chapter, Gene states that he • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
wants “to see Phineas, and Phineas only.” Why is generalizations, and predictions and support
this important to Gene at this time? them from text
Gene is very upset over Leper’s condition, the cause

for his condition, Leper’s fall from innocence, and the
secret Leper knows about Gene. Gene wants
simplicity. He wants to deal only with conflicts that he
can understand. Phineas would be comforting at this
time because “the only conflict he had ever believed
in” was “Greek-inspired and Olympian in which
victory would go to whoever was the strongest in
body and heart.” It is uncomplicated.
2. On pages 154, Gene states, “It made me happy, but • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
I kept wondering about next spring, about whether responses and interpretations
khaki, or suntans or whatever the uniform of the
season was, had this aura of promise in it. I felt fairly
sure it didn’t.” This shows that Gene—
feels uncertain and pessimistic about the future. He

wonders which will be “the uniform of the season”—
“khaki”, a direct reference to the army uniform, or
“suntans,” a direct reference to play and frivolity. He
doesn’t know how much the war is going to change
his world, or if he will like the changes that will occur.
3. On page 156, what do the pictures over Gene’s bed • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
reveal about him? generalizations, and predictions and support
them from text
Gene states that the pictures “which together
amounted to a barefaced lie about my background,” • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
were part of a “vivid false identity” that he used to responses and interpretations
provide himself with a sense of “authority and worth.”
He intimated to others that the “weepingly romantic
views of plantation mansions” belonged to his family
by affecting “an accent appropriate to a town three
states south of my own.” This suggests that while at
Devon, Gene has felt inferior and insecure,
constructing this manufactured “false identity” to
draw distinction to himself and garner some
modicum of respect. He is now realizing that he is
“growing up” and doesn’t need the lie.
4. From Brinker’s reaction to finding out about Leper on • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
page 157, the reader can tell that Brinker— generalizations, and predictions and support
them from text
feels sorry for Leper, but is not surprised. He
comments that “somebody” should have “realized”
that Leper would not be fit for the service when he
enlisted, implying that Leper’s tragedy could have
been avoided.
5. On page 157, in what way does Brinker equate Finny • Identify main ideas and supporting details
with Leper?
Brinker calls them both “sidelined for the Duration.”

He is referring to them both as being casualties of
war.


6. On page 158, in the paragraph that begins, “It was • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
one of the few ironic remarks…,” Gene realizes generalizations, and predictions and support
that— them from text
something has happened to make Finny abruptly

abandon the fantasy he has been so diligent in
perpetuating all year. The war has somehow become
real to him.
7. On page 160, Brinker accuses Gene of putting off • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
enlisting because he pities Finny. This suggests that generalizations, and predictions and support
Brinker— them from text
has never completely forgiven Gene from backing • Compare and contrast varying aspects of texts
out of their agreement to enlist on the day that Finny such as conflicts
returned to Devon
8. On page 160, why does Brinker say that he is going • Identify main ideas and supporting details
to continue to remind Finny about his injury?
Brinker states that he is afraid that Finny is “going to

start pitying himself” unless he accepts that he’s
crippled, and his friends “start acting perfectly natural
about it, even kid him about it once in a while.”
Brinker believes in facing facts squarely and
unflinchingly.
9. In the first paragraph on page 161 that begins, “I had • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
no idea…,” why does Gene state that he is afraid of generalizations, and predictions and support
Brinker’s “simple directness”? them from text
Gene is afraid that Brinker is going to officially • Compare and contrast varying aspects of texts
investigate the cause of Finny’s accident. Brinker such as conflicts
has just told Gene that “everything about Finny’s
accident” needs to be “cleared up and forgotten” (p.
160), and Gene reflects that Brinker “had always
known and done whatever occurred to him because
he was certain that whatever occurred to him was
right.”
10. On page 163, Finny reveals to Gene that he finally • Analyze characters
believes that the war is real because—
he has seen Leper at the school, and if “a war can

drive somebody crazy, then it’s real, all right”
11. On page 164, Gene and Finny’s tone is mostly— • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
texts including word choice to determine tone
bittersweet and nostalgic. Both boys realize that their
fantasy about the existence of World War II is over
because Leper has brought the war into their world.
He has made it too real for them to ignore. They can
no longer be like children, hiding behind childish play
to avoid the truth about the horrors of the war. The
last five paragraphs on the page represent the last
time that they will play their childish game. The
fantasy has forever lost its magic for them.


12. On page 168, Brinker represents the value of— • Draw conclusions
impartial and unadulterated justice. Brinker has

brought Gene and Finny to the Assembly Room that
looks like a courtroom. He is behaving like a
prosecuting attorney. Gene thinks bitterly, He’s
forgotten that the Justice incarnate is not only
balancing the scales but is also blindfolded.
13. On pages 169–172, Finny’s testimony suggests that • Draw conclusions
he—
does not want the truth of what happened on the

limb to be revealed and is prepared to exonerate
Gene of any culpability. He states that “ever since
then I’ve had a feeling that the tree did it by itself.”
He denies Gene even being in the tree
“spontaneously.” Finny then tries to place Gene at
the bottom of the tree when at the time of his fall
when he asks Gene, “You were down at the bottom,
weren’t you?” He explains the movement of the tree
by asking Gene if the tree shook. He turns on the
questioners, asking them how they expect Gene to
remember details because of all the confusion.
Finny is “bright and relieved” when he believes he
can place Gene on the bank at the time of his fall.
He only breaks off his testimony when he states,
“..and then the two of us started to climb…” It is as if
his testimony has gone too far, and he does not
want it to progress.
14. On page 172, in the paragraph that begins, “No one • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
said anything…,” how does the author convey to the texts, including the patterns of organization
reader that Phineas is not sure he wants to reveal
that Leper is at Devon?
Phineas is trying to make a difficult decision. He is

“not far from the position in which we prayed at
Devon.” He “reluctantly” looks at Gene “after a long
time.” He straightens “from this prayerful position
slowly, as if it was painful for him.” When he finally
reveals that Leper is at Devon, his voice is “quiet,
with such quiet unconscious dignity, that he was
suddenly terrifyingly strange.” It is as if Phineas has
been asking for prayerful guidance to help him make
a decision he does not want to make, and that he
knows what is going to happen as a result.


15. On page 174, in the paragraph that begins, • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
“Everyone could hear…,” the reader can tell that generalizations, and predictions and support
Gene is hoping— them from text
that Brinker and the others will realize that Leper is

deranged and, therefore, an unreliable witness.
Because of Leper’s illness, he may not have a true
grasp of what is true and what is not. This would
work in Gene’s favor, clouding any testimony Leper
may give. Gene realizes however, that someone
other than himself would have to recognize and
comment on Leper’s infirmity and negate anything
that Leper may reveal. This person would then,
unknowingly, be testifying on Gene’s behalf,
countermanding Leper’s evidence and declaring it
tainted. Since Leper seems to be the only eye-
witness to what happened on the limb, this would
clear Gene on a technicality.
16. On page 176, why is Leper’s simile effective in • Understanding and analyze literary terms such
describing what happened on the limb? as simile
Leper uses the alternating up-and-down motion of a

piston to help the students visualize the up-and-
down motion that he witnessed happening on the
limb. Gene went down first and then rose. Finny then
“sank and fell.” The movements were quick and
rhythmic, like a piston’s movement.


17. On page 176, Leper tells Brinker, “You be the fool.” • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
What does this reveal about Leper? generalizations, and predictions and support
them from text
Leper has changed into a distrustful, bitter person,
who is finally cognizant of and retaliating against the • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
contempt that others have shown him. Leper is afraid responses and interpretations
that any more testimony about what happened on
the limb will “implicate” him in some negative way.
He retreats into an angry diatribe against Brinker.
This shows that Leper is no longer the naïve, Devon
student who seems to care for nothing except his
beaver dams and snails, and who eschewed the
social pecking order of the school, avoiding conflict
of any kind. The Leper who attended Devon would
never have confronted Brinker. He would have shied
away, retreating to his snails. “Guile,” a usually
covert action, was something never used by Leper
when he was a student at Devon. Now, however, the
hidden, ugly bitterness Leper has held against
Brinker, who represents the established power
structure of Devon’s student population, shows itself,
revealing to all that although everyone laughed about
Leper and his snails, calling him a fool, they
assumed the laughter was harmless, just as they
assumed that Leper was harmless and unwitting
about the contempt with which other students treated
him. Gene first saw this anger when Leper reacted
so intensely to Brinker’s name during Gene’s visit at
Leper’s home. The reaction was so strong that it
triggered a psychotic episode in Leper. Now the
bitterness has resurfaced, and the hidden ugliness in
Leper has been revealed. He sums this feeling when
he tells Brinker, “I’m important. You’ve never realized
it, but I’m important too. You be the fool.” The
student who had been bullied has finally risen to
confront the chief bully, Brinker.


18. On pages 176–177, Finny repeats the statement, “I • Analyze text structures such as cause and
don’t care,” and regards Gene “with a handsome effect, compare and contrast for how they
mask of a face.” What does this suggest about influence understanding
Finny’s attitude toward Leper’s testimony and the
“inquiry” in general? • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
For Finny, rehashing the cause for his fall is very them from text
painful, but also very unnecessary. The inquiry
suggests that facts have been hidden and that a
crime needs to be punished. Finny has known all
along the reason why he fell, but he has chosen to
put it away from him, refusing to condemn Gene for
his betrayal and refusing to feel sorry for himself. • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
The look with the odd expression that Finny gave tone and repetition
Gene before the fall communicates that Finny knew
what had happened. Finny’s refusal to allow Gene to
tell him the truth during Gene’s visit at his house
shows that he wants to put the facts away from
himself. Finny’s complete acceptance of Gene and
the statement he made to Gene on page 163
(“Naturally I don’t believe books and I don’t believe
teachers,…but I do believe—it’s important to believe
you, at least I know you better than anybody,”),
suggests that he truly does know Gene better than
anybody. He even knows the part of Gene that
caused the betrayal on the limb. But instead of
recriminations, Finny chooses to “believe” Gene.
This suggests that Finny wants to forgive and forget
and move on with his life. The first time Finny states
that he doesn’t care, he uses “an even voice, so full
of richness that it overrode all the others.” This is not
an angry voice. It is an authorative voice. He
repeats, “I don’t care.” The period that occurs at the
end of the statement communicates authority, not
anger or hysteria. He regards Gene with a
“handsome mask of a face” before stating directly to
Gene, “I just don’t care. Never mind.” The “mask of a
face” suggests that Finny is again trying to cover and
conceal the memory, sending it away from him. To
tell Gene, “Never mind,” suggests forgiveness; Gene
should not “mind” it because it is unimportant. It is
not until Brinker continually thrusts the facts into
Finny’s face, reminding him continually of Gene’s
betrayal, that Finny becomes angry and upset. He
does not, however, direct his anger at Gene. He
directs it at Brinker. It is Brinker that won’t let Finny
forgive, and that, along with the rehashing the
moment of Gene’s betrayal, is what is painful for
Finny.


19. The last two paragraphs of the chapter help the • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
reader to determine that Finny’s fall down the stairs generalizations, and predictions and support
happened as a result of— them from text
his tearful haste to flee from those who would tell him
facts that he does not want to acknowledge. He had
just screamed at Brinker to collect his “f—ing facts”.
His tone and his cursing are uncharacteristic for
Finny, signaling his unusually intense anger and
distress. He is crying, an action that Gene had never
seen him do. The “rushing steps” and “quick rapping”
of his cane speak of the speed with which Finny was
moving down the corridor. “Separate sounds” were
heard at the top of the stairway to mark Finny’s
negotiation of the first few steps. Finny is a
coordinated athlete who had only made one other
clumsy move in his life—the movement he made
when he fell from the limb. He had repeatedly
demonstrated his ability to remain graceful and
coordinated even after the accident, especially when
he danced on the table at the Winter Carnival. For
Finny, getting down the stairs should not have been
a problem. Tears combined with the carelessness
that comes from great emotional distress must have
blinded Finny, causing him to fall “clumsily.”
20. The conversation between Finny and Gene on • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
page 155 helps the reader to understand that Finny’s texts including word choice to determine tone
fall is serious because—
during the conversation, Finny relates that Dr. generalizations, and predictions and support
Stanpole had warned him not to fall again. Finny them from text
admits that he is always careful. Now the “sound of
the body clumsily falling down the marble stairs”
communicates that Finny has not only fallen, but
fallen down hard, stone stairs. The intimation is that
he is badly hurt. Tension is building.

__________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Chapter 11
1. When Gene wonders if the “uniform of the season” for next spring will have the same
“smell of vitality” as the clothes the boys are currently wearing, the reader can conclude
that—
A. Finny’s increasing mobility and sense of play encourages Gene
B. Gene feels uncertain and pessimistic about the future
C. the boys will refuse to enlist and wear a new uniform
D. Gene does not enjoy participating in physical activity
2. Brinker says that Leper and Finny are similar because—

A. they both love being outdoors
B. their academic abilities will help them succeed
C. Brinker wants Gene to feel like an outsider
D. they are both unable to participate in the war
3. Finny finally believes the war is real because he—

A. sees Leper’s condition for himself
B. enlists in the military to fight
C. decides his fantasies have been silly
D. listens to Gene’s discussion about Caesar
4. Which words from pages 172 and 173 help the reader understand the meaning of the
word deranged?
A. swift, automatic calculations
B. no threat
C. not of sound mind
D. something like this
5. During his “testimony,” Leper compares the way Finny and Gene appeared on the limb
to—
A. a pair of birds
B. a couple of strong athletes
C. a two-piston engine
D. two brave soldiers

__________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Short-Answer Quiz
Chapter 11
1. After returning from Vermont, why is it important to Gene that he sees Finny? Explain your
2. When Brinker talks to Gene after chapel, why does Gene react with fear? Support your
3. Why does Gene hope that the others will see Leper’s agitated mental state? Explain your

Answer Key
Chapter 11 (pp. 152–177)
1. When Gene wonders if the “uniform of the season” • Draw inferences
for next spring will have the same “smell of vitality”
as the clothes the boys are currently wearing, the • Reference: p. 154
reader can conclude that—
A. Finny’s increasing mobility and sense of play
encourages Gene
B. Gene feels uncertain and pessimistic about
the future
C. the boys will refuse to enlist and wear a new
uniform
D. Gene does not enjoy participating in physical
activity
2. Brinker says that Leper and Finny are similar • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
because—
A. they both love being outdoors • Reference: p. 157
B. their academic abilities will help them
succeed
D. they are both unable to participate in the
war
3. Finny finally believes the war is real because he— • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
A. sees Leper’s condition for himself
B. enlists in the military to fight • Reference: p. 163
D. listens to Gene’s discussion about Caesar
4. Which words from pages 172 and 173 help the • Rely on context to determine meanings of
reader understand the meaning of the word words and phrases
deranged?
A. swift, automatic calculations • Reference: pp. 172–173
B. no threat
C. not of sound mind
D. something like this
5. During his “testimony,” Leper compares the way • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
Finny and Gene appeared on the limb to— simile
A. a pair of birds
B. a couple of strong athletes • Reference: pp. 175–176
C. a two-piston engine
D. two brave soldiers

Answer Key
Short Answer Quiz
Chapter 11 (pp. 152–177)
1. After returning from Vermont, why is it important to • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
Gene that he sees Finny? Explain your answer and responses and interpretations
• Reference: pp. 152, 156
Suggested Response
After discovering that Leper is “not the little rabbit
we used to know anymore,” Gene is upset. Leper’s
mental state, his dishonorable act, and his
knowledge of Finny’s accident all cause Gene to
yearn for the simplicity of Finny’s fantasy life. He
wants to “see Phineas, and Phineas only.” Finny’s
“Greek-inspired and Olympian” conflict is
uncomplicated when compared to Leper’s struggle.
Gene simply wants to think about an imagined
athletic conflict “in which victory would go to
whomever was the strongest in body and heart.”
2. When Brinker talks to Gene after chapel, why does • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
Gene react with fear? Support your answer with responses and interpretations
Suggested Response
Brinker states that Gene would benefit “if
everything about Finny’s accident was cleared up
and forgotten.” He reminds Gene that Gene has “a
little personal stake in this.” Gene can feel his “face
grimacing” in response to Brinker’s words, and
Gene is left to speculate about “what Brinker might
say or do.” Brinker, in all of his clubs in the past,
acted predictably “right.” n this time of war,
Brinker’s shift in character leaves Gene “afraid of
that simple executive directness now.”
3. Why does Gene hope that the others will see • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
Leper’s agitated mental state? Explain your answer responses and interpretations
• Reference: pp. 174
Suggested Response
If Brinker and the others see that Leper’s condition
makes his testimony unreliable, then whatever
Leper chooses to say would be viewed as
deranged chatter. Leper is speaking in a “new,
confident, false voice” filled with “derangement,” a
voice that revealed how “false his confidence was.”
Gene desperately hopes that the others see that
Leper “had never been like this before . . . had
changed and was not responsible.” o remove the
impact of Leper’s testimony, someone other than
Gene has to notice Leper’s lapses in sanity. Gene
cannot risk the “self-indictment” that criticizing
Leper’s mental state would bring.

Chapter 12
pp. 178~194

___________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Chapter 12 (pp. 178–194)
Vocabulary Words
incongruity (p. 179) parody (p. 188)
decrepit (p. 182) languid (p. 188 )
impervious (p. 186) pungent (p. 192)
figment (p. 186) incomprehensibly (p. 193)
animosity (p. 188) strait-laced (p. 194)
Discussion Topics
1. On pages 178–179, the first five paragraphs of the chapter reflects a tone of—
2. On page 179, in the paragraph that begins, “After a short, silent examination…,” Gene
uses a simile to help the reader visualize—
3. On page 180, in the paragraph that begins, “Dr. Stanpole stopped near the doors…,” the
exchange between Gene and Dr. Stanpole help the reader to understand that—
4. The text on page 181 is mostly about—
5. On pages 182–183, Gene waits outside of the infirmary window, devising an imaginary
conversation that supposedly is occurring between the people in Finny’s room. Gene uses
the imaginary conversation to sarcastically reflect about each of the adults who are
working over Finny. This emphasizes that Gene is trying to—
6. On page 183–184, in the paragraph that begins, “Did Finny like Phil Latham…,” what clues
does the author provide that suggest Gene is becoming hysterical with worry?
7. On page 184, the engine of Dr. Stanpole’s car “roared exhaustedly.” What does this
suggest?
8. On page 185, why does Gene refrain from helping Finny back into his bed?

9. On page 187, Gene states, “But I could not hear, and that was because I did not exist.”
This suggests that Gene is—
10. On page 188, Gene states, “My brief burst of animosity, lasting only a second, a part of a
second, something which came before I could recognize it and was gone before I knew it
had possessed me, what was that in the midst of this holocaust?” What does he mean?
11. What secret does Finny reveal to Gene on page 190?
12. On page 191, Gene states, “Phineas, you wouldn’t be any good in the war, even if nothing
had happened to your leg.” What “important and right” message is Gene telling Finny?
13. Which sentence on page 191 best describes Gene’s reason for jouncing the limb?
14. Which sentences on page 191 best reflects Finny’s internal conflict?
15. On page 191, Finny states, “I believe you. It’s okay because I understand and I believe
you. You’ve already shown me and I believe you.” Why does Finny’s jaw tighten and his
eyes close on the tears as he makes this statement?
16. On pages 192–193, Gene’s description of his activities after he leaves the infirmary
emphasize—
17. Le bourgeois gentilhomme translates into “Middle-class Nobleman.” Why is it ironic that
Gene would be reading this literature?
18. From the short sentences and the rhetorical questions that Dr. Stanpole uses when he
talks to Gene on pages 193–194, the reader can tell that Dr. Stanpole—
19. On page 194, Dr. Stanpole asks, “Why did it have to happen to you boys so soon, here at
Devon?” What does he mean?
20. On page 194, Gene states, “I could not escape a feeling that this was my own funeral, and
you do not cry in that case.” What does he mean?

Chapter 12 (pp. 178–194)
incongruity contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Perhaps it was just the paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
incngruity… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
• Etymology • Point out that the word incongruity has the Latin
root congruens, which means “to agree,” and the
Latin root in, which means “not.”
• Related words • Related words include the adjectives incongruent,
incongruous, the adverbs incongruently,
incongruously, and the nouns incongruousness
and incongruence.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word incongruity as it is used in
the sentence include strangeness,
inappropriateness, and oddness. Have students
cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the narrator is reflecting that Finny has
always been the strong leader and the energetic
source of entertaining schemes. For Finny to be
anything else is incomprehensible to the speaker. It
is as if Gene’s world has lost its proper order
because independent Finny is now dependent on
others and is no longer the energetic, fun-loving
leader.


decrepit contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
The decrepit Devon paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
endeavor? would support such a meaning.
Sentence Patterns the compound noun “Devon endeavor.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word decrepit has the Latin root
decrepitus, which means “worn out.”
• Forms of the word • Another form of the word is the adverb decrepitly.
• Related words • A related word is the noun decrepitude.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word decrepit as it is used in the
sentence include feeble, infirm, weak, frail,
disabled, incapacitated, doddering, old, elderly,
aged, ancient, and senile. Have students record
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the narrator is being sarcastic. He is
close to hysteria. He is being sarcastic about the
age and the old traditions of the school. Additionally,
he becomes enamored with the alliteration of the “D”
sound in the phrasing “decrepit Devon,” deriving a
certain sarcastic pleasure from the poetic and
playful sound juxtaposing against the negative
meaning. He knows Finny would appreciate the
humor under normal circumstances.
impervious contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
They unrolled away paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
impervious to me… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifies the pronoun “They.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word impervious has the Latin
root pervius. Note that the prefix im— affects the
meaning of the base word pervious.
imperviously and the noun imperviousness.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word impervious as it is used in
the sentence include unaffected by, untouched
by, immune to, oblivious to, and heedless of.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the narrator is depressed, questioning
his own worth, wondering if he has ever made a
difference, and feeling that he has not—that he is no
better than a ghost. The hills would be impervious to
him because he does not matter—he does not have
any substance. He does not exist.


figment contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
They unrolled away paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
impervious to me… would support such a meaning.
• Etymology • Point out that the word figment has the Latin root
figmentum, which means “to form.”
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word figment as it is used in the
sentence include invention, creation, fabrication,
hallucination, illusion, delusion, fancy, and
vision. Have students record the word and all of its
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the narrator is continuing the idea that
he is not a part of the “overpoweringly solid and
deeply meaningful world around me.” He feels he
has missed or misunderstood all that is meaningful
in this world. He feels detached, as if he is only a
flight of fancy.
animosity contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
My brief burst of paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
animosity… would support such a meaning.
Sentence Patterns the preposition of in the prepositional phrase, “of
animosity.” Remind students that a phrase is a
“of animosity” is modifying the noun “burst.” Point
out that this prepositional phrase is behaving as if it
was an adjective.
• Etymology • Point out that the word animosity has the Latin root
animosus, which means “bold.”
• Related words • A related word is the noun animus.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word animosity as it is used in
the sentence include antipathy, hostility, friction,
antagonism, acrimony, enmity, animus,
bitterness, rancor, resentment, dislike, hatred,
loathing, malice, spite, and spitefulness. Have
note cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the narrator is putting a name to the
dark force inside him that made him jounce the limb.
The word sounds similar and, therefore, alludes to
the word “animal,” suggesting that this dark force is
a primal, uncivilized part that lies within all mankind,
possessing without warning.


parody contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
There was a wartime paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
phrase coming into would support such a meaning.
style… • Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
sentence.
• Etymology • Point out that the word parody has the Latin root
parodia and the Greek root paroidia.
parody, the adjectives parodic, paradistic, and the
noun parodist.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word parody as it is used in the
sentence include mockery, satire, imitation, and
lampoon. Have students record the word and all of
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the narrator is making it clear that this
phrase describes his feelings perfectly as he enters
Finny’s room. The expression becomes a parody of
itself later because it is over used.
languid contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
The tone of his words paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
fell dead center… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifies the noun “tone.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word languid has the Latin root
languere, which means “to be languid.”
languidly and the noun languidness.
• Related words • Related words include the nouns languor,
languishment, languisher, languorousness, the
verb languish, the adverbs languishingly,
languorously, and the adjective languorous.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word languid as it is used in the
sentence include relaxed, unhurried, slow,
listless, lethargic, sluggish, lazy, idle, indolent,
and apathetic. Have students record the word and
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the narrator is making it clear that Finny
is speaking to him in a detached, emotionless,
extremely neutral tone. The adverb “not” that occurs
just before languid negates any weakness, laziness
or languor that Finny might be experiencing because
of his injury. He is fully awake and in possession of
all his faculties. He seems to be detaching himself
from emotion, so he can protect himself against
feelings and emotions that he does not want to
examine.


pungent contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I went past the Trophy paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
Room, downstairs… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifies the noun “air.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word pungent has the Latin root
pungere, which means “to sting.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the noun pungency
and the adverb pungently.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word pungent as it is used in the
sentence include strong, powerful, pervasive,
penetrating, sharp, acid, sour, biting, bitter, and
tart. Have students record the word and all of its
smell in the locker room was sharp and pervasive.


incomprehensibly this sentence, ask the students to read the
Dr. Stanpole went on paragraph that contains this sentence. Discuss what
talking the meaning of the word might be within the context
incomprehensibly… of these paragraphs. Point out the clues inside the
(p. 193) text that would support such a meaning.
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is an adverb. Note that the
Sentence Patterns –ly ending can sometimes serve as a clue that the
word may be an adverb. The word may be modifying
“went on talking,” but it could also be modifying an
understood thought that Gene does not comprehend
what the doctor is telling him because he is in shock.
• Etymology • Point out that the word incomprehensible has the
Latin root comprehendere, which means “to
comprehend.” Note that the word has the prefix
in—, which means “not.”
incomprehensible and the nouns
incomprehensibility and incomprehensibleness.
• Related words • Related words include the nouns
incomprehension, incomprehensiveness, the
adjective incomprehensive, the adverb
incomprehensive.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word incomprehensibly as it is
used in the sentence include unintelligibly,
unclearly, confusingly, perplexingly, and
indecipherably. Have students record the word and
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that there is some ambiguity as to what the
word modifies. Perhaps this is because both Gene
and the doctor are in shock. Gene cannot
comprehend the message because it is too terrible
to consider. He also may not understand the
explanation that the doctor is providing. The doctor,
on the other hand, is almost talking to himself,
rehashing his decision to perform what he thought
would be a simple surgery, and second-guessing his
actions, as he tries to construct a reasonable
explanation as to why he lost his patient.


strait-laced contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
I did not cry even paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
when I stood would support such a meaning.
watching… • Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifies the compound noun “burial ground.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word strait has the Latin root
stringere, which means “to draw tight.”
• Forms of the word • Other forms of the word include the adverb strait-
lacedly and the noun strait-lacedness.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word strait-laced as it is used in
the sentence include prim, prudish, puritanical,
conservative, old-fashioned, stuffy, and staid.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the narrator is noting the irony that
Finny, an independent and free spirit, would have a
last resting place that is old-fashioned, proper, and
puritanical. This almost compounds the tragedy.

Answer Key
Discussion Topics
Chapter 12 (pp. 178–194)

1. On pages 178–179, the first five paragraphs of the • Understanding and analyze literary terms such
chapter reflects a tone of— as tone
tense, but calm efficiency. Brinker takes charge,

shouting that Phineas should no be moved. Another
student chooses not to waste time getting the night
nurse and rushes to get Dr. Stanpole. Another
student remembering that Phil Latham, the wrestling
coach lives just across the campus and is cognizant
of first-aid, runs to get him. Phineas is wrapped in a
blanket. “Everyone behaved with complete presence
of mind, and that included Phineas.” There is the
sound of “hurrying feet” and “repressed voices,” but
there is no emotion, only efficient action.
2. On page 179, in the paragraph that begins, “After a • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
short, silent examination…,” Gene uses a simile to simile
help the reader visualize—
how carefully and reverently Finny is being carried

out of the building. He is at the head of a
“procession” that “moved slowly across the brilliant
foyer to the doors.” Gene is belatedly recognizing the
spiritual as well as leadership qualities that Finny
possesses. He sees Finny as “a stricken pontiff,” a
spiritual leader who “was by nature someone who
carried others.” Gene relates that he has “the
desolating sense of having all along ignored what
was finest in” Finny. Gene is also recognizing his
own fall from Finny’s grace because he “normally…
would have been one of those carrying the chair,
saying something into his ear as [they] went along.”
Gene knows he has lost the favored status, for
others carry Finny.
3. On page 180, in the paragraph that begins, “Dr. • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
Stanpole stopped near the doors…,” the exchange tone
between Gene and Dr. Stanpole help the reader to
understand that— • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
they are both extremely worried about Finny. Gene is
terrified about what may happen to Finny. He can’t
“find the word to begin” to ask his question about
Finny’s condition. Dr. Stanpole, on the surface
seems almost optimistic as he speaks
“conversationally,” ignoring Gene’s “tangle.” The
doctor does not give Gene absolute reassurance that
everything is going to be fine, however. The doctor
uses short sentences, “it’s the leg again,” and
“Broken again.,” sentences that can speak of a
terseness that comes from concern. The doctor even
tries to reassure Gene by stating that the break is
“much cleaner,” repeating again, “much cleaner.”
The fragment, “A simple fracture,” completes the
response from a doctor who is trying to reassure, but
who does not want to waste any time getting his
patient to the hospital. The doctor is trying to mask
his deep concern.


4. The text on page 181 is mostly about— • Identifying main idea and supporting details
how Gene covertly locates the window of the room

where Dr. Stanpole has taken Finny.
5. On pages 182–183, Gene waits outside of the • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
infirmary window, devising an imaginary generalizations, and predictions and support
conversation that supposedly is occurring between them from text
the people in Finny’s room. Gene uses the imaginary
conversation to sarcastically reflect about each of the • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
adults who are working over Finny. This emphasizes responses and interpretations
that Gene is trying to—
cope with his feelings helplessness and anxiety over

Finny’s condition. On page 29, Gene states that it
“was long after that I recognized sarcasm as the
protest of people who are weak.’ Gene cannot hear
what Phil Latham, Dr. Stanpole and the night nurse
are saying. They have the information Gene craves.
They have the power to help Finny. Gene, however,
is powerless to find out Finny’s condition, and he
cannot help Finny. He begins to think of each adult
sarcastically, periodically stopping to compliment
himself about how he seems “to be full of bright
remarks this evening” and how he has become “quite
a card.” On page 15, Gene states that laughter
makes him feel less sarcastic and less scared. Using
the grim humor that the sarcastic descriptions are
generating, Gene is trying to dodge his fear and
anxiety about Finny by using sarcastic humor.
6. On page 183–184, in the paragraph that begins, “Did • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
Finny like Phil Latham…,” what clues does the texts, including the patterns of organization
author provide that suggest Gene is becoming
hysterical with worry?
Gene’s imaginary conversation between the adults

and Finny has become more biting and bitter. He
begins asking and answering silly rhetorical
questions. He imagines Finny calling Phil Latham a
“boob.” He imagines Finny telling Dr. Stanpole he is
“the most long-winded licensed medical man alive.”
He imagines Finny telling the nurse, “Miss Windbag,
you're rotten, rotten to the core. I just thought I ought
to tell you.” Gene knows he is being “outrageous,”
but the laughter it provokes is hysterical. Gene’s
stomach hurts, and he digs his teeth into his fist,
noticing that there were tears all over his hand. In
trying to gain control, he has nearly lost control.
7. On page 184, the engine of Dr. Stanpole’s car • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
“roared exhaustedly.” What does this suggest? texts, including the patterns of organization
Dr. Stanpole is exhausted. Gene must have been • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
standing watch outside the window for a long time. personification
To Gene, the car must be reflecting how Gene
perceives the doctor’s state.


8. On page 185, why does Gene refrain from helping • Analyze text structures such as cause and
Finny back into his bed? effect, compare and contrast for how they
On page 184, Gene realizes that Finny “could not
move very well, and that he was struggling to • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
unleash his hate against” Gene. Finny has fallen out responses and interpretations
of the bed, while “lunging hopelessly into the space
between” himself and Gene. He finally puts his head
down between his hands and rests it on the floor in a
gesture of defeat. Gene probably realizes that to
touch or help Finny in any way would rekindle his
anger. Gene retreats, apologizing.
9. On page 187, Gene states, “But I could not hear, and • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
that was because I did not exist.” This suggests that generalizations, and predictions and support
Gene is— them from text
feeling alone and very depressed

10. On page 188, Gene states, “My brief burst of • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
animosity, lasting only a second, a part of a second, responses and interpretations
something which came before I could recognize it
and was gone before I knew it had possessed me, • Describe and analyze the development of plot
what was that in the midst of this holocaust?” What and identify conflicts and how they are
does he mean? addressed and resolved
Gene is trying to calm himself by looking at his
personal tragedy from the world’s point of view, a
world that is going through World War II, where
“people were shooting flames into caves and grilling
other people alive,” torpedoing ships, “dropping
thousands of men in the icy ocean,” and exploding
city blocks into flames. Gene is trying to say that his
conflict is like a drop in the ocean when compared to
the world’s conflict. This statement draws a parallel
between the two conflicts, with Gene’s conflict
serving as a microcosm for the world’s conflict.
11. What secret does Finny reveal to Gene on page • Identify main idea and supporting details
190?
Finny has been writing to the “Army and the Navy

and the Marines and the Canadians and everybody
else all winter”, trying to enlist.


12. On page 191, Gene states, “Phineas, you wouldn’t • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
be any good in the war, even if nothing had responses and interpretations
happened to your leg.” What “important and right”
message is Gene telling Finny?
Gene is telling Finny that he is unsuited to go to war,

not because of his physical injury, but because of his
character. In the paragraph on pages 190–191 that
begins “A look of amazement fell over him,” Gene
tells Finny that he would make “a mess, a terrible
mess…out of the war” because Gene understands
that Finny is “careless and wild,” “the essence of” a
“careless peace” that “was not bound up with
destruction” (p. 24). Gene knows that Finny’s world
is “ruled by inspiration and anarchy” (p. 34). Finny
follows his own rules and “not those imposed on him
by other people” (p. 34). Finny is a free spirit who
invents games such as “blitzball” and snowball fights
that have arbitrary rules of engagement and no clear
winners or losers. Gene recognizes that Finny would
not fit into the regimented, disciplined world of the
soldier, whose rules for engagement are dictated,
and where absolute, unquestioning and immediate
obedience to superiors is necessary for survival on
the battlefield. Finny does not have the enmity, the
dark urge that Gene, Brinker, and his other
classmates (with the exception of Leper) possess,
the dark urge that is required in order to fight to the
death against an enemy in a battle where the winner
lives and the loser dies. For Finny, there is no
enemy. Gene alludes to this when he describes the
scenario of Finny “during a lull in the fighting,”
organizing games “with the Germans or the Japs,”
“teaching them English,” or exchanging uniforms,
just as he used to exchange his clothes with Gene’s.
Finny’s childish, innocent sense of play and fantasy
would not fit in the adult world that is fighting a world
war. As Gene reflects on page 58, “[Finny] didn’t
know yet that he was unique.” Finny would “make a
mess, a terrible mess” out of the war, because Finny
does not have the enmity inside of him that would
allow him to truly understand the concept of war.
This begs the question that the author may be saying
that if mankind were like Finny, war would not exist.
Teachers may wish to explore with their students the
thematic element that addresses why wars happen,
and what it is about mankind that fosters war.
13. Which sentence on page 191 best describes Gene’s • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
reason for jouncing the limb? responses and interpretations
“It was just some ignorance inside me, some crazy

thing inside me, something blind, that’s all it was.”


14. Which sentences on page 191 best reflects Finny’s • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
“It wasn’t anything you really felt against me, it

wasn’t some kind of hate you’ve felt all along. It
wasn’t anything personal.”
15. On page 191, Finny states, “I believe you. It’s okay • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
because I understand and I believe you. You’ve generalizations, and predictions and support
already shown me and I believe you.” Why does them from text
Finny’s jaw tighten and his eyes close on the tears
as he makes this statement?
Finny is forgiving Gene for his action on the limb. To

do this, he must acknowledge that Gene jounced the
limb, a fact Finny has been avoiding since the fall.
His “tightening jaw” reflects his tension and pain over
facing the unpleasant fact that his best friend
betrayed him. However, Finny is able to find peace
with Gene’s sincere and heartfelt confession. Finny
is able to “close his eyes on the tears,” and accept
Gene’s expression of contrition. Gene has been
forgiven.
16. On pages 192–193, Gene’s description of his • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
activities after he leaves the infirmary emphasize— texts, including the patterns of organization
the impact that the happenings of that day had on

Gene. Gene is speaking from fifteen years in the
future, looking back onto the events of this day, yet
he is able to remember specific time points, how long
a trigonometry problem took to solve, what he had
for lunch, the conversation he had with others while
he was eating, and his activities of that afternoon. He
is mechanical and specific. The smallest activities of
the day have become etched permanently into
Gene’s mind because that was the day Finny died, a
defining moment that has permanently affected
Gene. Teachers may want to discuss with their
students defining moments in their lives, such as
where they were when they heard the tragic news
about the attack on the New York Trade Center or
the loss of the space shuttle. The author may have
been using these details to build tension, as well.
The small, insignificant pieces of information about
Gene’s day serve as a preamble to the shocking
news that Gene receives from Dr. Stanhope. The
juxtaposition of insignificant, ordinary events against
the shocking, extraordinary event seems to highlight
that extraordinary event, making its impact more
powerful.
17. Le bourgeois gentilhomme translates into “Middle- • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
class Nobleman.” Why is it ironic that Gene would be irony
reading this literature?
The boys at Devon, including Gene and Finny,

belong to the middle, upper-middle class. Their
behavior, collectively, could be representative of
middle class “noblemen” of their day. Out of all of
them, Finny seems to be the most “noble,” yet Finny
is the one who doesn’t survive (p. 192).


18. From the short sentences and the rhetorical • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
questions that Dr. Stanpole uses when he talks to texts including word choice to determine tone
Gene on pages 193–194, the reader can tell that Dr.
Stanpole— • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
is grieving, trying to make his own peace with the them from text
part he played in it. He justifies himself for not
sending Finny to Boston, where a specialist could
have performed the surgery, because it “was such a
simple, clean break.” He further justifies himself
when he reiterates, “Anyone could have set it,”
reassuring himself that he was right in performing the
surgery himself. He is grasping at a “possible
explanation” for Finny’s death, settling on the fact
that “some of the marrow must have escaped into his
blood stream.” His use of the words, “must have,”
shows that he is unsure if this was actually the
cause. He further justifies his actions by verbalizing,
“There are risks, there are always risks.” The
repetition suggests that he is trying to take comfort in
the fact that any surgical procedure can have
unexpected results such as death. His self-control
breaks as he grieves for his lost patient.
19. On page 194, Dr. Stanpole asks, “Why did it have to • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
happen to you boys so soon, here at Devon?” What texts, including the patterns of organization
does he mean?
When Dr. Stanpole asks, “Why did it have to happen

to you boys so soon…,” he is referring to the fact that
so many young men are dying before their time in
the war. Up until now, the boys at Devon had been
isolated from having death from violence claim them
too soon. Finny has now become a casualty. He has
died before his time, just like many of the young men
who died before their time on the battlefield.
20. On page 194, Gene states, “I could not escape a • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
feeling that this was my own funeral, and you do not generalizations, and predictions and support
cry in that case.” What does he mean? them from text
Gene feels such a close relationship to Finny that he

feels as if a large part of himself has died along with
Finny. He is speaking about the depth of his grief.
Figuratively, Gene could also be referring to the
death of his own childhood, the death of his own
innocence. Finny represented the innocent
playfulness of childhood. Gene will never again be
able to freely and completely enjoy that childish
innocence. It died when Gene recognized the
malevolent part of him, that “ignorance inside,” that
“crazy thing” that caused him to betray his friend.

___________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Chapter 12
1. Which of the following sentences creates a mood of efficient action?

A. The foyer and the staircase of the First Building were soon as crowded as at midday.
B. But surrounding it was the stillness of near-midnight in a country town, so that the
hurrying feet and the repressed voices had a hollow reverberance.
C. I would have liked very much to have done that myself; it would have meant a lot to
me.
D. Everyone behaved with complete presence of mind, and that included Phineas.
2. When Finny falls from his bed, Gene does not offer assistance because—
A. Gene does not want to increase Finny’s anger
B. Finny is able to help himself back up to the bed
C. Gene does not have the medical skills to help
D. Finny asks Gene not to help him
3. When Gene walks around Devon on the night of Finny’s second accident and says, “But I
could not hear, and that was because I did not exist,” Gene is feeling—
A. responsible for the accident
B. homesick for the South
C. like he is nothing without Finny
D. that Devon is a powerful place
4. Which words from page 188 help the reader to understand the word languid?
A. fatal exhilaration
B. by instinct
C. trace of friendliness
D. not energetic
5. Which statement from the text best shows Finny’s internal conflict?
A. “You’d make a mess, a terrible mess, Finny, out of the war.”
B. “I’ve gotten awfully made sometimes and almost forgotten what I was doing.”
C. “It wasn’t anything you really felt against me, it wasn’t some kind of hat you’ve felt all
along.”
D. He was nodding his head, his jaw tightening and his eyes closed on the tears.

__________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Short-Answer Quiz
Chapter 12
1. When Finny is being carried to the infirmary, why does Gene view him as “a stricken
pontiff”? Support your answer with evidence from the selection.
2. According to Gene, why would Finny not “be any good in the war”? Explain your answer
3. How does Dr. Stanpole react when Gene asks him how Finny is doing after the surgery?
Explain your answer and support it with evidence from the selection.

Answer Key
Chapter 12 (pp. 178–194)
1. Which of the following sentences creates a mood • Analyze characteristics of clearly written texts
of efficient action? including word choice
A. The foyer and the staircase of the First
Building were soon as crowded as at midday. • Reference: pp. 178–179
B. But surrounding it was the stillness of near-
midnight in a country town, so that the
hurrying feet and the repressed voices had a
hollow reverberance.
C. I would have liked very much to have done
that myself; it would have meant a lot to me.
D. Everyone behaved with complete presence of
mind, and that included Phineas.
2. When Finny falls from his bed, Gene does not offer • Analyze text structures such as cause and
assistance because— effect for how they influence understanding
A. Gene does not want to increase Finny’s
anger • Reference: p. 185
B. Finny is able to help himself back up to the
bed
C. Gene does not have the medical skills to help
3. When Gene walks around Devon on the night of • Draw inferences
Finny’s second accident and says, “But I could not
hear, and that was because I did not exist,” Gene is • Reference: p. 187
feeling—
A. responsible for the accident
C. like he is nothing without Finny
4. Which words from page 188 help the reader to • Rely on context to determine meanings of
understand the word languid? words and phrases
A. fatal exhilaration
B. by instinct • Reference: p. 188
C. trace of friendliness
D. not energetic
5. Which statement from the text best shows Finny’s • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
A. “You’d make a mess, a terrible mess, Finny,
out of the war.” • Reference: p. 191
B. “I’ve gotten awfully made sometimes and
almost forgotten what I was doing.”
C. “It wasn’t anything you really felt against me,
it wasn’t some kind of hat you’ve felt all
along.”
D. He was nodding his head, his jaw tightening
and his eyes closed on the tears.

Answer Key
Short-Answer Quiz
Chapter 12 (pp. 178–194)
1. When Finny is being carried to the infirmary, why • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
does Gene view him as “a stricken pontiff”? responses and interpretations
Suggested Response
Finny is being carried carefully and reverently on a
chair, and the image reminds Gene of “some tragic
and exalted personage.” Gene realizes that he has
“all along ignored what was finest” in Finny and that
Finny was “by nature someone who carried others.”
Gene refers to the group carrying Finny as a
“procession” treating Finny as “the object of help.”
Finny does not know “how to act or even how to
feel” in this helpless state, so he closes his eyes to
the “incongruity” of being both “aloft and stricken.”
2. According to Gene, why would Finny not “be any • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
good in the war”? Explain your answer and support responses and interpretations
it with evidence from the selection.
Suggested Response
Gene’s proclamation is not in any way a reference
to Finny’s physical limitations. Gene is making a
claim about Finny’s character and method of
interacting with the world. To Finny, conflict is
about sports and fun, like in blitzball and snowball
fights. Finny does not think about “grilling other
people alive” and cities “exploding into flame in an
instant.” For Finny, there is no enemy. Gene tells
Finny that “a lull in the fighting” would find Finny
“over with the Germans or the Japs” organizing a
baseball game or “teaching them English.” Finny
would be too busy making friends to fight a vicious
war. Gene completes his speech saying, “You’d
make a mess, a terrible mess, Finny, out of the
war.”
3. How does Dr. Stanpole react when Gene asks him • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
how Finny is doing after the surgery? Explain your responses and interpretations
Suggested Response
Dr. Stanpole’s response to Gene’s question is
“incomprehensible.” The doctor is blurting out his
reflections on the surgery in short sentences and
choppy rhetorical questions. After succinctly
informing Gene, “Your friend is dead,” Dr. Stanpole
“went on talking incomprehensibly,” and Gene
comments “that his self-control was breaking up.”
Dr. Stanpole relates Finny’s death with the
encroachment of the war upon the peace of Devon.
Even as Dr. Stanpole tries to justify his decision to
operate, he is realizing that he is powerless to
protect the boys from risks, “An operating room and
a war.”


Chapter 13
pp. 195~204

276
___________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Chapter 13 (pp. 195–204)
Vocabulary Words
predecessors (p. 195) malarkey (p. 200)
bellicose-looking (p. 196) disconcerting (p. 201)
reprieve (p. 197) tangible (p. 201)
cogitation (p. 197) amplified (p. 203)
cordiality (p. 198) parry (p. 204)
Discussion Topics
1. The first two paragraphs of this chapter compare and contrast the Center Common with
the Far Common. This comparison helps the reader to understand that the Far Common
has been “donated without too serious a wrench, to the war” because—
2. How has the author organized the last chapter of the novel in order to present the last
thoughts of the characters and end the novel?
3. On page 196, in the paragraph that begins, “The Far Common could be seen from the
window…,” Gene states that the “Jeeps” reminded him “in a comical and poignant way, of
adolescents.” What does he mean? In the paragraph on page 196 that begins, “Following
them there were some heavy trucks…,” the description of the troops suggests that they—
4. In the paragraph on page 196 that begins, “Following them there were some heavy
trucks…,” the description of the troops suggests that they—
5. The author provides the discussion between Brinker and Gene about the sewing
machines in order to provide the reader—
6. In the paragraph on page 197 that begins, “I had to be right in never talking…,” Gene
states, “I would have talked about that, but they would not, and I would not talk about
Phineas in any other way.” What does he mean?
7. On page 198, Mr. Hadley states, “I can’t imagine any man in my time settling for duty on a
sewing machine. I can’t picture that at all.” What does this reveal about his attitude toward
the army?

8. In the paragraph on pages 198-199 that begins, “‘Well,’ Mr. Hadley went on
emphatically…,” what is Mr. Hadley’s attitude toward the impending enlistments of Gene
and his own son, Brinker?
9. In the paragraph on page 199–200 that begins, “His father nodded slightly…,” which
sentence best summarizes why Mr. Hadley believes that it is important for Brinker and
Gene to be where “there was some real shooting going on?”
10. On page 200, why does Mr. Hadley stiffen, pause, and then relax with an effort?
11. Brinker’s statements about his father suggests that Brinker—
12. Read page 201. In what way does Gene compare Brinker’s “generation-complaint with
Finny’s view of the war?
13. Which statement of Gene’s best summarizes his belief about the causes for wars?
14. On page 202, in the paragraph that begins, “No one else I have ever met…,” which
sentence best summarizes Gene’s attitude about how wars change people?
15. On page 203, Gene’s unlocked locker, “forlornly open and abandoned” symbolizes
Gene’s—
16. On page 203, Gene states, “I was ready for war, now that I no longer had any hatred to
contribute to it. My fury was gone, I felt it gone, dried up at the source, withered and
lifeless. Phineas had absorbed it and taken it with him, and I was rid of it forever.” This
suggests that Finny’s character symbolizes—
17. On page 204, in the paragraph that begins, “They fell into step then..,” Gene states, “Down
there I fell into step as well as my nature, Phineas-filled, would allow.” What does this
suggest about Gene?
18. Who is “the enemy” that is referred to on page 204?
19. In the last paragraph on page 204, the Maginot Line is a metaphor for—
20. In what way has the novel presented the elements of the Garden of Eden motif?

Chapter 13 (pp. 195–204)
predecessors contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
There the School’s paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
history had unrolled… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns the preposition “in” in the prepositional phrase, “in
their predecessors.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word predecessors has the Latin
root praedecessor.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word predecessors as it is used
in the sentence include forerunner, precursor, and
antecedent. Have students record the word and all
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the narrator is making it clear that The
Center Common is the center of the school and that
the buildings in the Center Common are either
original to the site or built to replace an original on
the same site. This is the traditional and historic
center of the school. Even the buildings have
predecessors.
bellicose-looking contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
They were not very paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
bellicose-looking… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns adjective. It modifies the pronoun “They” and follows
the linking verb “were.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word bellicose has the Latin root
bellicosus, which means “of war.”
bellicosely and the nouns bellicosity and
bellicoseness.
• Synonym • Synonyms for the word bellicose as it is used in the
sentence include belligerent, aggressive, hostile,
war-like, warmongering, hawkish, antagonistic,
pugnacious, truculent, confrontational,
contentious, militant, and combative. Have
note cards.
• Diction/Tone • Discuss irony that the military troops that finally
invade Devon are not warlike, but are singing “Roll
Out the Barrel.” It seems that the reality does not
match the imaginative visions that the students may
have had about soldiers.


reprieve contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Peace lay on Devon… paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
sentence.
• Etymology • Point out that the word reprieve has the Latin root
reprehendere, which means “to hold back.”
reprieve and the adjective reprievable.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word reprieve as it is used in the
sentence include pardon, amnesty, and stay of
execution to. Have students record the word and all
beautiful summer’s day symbolizes peace from fear,
conflict and hostility. It is reminding Gene of the
summer days of the Summer Session, a time of
innocent playfulness that happened before Finny’s
fall.
cogitation contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Peace lay on Devon… paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
sentence.
Sentence Patterns the preposition “to’ in the prepositional phrase, “to all
the cogitation and deadness.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word cogitation has the Latin root
cogitare, which means “to consider.”
cogitative, cogitable, the adverb cogitatively, the
noun cogitativeness, and the verb cogitate.
• Synonyms for the word cogitation as it is used in
• Synonyms the sentence include perception, discernment,
apprehension, learning, understanding,
comprehension, insight, reasoning, thinking, and
thought. Have students record the word and all of
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that for Gene, the winter represents all the
tough lessons and serious thoughts, fears, conflicts,
and unpleasant revelations that he has had to
endure. The summer day represents innocent,
unquestioning, uncomplicated fantasy. Gene
perhaps realizes that sometimes over analyzing
motives can bring unwanted and unnecessary
conflict and misunderstandings.


cordiality contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
But he shook my paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
hand… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns the preposition “with” in the prepositional phrase,
“with genuine cordiality.” Remind students that a
“with genuine cordiality” is modifying the verb
“shook.” Point out that this prepositional phrase is
behaving as if it was an adverb.
• Etymology • Point out that the word cordiality has the Latin root
cordialis, which means “heart.”
cordial, the noun cordialness, and the adverb
cordially.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word cordiality as it is used in the
sentence include friendliness, affection, warmth,
amiability, affability, affection, heartiness, and
welcome. Have students record the word and all of
Brinker’s father is making a genuine attempt to be
friendly with his son’s friend.
malarkey contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
It’s all that World War I paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
malarkey… would support such a meaning.
• Synonyms • A synonym for the word malarkey as it is used in
the sentence is foolish talk. Have students record
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that Brinker is rebelling against his father.
He is using slang to describe his father’s patriotic
advice. He has heard the World War I stories
repeatedly and does not believe most of them. He
has been disillusioned and refuses to adopt his
father’s attitude about patriotism. His underlying fear
of what World War II holds in store for him might be
the catalyst for his attitude.


disconcerting contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
He flopped paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
comfortably… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that this word is used as a transitive verb
Sentence Patterns in the sentence.
• Etymology • Point out that the word disconcerting has an Old
French root desconcerter.
disconcertingly and the adjective disconcerting.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word disconcerting as it is used
in the sentence include unsettle, discomfit,
unnerve, disorient, perturb, disturb, agitate,
dismay, and upset. Have students record the word
• Diction/Tone • Discuss that the different attitudes that Brinker and
his father had toward the comfort of the same chair
represents the differences that exist between them.
They do not see eye-to-eye on many issues.
tangible contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
As I crossed the Far paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
Common I saw… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
Sentence Patterns modifies the noun “things.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word tangible has the Latin root
tangere, which means “to touch.”
tangibility, tangibleness and the adverb tangibly.
• Related words include the noun tangency and the
• Related words adjectives tangent and tangential.
• Synonyms for the word tangible as it is used in the
• Synonyms sentence include touchable, palpable, material,
physical, real, substantial, corporeal, solid,
concrete, visible, noticeable, actual, definite,
clear, distinct, perceptible, and discernible. Have
note cards.
• Discuss that the narrator has noticed a shift in the
• Diction/Tone atmosphere of the school. He also is realizing that
his happiness that was borne of childish innocence
is gone. War and his entry into adulthood have
changed it into something foreign.


amplified contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
The P.T. instructor’s paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
voice… would support such a meaning.
sentence.
• Parts of Speech/ • Point out that the word amplified is a verb, but it is
Sentence Patterns being used as an adjective, modifying the noun
“croak.” Remember that a verbal is a verb that is
behaving as if it is another part of speech. The three
types of verbals are called infinitives, gerunds, and
participles. This example is a type of verbal called a
“past participle.” A participle is a verb that is acting
like an adjective. It is a past participle because it has
the –ed ending.
• Etymology • Point out that the word amplified has the Latin root
amplificare which means “large.”
amplification and amplifier.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word amplified as it is used in the
sentence include make louder, intensify, increase,
raise, and magnify. Have students record the word
instructor’s voice was loud and hoarse.
parry contains this sentence. Discuss what the meaning of
Other people paragraph. Point out the clues inside the text that
experienced this would support such a meaning.
fearful shock… • Denotation • Have the class look at the dictionary definition
sentence.
Sentence Patterns In this sentence, however, the verb is in the infinitive
form. An infinitive form of the verb is a form that can
adverb. Most infinitives begin with “to.” In this
sentence, the infinitive to parry is behaving like an
adverb because it modifies the verb “began.”
• Etymology • Point out that the word parry has the Latin root
parare which means “to prepare.”
• Forms of the word • One other form of the word is the noun parry.
• Synonyms • Synonyms for the word parry as it is used in the
sentence include ward off, fend off, deflect, hold
off, block, counter, repel, evade, avoid, dodge,
and repulse. Have students record the word and all
different people have different ways of defending
themselves from those things that frighten them,
whether those things are real or imagined. It is as if
everyone is having their own private wars, and they
are searching for ways to build defenses.

Answer Key
Discussion Topics
Chapter 13 (pp. 195–204)

1. The first two paragraphs of this chapter compare and • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
contrast the Center Common with the Far Common. generalizations, and predictions and support
This comparison helps the reader to understand that them from text
the Far Common has been “donated without too
serious a wrench, to the war” because— • Analyze text structures such as cause and
effect, compare and contrast for how they
the Center Common represents the traditional influence understanding
institution and figurative heart of Devon. The Center
Common is the oldest part of the school, the site
where “the School’s history had unrolled, the fabled
riot scenes and Presidential visits and Civil War
musterings” had occurred. It is also where the legal
and administrative functions of Devon as an
institution reside. “The upperclassmen and the
faculty met there, the budget was compiled there,
and there students were expelled.” The “older, uglier,
more comfortable halls enclosing the Center
Common” contained the “essence” of the school. It is
the part of the school that “an alumnus ten years
after graduation” would visualize when he thought of
the school. The Far Common, though “Georgian like
the rest of the school,” was “a gift of the rich lady
benefactress.” It was newer, with “the bricks” that
“had been laid a little too skillfully, and the
woodwork” not “as brittle and chipped as it should
have been.” It did not hold the tradition, the history,
or the authority of the older, Central Common.
Important functions did not occur there. Historical
events that had turned into legends and traditions
had not occurred there. The newer common could be
sacrificed, so that the older common, with its history
and traditions, could be preserved.
2. How has the author organized the last chapter of the • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
novel in order to present the last thoughts of the texts, including the patterns of organization
characters and end the novel?
The last chapter describes the army’s Parachute

Riggers’ School taking over the buildings and the
fields of the Far Commons. Gene, Brinker, and
Brinker’s father are reacting to the “war moving in to
occupy it.”


3. On page 196, in the paragraph that begins, “The Far • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
Common could be seen from the window…,” Gene generalizations, and predictions and support
states that the “Jeeps” reminded him “in a comical them from text
and poignant way, of adolescents.” What does he
mean? • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
The Jeeps were “being driven with a certain
restraint,” suggesting that they had to be controlled
or they would exceed the limits within which they
needed to function. Gene notes that the Jeeps
“looked noticeably uncomfortable from all the power
they were not being allowed to use,” again
suggesting that they had to be controlled and
restrained from over exuberance. He notes that the
Jeeps were “almost asserting a wish to bounce up
the side of Mount Washington at eighty miles an
hour instead of rolling along this dull street,”
suggesting a need for speed and excitement instead
of the “dull street” that they were forced to endure.
All of these behaviors could be said to be
characteristic of most adolescents, with their natural
energy and craving for excitement and speed.
4. In the paragraph on page 196 that begins, “Following • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
them there were some heavy trucks…,” the generalizations, and predictions and support
description of the troops suggests that they— them from text
were not well-disciplined examples of military • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
precision. They are “not very bellicose-looking;” they responses and interpretations
had “straggling” columns, and their uniforms “had
gotten rumpled in the train.” They were singing a
raucous song, “Roll Out the Barrel.” The troops
seemed to be almost joyful.
5. The author provides the discussion between Brinker • Analyze characteristics of text, including the
and Gene about the sewing machines in order to patterns of organization, syntax, and word
provide the reader— choice
with information that relates how two sources of • Describe and analyze the development of plot
conflict are resolved. First, Leper has received his and identify conflicts and how they are
“Section Eight” discharge, which Brinker believes will addressed and resolved
not mean very much “two years after the war’s over.”
Second, no one has accused Gene of being
responsible “for what had happened to Phineas,
either because they could not believe it or else
because they could not understand it.”


6. In the paragraph on page 197 that begins, “I had to • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
be right in never talking…,” Gene states, “I would generalizations, and predictions and support
have talked about that, but they would not, and I them from text
would not talk about Phineas in any other way.”
What does he mean?
Gene recognizes that talking about what cannot be

changed is futile. However, he would have been
honest about what happened between him in
Phineas. He “would not talk about Phineas in any
other way.” He was never accused by others of
being “responsible for what happened to Phineas,
either because they could not believe it or else
because they could not understand it.” He did not
talk about Phineas because others did not want to
hear about the fear, jealousy, aggression, and hate
that lurked in Gene’s heart and may also lurk in their
own hearts.
7. On page 198, Mr. Hadley states, “I can’t imagine any • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
man in my time settling for duty on a sewing tone
machine. I can’t picture that at all.” What does this
reveal about his attitude toward the army?
Mr. Hadley is suggesting that the “G.I.’s” that make

up the army of World War II may not be as hardy and
tough as the “doughboys” that made up the army
that fought in World War I, Mr. Hadley’s war. He is
appalled that soldiers would work with sewing
machines, even if the sewing machines are for
repairing parachutes. He comments, “But then times
change, and wars change,” showing a grudging, and
almost scornful acquiescence to the practices of the
present-day army.
8. In the paragraph on pages 198–199 that begins, • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
“‘Well,’ Mr. Hadley went on emphatically…,” what is tone
Mr. Hadley’s attitude toward the impending
enlistments of Gene and his own son, Brinker?
He looks upon their impending enlistments with

excitement and envy. He views the enlistments as
wonderful opportunities for them, saying that there
“are doggone many exciting things to enlist in these
days.” He would “give something to be a kid again”
and be able to choose to be part of “that bunch they
call the Frogmen, underwater demolition stuff.” He
wishes that he could go in their place, not because
he wants to spare them from the war, but because
he envies the opportunities the war will present to
them.
9. In the paragraph on page 199–200 that begins, “His • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
father nodded slightly,” which sentence best responses and interpretations
summarizes why Mr. Hadley believes that it is
important for Brinker and Gene to be where “there • Analyze text structures such as cause and
was some real shooting going on?” effect, compare and contrast for how they
“People will get their respect for you from that—
partly from that, don’t get me wrong—but if you can
say that you were up front where there was some
real shooting going on, then that will mean a whole
lot to you in years to come.”


10. On page 200, why does Mr. Hadley stiffen, pause, • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
and then relax with an effort? generalizations, and predictions and support
them from text
Mr. Hadley and his son fundamentally disagree and
have had this argument before. Mr. Hadley is trying • Describe and analyze the development of plot
to avoid arguing with his son. and identify conflicts and how they are
11. Brinker’s statements about his father suggests that • Describe and analyze the development of plot
Brinker— and identify conflicts and how they are
“has listened repeatedly to his father’s stories about
how he was almost a hero at Chateau-Thierry during
World War I and resents his father trying to live out
his fantasies through Brinker and his friends. He
states that “all that World War I malarkey” gets to
him. He accuses his dad and his friends of being like
“children about that war.” Brinker blames his parents’
generation for World War II.
12. Read page 201. In what way does Gene compare • Analyze text structures such as cause and
Brinker’s “generation-complaint with Finny’s view of effect, compare and contrast for how they
the war? influence understanding
Brinker is blaming his father’s generation for the war. • Describe and analyze the development of plot
Gene calls it a “self-pitying resentment against and identify conflicts and how they are
millions of people he did not know.” His father is a addressed and resolved
prosperous, older man. Many of the men of his
generation are prosperous, old men. Finny’s fantasy
about the war involved “fat and foolish old men
bungling away behind the scenes.” Brinker is
resentful, while Finny was playful.
13. Which statement of Gene’s best summarizes his • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
belief about the causes for wars? responses and interpretations
“Because it seemed clear that wars were not made

by generations and their special stupidities, but that
wars were mad instead by something ignorant in the
human heart” (p. 201).
14. On page 202, in the paragraph that begins, “No one • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
else I have ever met…,” which sentence best responses and interpretations
summarizes Gene’s attitude about how wars change
people?
“When they began to feel that there was this

overwhelmingly hostile thing in the world with them,
then the simplicity and unity of their characters broke
and they were not the same again.”
15. On page 203, Gene’s unlocked locker, “forlornly • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
open and abandoned” symbolizes Gene’s— symbolism
abandonment of his childhood and adolescence. As

Gene states at the end of the paragraph, “My
schooling is over now.” The rite of passage is
complete. Gene is leaving his childhood and the
lessons it provided to move into adulthood.


16. On page 203, Gene states, “I was ready for war, now • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
that I no longer had any hatred to contribute to it. My allegory
fury was gone, I felt it gone, dried up at the source,
withered and lifeless. Phineas had absorbed it and
taken it with him, and I was rid of it forever.” This
suggests that Finny’s character symbolizes—
a Christ-like figure whose death absolves a great sin.

Finny is presented as a free-spirited, non-
competitive, non-judgemental, innocent figure who,
before a premature death, forgives a penitent Gene
for his “hate” by saying, “I believe you. It’s okay
because I understand and I believe you. You’ve
already shown me and I believe you” (p. 191). Now
Gene has stated that his hate has “been absorbed,”
and he is “rid of it forever.” Gene is the penitent
sinner who has been forgiven. Finny is the innocent
who is sacrificed after forgiving the one who sinned
against him.
17. On page 204, in the paragraph that begins, “They fell • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
into step then..,” Gene states, “Down there I fell into generalizations, and predictions and support
step as well as my nature, Phineas-filled, would them from text
allow.” What does this suggest about Gene?
Gene has come to recognize that between the two of responses and interpretations
them, Phineas was a better person, possessing a
unique point of view that Gene has decided to merge
with his own. On page 202, Gene states, “During the
time I was with him, Phineas created an atmosphere
in which I continued now to live, a way of sizing up
the world with erratic and entirely personal
reservations, letting its rocklike facts sift through and
he accepted only a little at a time, only as much as
he could assimilate without a sense of chaos and
loss.” Gene has learned from Phineas, merging
Phineas’s view of dealing with the world with his own
view. Consequently, Gene “fell into step” as well as
his “Phineas-filled nature would allow—Phineas, who
considered that “authority” was “the necessary evil
against which happiness was achieved by
reaction” (p. 19); Phineas, who could not tolerate
Gene’s “West Point stride” (p. 19); Phineas, who
ruled during the “gypsy summer” at Devon; Phineas,
who “never hated anyone” and who “never was
afraid.” This suggests that Gene served in the
military, but exhibited certain irreverence for rules,
uniformity, and regimentation that Finny would
recognize. There will always be a part of Phineas’s
nature that will temper Gene’s nature.


18. Who is “the enemy” that is referred to on page 204? • Draw inferences such as conclusions,
Student answers may vary. Suggested responses them from text
may include:
In the paragraph that begins, “I never killed responses and interpretations
anybody…,” Gene states, “I never killed anybody
and I never developed an intense level of hatred for
the enemy.” He is referring the armed forces that are
fighting against the Allied powers in the battlefields.
However, in the next sentence, Gene states, “…I
was on active duty all my time at school; I killed my
enemy there.” Gene could be referring to the fear,
jealousy, envy, competitiveness, and hunger for
respect that motivates people to see evil intent
where there was none, as in the case of Phineas and
himself. He could also be referring to that “ignorance
inside,” that “crazy thing inside,” that “blind impulse”
that spurred him to jounce the limb. By recognizing
the power that it had over him, he could kill it and not
let him influence him any longer. In the last sentence
of the novel, Gene speaks of those that “constructed
at infinite cost to themselves these Maginot Lines
against this enemy they thought they saw across the
frontier, this enemy who never attacked that way—if
he ever attacked at all; if he was indeed the enemy.”
This suggests that Gene believes that people
manufacture their own enemy out of their own
desires and fears. The enemy of mankind may be
the dark thoughts that reside unrecognized in the
heart of every man and develop into that “ignorance
inside,” that “crazy thing inside,” that “blind impulse”
that disturbs the soul, shatters the separate, internal
peace within each person, and causes men to build
defenses and retaliate against fears that have been
imagined or that stem from faulty perceptions. Gene
states, “Only Phineas never was afraid, only Phineas
never hated anyone.” Perhaps the enemy is simply
that: fear and the hate that comes from that fear.”


19. In the last paragraph on page 204, the Maginot Line • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
is a metaphor for— symbol and allusion
the elaborate, but ineffective “frame of mind” and • Compare and contrasts varying aspects of text
behaviors that the students and adults at Devon such as themes, conflicts, and allusions
have developed and are depending upon in order to
feel safe in an uncertain and frightening world.
Students must understand the allusion to the
Maginot Line in order to understand the meaning of
the metaphor. The Maginot Line is a line of well-
fortified forts that France built along her eastern
boarder during the 1930s in response to fears about
a possible invasion from Germany. At the beginning
of World War II, the French felt confident that this
line of forts, which were constructed at great
expense and contained state-of-the-art weaponry,
would stop an invading army long enough for France
to mobilize her forces and then use the line of forts to
repel an attack. The Maginot Line, named for Andre
Maginot, the Minister of War who convinced the
French government to provide funding for the
construction of the line of inter-connected forts,
proved to be ineffective. The German army
bypassed the line, mounting an invasion through
Belgium and the Netherlands, eventually cutting off
the line from the rest of the country, rendering it
useless as a French defense against the German
invasion. Gene recognizes the mental and emotional
defenses that individuals build to protect themselves
from personal fears, real or imagined. He comments
on them, calling these defenses ineffectual by
comparing them to the French Maginot Line. In the
paragraph immediately preceding, Gene states,
“Other people experienced this fearful shock
somewhere, this sighting of the enemy, and so
began an obsessive labor of defense, began to parry
the menace they saw facing them by developing a
particular frame of mind.” He cites the ineffective
defenses:
• Some students behave as if to say, “I am a
humble ant, I am nothing, I am not worth of the
menace.”
• Mr. Ludsbury behaves as if to say, “How dare
this threaten me, I am much too good for this
sort of handling, I shall rise above this.”
• Quackenbush strikes “out at it always and
everywhere.”
• Brinker develops “a careless, general
resentment against it.”
• Leper emerges “from a protective cloud of
vagueness only to meet it, the horror, face to
face, just as he had always feared, and so give
up the struggle absolutely.”
None of these approaches diminish or eradicate the

fear, real or imagined. Phineas is the only character
that Gene states “never was afraid, only Phineas
never hated anyone.” Phineas never saw “an enemy”
and, consequently, never felt the need to build
ineffectual defenses.


20. In what way has the novel presented the elements of • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
the Garden of Eden motif? motif
The tree from which Finny fell represents the Tree of

Knowledge. It is what happened at the tree puts into
motion the events that result in Gene’s epiphany at
the end of the novel. Jumping from the tree is
against the rules, yet Gene and Finny stand together
on a limb, preparing to jump. Gene, the academic
who symbolizes not only the pursuit of knowledge,
but also the darker side of human nature, which
includes jealousy, rivalry, aggression, hate, and fear,
stands on the limb with Finny, who symbolizes
trusting innocence. It is Gene who experiences a “fall
from grace” at the tree when he jounces the limb and
betrays his friend. Gene has committed the “original
sin.” he rest of the novel chronicles the pain, fear,
and regret that he suffers as a result of his sin. It is
only after Finny, a Christ-like figure who is innocent,
charismatic, misunderstood, and betrayed by a
friend, suffers a second fall that Gene is able to be
redeemed. Finny forgives a penitent Gene and dies,
taking Gene’s “fear” with him, and leaving a part of
himself to live within Gene.

___________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Chapter 13
1. One difference between the Center Common and the Far Common is—
A. the Center Common represents the traditions of Devon while the Far Common does
not
B. the Center Common is newer than the Far Common
C. the Center Common is often used by the community while the Far Common is not
D. the Center Common is not used as often as the Far Common
2. What is Brinker’s attitude toward his father’s opinions about the war?
A. Brinker respects his father’s heroic actions during World War I.
B. Brinker and his father agree that young men should search out the most exciting
enlistment option.
C. Brinker believes that his father’s generation is responsible for the war.
D. Brinker is enthusiastic about making World War II memories comparable to the ones
his father has from World War I.
3. Which statement from the text best shows that Gene is maturing?
A. “I’ll probably have a lot of training, and I’ll never see a foxhole.”
B. It would have been comfortable, but I could not believe it.
C. With those of my year this point often came when they grasped the fact of the war.
D. My schooling was over now.
4. Which words from page 203 help the reader to understand the meaning of the word
amplified?
A. instructor’s voice
B. blared out
C. fall involuntarily
D. compelling voice
5. When Gene leaves his locker empty and unlocked, this symbolizes his abandonment of—
A. sports
B. honor
C. adolescence
D. Finny

__________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Short-Answer Quiz
Chapter 13
1. Why does Gene compare the Jeeps to adolescents? Explain your answer and support it
2. What is Mr. Hadley’s attitude toward the upcoming enlistments of Brinker and Gene?
Explain your answer and support it with evidence from the selection.
3. When Gene hears the P.T. instructor’s voice, why does Gene only fall “into step as well as
[his] nature, Phineas-filled, would allow? Support your answer with evidence from the
selection.

Answer Key
Chapter 13 (pp. 195–204)
1. One difference between the Center Common and • Analyze text structures such as compare and
the Far Common is— contrast and how they influence understanding
A. the Center Common represents the traditions
of Devon while the Far Common does not • Reference: pp. 195–196
B. the Center Common is newer than the Far
Common
C. the Center Common is often used by the
community while the Far Common is not
D. the Center Common is not used as often as
the Far Common
2. What is Brinker’s attitude toward his father’s • Describe and analyze the development of plot
opinions about the war? and identify conflicts and how they are
A. Brinker respects his father’s heroic actions addressed and resolved
during World War I.
B. Brinker and his father agree that young men • Reference: p. 201
should search out the most exciting
enlistment option.
C. Brinker believes that his father’s generation is
responsible for the war.
D. Brinker is enthusiastic about making World
War II memories comparable to the ones his
father has from World War I.
Gene is maturing? responses and interpretations
A. “I’ll probably have a lot of training, and I’ll
never see a foxhole.” • Reference: pp. 199–203
B. It would have been comfortable, but I could
not believe it.
C. With those of my year this point often came
when they grasped the fact of the war.
4. Which words from page 203 help the reader to • Rely on context to determine meanings of
understand the meaning of the word amplified? words and phrases
A. instructor’s voice
B. blared out • Reference: pp. 203–204
C. fall involuntarily
D. compelling voice
5. When Gene leaves his locker empty and unlocked, • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
this symbolizes his abandonment of— symbolism
A. sports
B. honor • Reference: p. 203
C. adolescence
D. Finny

Answer Key
Short-Answer Quiz
Chapter 13 (pp. 195–204)
1. Why does Gene compare the Jeeps to • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
adolescents? Explain your answer and support it responses and interpretations
• Reference: p. 196
Suggested Response
Gene describes the Jeeps as “noticeably
uncomfortable from all the power they were not
being allowed to use.” Not being utilized to their full
potential, the Jeeps seem to have the pent-up
natural energy of adolescents, not yet at war, not
yet adults. Just like adolescents, the Jeeps are
“being driven with a certain restraint” and long to
experience something more than “rolling along this
dull street.”
2. What is Mr. Hadley’s attitude toward the upcoming • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
enlistments of Brinker and Gene? Explain your responses and interpretations
Suggested Response
Mr. Hadley is speaking “emphatically” about the
boys’ “greatest moment, greatest privilege, to serve
[their] country.” He does not want people to
misunderstand the boys’ enlistment choices, and
he wants the boys to consider all of the “doggone
many exciting things to enlist in” as they make their
decisions. While Mr. Hadley is both “proud” and
“darn jealous” of the many opportunities the boys
are facing, he also advises them to think about the
effects of their decisions “in the long run” and how
people “will get their respect” from the type of
military service the boys choose.
3. When Gene hears the P.T. instructor’s voice, why • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
does Gene only fall “into step as well as [his] responses and interpretations
nature, Phineas-filled, would allow? Support your
answer with evidence from the selection. • Reference: pp. 202–204
Suggested Response
Gene realizes that his “nature” and Finny’s nature
are merging, both in life and in death. Gene is
convinced that Finny’s “vitality which could not be
quenched” is still very much alive and that it is
Gene’s own duty to preserve the “atmosphere”
created by Finny, filled with “erratic and entirely
personal reservations,” where “rocklike facts” can
“be accepted only a little at a time.” When Gene
serves in the military, his academic, rule-conscious
nature will always be influenced by Finny’s
“harmonious and natural unity.”


Final Assessment

___________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Final Assessment
Multiple-Choice Questions
1. The narrator of the novel is returning to the school in order to—

A. see if the school has changed
B. find an internal sense of balance
C. attend a class reunion
2. The speaker is thankful after he sees the tree because he realizes that—
A. the tree reminds him of his childhood
C. the memory of it will no longer haunt him
3. The speaker calls the seniors “draft-bait” because after graduation they all expect to—
4. Finny does not like the speaker’s “West Point stride” because it represents—
A. eagerness to join the army
B. rules and rule makers
C. a necessary evil
D. the speaker’s personality
5. Mr. Prud’homme is unable to enforce all of the school rules because he—
A. wants to be friends with Finny
C. does not know all of the rules
6. In the following sentences, what does the word indulgent mean? “Anyway, they were more
indulgent toward us than at any other time; they snapped at the heels of the seniors,
driving and molding and arming them for the war. They noticed our games tolerantly.”
A. Lenient
B. Unforgiving
C. Passionate
D. Indifferent

Final Assessment Exam: Multiple-Choice Questions (continued)
7. Finny wears the Devon School tie as a belt because he—

A. wants to make a political statement
B. is hurrying and needs a belt
C. likes the way it looks
8. Gene jumps out of the tree first to prove that he—

A. is arrogant and proud
B. truly enjoys breaking the rules
C. wants to begin training for the war
D. is not afraid to jump
9. What does Gene realize about Finny’s action when they are on the limb before they jump
together?
A. He could have been badly injured from a fall.
C. He is worried that the teachers will catch them.
D. He enjoys his friendship with Finny.
10. The Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session appeals to the students because it—
A. will not be successful without enough members
B. will help the boys prepare for war
C. is assumed to be a secret tradition of the school
D. requires a dedication that the teachers respect
11. The statement, “Although he was rarely conscious of it, Phineas was always being
watched, like the weather,” helps the reader to conclude that Finny—
A. is not trusted by the other boys
B. is a natural leader for the other boys
12. What event has caused the atmosphere in America to change during Gene and Finny’s
time at the Devon School?
A. The shortage of goods such as gasoline
B. The impact of World War II
C. The gruesome death of Mussolini
D. The importance of the olive drab color
13. What can the reader conclude about Gene’s reaction to Finny’s breaking the swimming
record?
A. Gene does not understand Finny’s request for secrecy.
C. The friendship between Gene and Finny is strengthened.
D. Gene wants to become a better swimmer.

14. When Finny calls Gene his “best pal” while they are visiting the beach, Gene is
uncomfortable because—
A. Finny does not possess the qualities that Gene admires in a friend
B. he does not want Finny to stop including the other boys in their adventures
C. he does not think that Finny knows him well enough to say that
D. most students at Devon are not emotionally honest with each other
15. When Gene wakes up at the beach, words such as gray, drained light, dead, and
mordantly help create a mood of—
A. regret
B. surprise
C. melancholy
D. anticipation
16. Chet Douglass symbolizes the true value of—

A. learning
B. goal-setting
C. forgiveness
D. teamwork
17. After Gene tells Mr. Prud’homme how he and Finny slept on the beach, Gene—
A. regrets telling him the story
B. worries about receiving punishment for his actions
C. realizes that Mr. Prud’homme enjoys a good story
D. reflects on the lack of discipline during the summer
18. During the time before final examinations, a turning point occurs when—
A. the French examination is announced
B. Finny tells Gene that he did not think Gene needed to study
C. Leper decides to jump from the tree to join the Suicide Society
D. Finny declares that the Suicide Society is “only a game”
19. Which statement from the text best shows that Gene feels like he has won the competition
against Finny?
A. What he meant was clear enough, but I was groping for what lay behind his words, for
B. I said nothing, my mind exploring the new dimensions of isolation around me.
C. None of this mattered now; I would have listlessly agreed to anything.
D. With unthinking sureness I moved out on the limb and jumped into the river, every
trace of my fear of this forgotten.
20. Which of the following sentences describes Gene’s inner conflict after Finny’s accident?
A. Out of my hearing people must have talked of other things, but everyone talked about
Phineas to me.
B. The effect of his injury on the masters seemed deeper than after other disasters I
remembered there.
C. I had no idea why this gave me such intense relief, but it seemed, standing there in
Finny’s triumphant shirt, that I would never stumble through the confusions of my own
character again.
D. That night I slept easily, and it was only on waking up that this illusion was gone, and I
was confronted with myself, and what I had done to Finny.

21. During his conversation with Gene, Dr. Stanpole remarks, “Oh, you know Finny.” Why is
this statement ironic?
A. Finny is not an honest person.
B. Gene believes that he really does not know Finny.
C. Finny does not have clear, predictable character traits.
D. Gene knows Finny better than anyone.
22. When Dr. Stanpole puts his hand on Gene’s shoulder, Gene begins crying because—
A. Gene feels threatened by the possibility that Dr. Stanpole knows how Finny was hurt
B. Gene believes that he does not deserve any kindness
C. Gene is uncomfortable with any show of physical affection
D. Dr. Stanpole is someone that Gene admires
23. Why does Gene decide to visit Finny before he returns to Devon?
A. Gene has missed Finny over the September break.
B. Finny has invited his roommate to visit before going back to school.
C. Gene wants to tell Finny the truth about how Finny was hurt.
D. Gene’s train to Devon is delayed.

A. discontinue his friendship with Finny
B. try to undo the admission of guilt he made to Finny
C. ignore Finny in any conversations and activities
25. The hymn played on the opening day of the Winter Session, Dear Lord and Father of
Mankind Forgive Our Foolish Ways, is ironic because the boys—
A. are acting foolishly in their seats in the Devon chapel
B. will be registering for more religious classes during their senior year
C. had engaged in rule-breaking activities during the Summer Session
D. needed spiritual strength during the Duration of the war
26. For Gene, Finny’s fall from the tree symbolizes the—
A. lack of maturity in their group of friends
B. end to their friendship
C. importance of secret societies at boys’ schools
D. end of the carefree Summer Session
27. Gene’s description of the opening day of the Winter Session suggests that he is—
A. reflective about the events of the summer
B. excited about beginning his senior year
C. worried that he will be sent off to war
D. interested in trying out several sports
28. When Gene walks by the Devon River on his way to the Crew House, he remembers one
of Finny’s favorite tricks and compares Finny to a river god in order to—
A. describe the beauty of the river
B. show how crazy Finny could act
C. demonstrate Finny’s love for the water
D. illustrate Finny’s physical grace

29. During his phone conversation with Finny, a turning point occurs for Gene when—
A. Finny talks of the cost of the long-distance phone call
B. Finny makes fun of Gene wanting to be assistant crew manager
C. Gene realizes that Finny still wants to be close friends
30. Gene’s “baptism” in the Naguamsett River symbolizes—

B. the newest challenge for the boys at Devon
D. Gene’s life being thrown into adulthood
31. The author includes Brinker’s poem, his “Shortest War Poem Ever Written,” to show the
reader that—
A. Brinker enjoys expressing his feelings through poetry
B. the effects of World War II are not felt at Devon
C. the boys do not think the war will last for a long time
D. World War II is inspiring the boys to do great things
32. Gene describes Leper as “the person who was most often and most emphatically taken by
surprise” to establish that Leper—
33. Gene chooses not to join the other boys in making fun of Leper because Gene—
A. is reminded of Finny when he sees Leper
B. has gotten to know Leper better
D. does not understand why the other boys do it
34. The boys experience “a moment of cheer” at 4:30 on the day they work in the railroad yard
because they—
A. decide to give up for the day
B. realize the war does not involve them directly
C. accomplish the task of clearing the tracks
D. are excited to have missed a whole day of classes
35. When Gene first sees Finny with his crutches in their room, Gene is able to accept the
sight of Finny’s disability because Gene—
A. is concerned about Brinker’s reaction to Finny’s return
B. associates the crutches with athletic injuries
C. shifts his focus to the snow outside the windows
36. For Gene, the “peaceful summertime stillness” symbolizes his—

A. attitude toward academics
B. distance from the war
C. membership in the Suicide Society
D. friendship with Finny

37. The author uses the descriptions of the Devon School’s buildings to explain the theme
of—
A. “appearances can be deceiving”
B. “love conquers all”
38. When Finny reaches the gym on his first day back, he has to rest because he—
A. regrets skipping class to go to the gym
B. is not truly recovered enough to return to school
D. wants to gather courage before seeing his old trophies
39. How can Gene begin to believe that Finny’s fantasy about the war presents a persuasive
argument?
A. He wants to contradict Brinker’s beliefs.
B. The war is a government conspiracy.
C. Devon is too far from the war’s reality.
D. He is tired of war-time projects.
40. Why does Gene find Leper’s decision to enlist so ironic?

A. Phineas believes Leper will be a war hero.
B. Leper’s decision makes the war a reality for Gene.
C. Leper is the least likely student to fight in the war.
D. Gene always believed that Leper would be the first to enlist.
41. Which statement from the text best shows how the film inspires Leper to enlist?
A. No real war could draw Leper voluntarily away from his snails and beaver dams.
B. On that morning, satisfying one of his urges to participate in nature, Leper Lepellier
was the first thing the rising sun struck in the United States.
C. To Leper it revealed what all of us were seeking: a recognizable and friendly face to
the war.
D. Threats to enlist that winter were always declaimed like Brinker’s, with a grinding of
back teeth and a flashing of eyes; I had already heard plenty of them.
42. Brinker’s behavior toward Leper’s military service suggests that Brinker—
A. is proud of Leper’s accomplishments
B. does not expect Leper to succeed
C. believes that Leper is playing a major role in the war
D. is not able to maintain a friendship with Leper
43. When Gene says, “There was going to be no government, even by whim, even by
Brinker’s whim, on this Saturday at Devon,” he means that—
A. the games would not be limited by set rules
D. Saturdays at Devon are usually very well-governed

44. The tone of Leper’s telegram suggests that he—

A. misses his closeness with nature
B. feels unsafe and desperate
C. is enjoying the United States ski troops
45. When Gene calls the homes in Vermont “fragile havens,” he is—
A. showing the delicate design of their exteriors
B. describing their heavenly décor
C. identifying the unreliable safety they provide
46. Which statement from the text best shows that Leper’s mental state has changed since he
left Devon?
A. Leper had come to the entrance of the room on the right, the dining room.
B. He shrugged, a look of disgust with my question crossing his face.
C. None of this could have been said by the Leper of the beaver dam.
D. Leper went over in his chair and collapsed against the floor.
47. The sentence “For if Leper was psycho it was the army which had done it to him, and I
and all of us were on the brink of the army,” establishes that—
A. the army provided very little training Gene
C. Leper is very different from the rest of Gene’s friends
D. does not respect military service
48. Gene purposely knocks Leper out of his chair because he wants Leper to—
A. stop revealing the truth about Finny’s accident
D. go back to the military and continue serving
49. Gene is ashamed of how he treats Leper so he—

A. stays at Leper’s house for lunch
B. apologizes to Leper
C. enjoys being in Vermont and wants to stay
D. encourages Leper to return to Devon
50. When Gene wonders if the “uniform of the season” for next spring will have the same
“smell of vitality” as the clothes the boys are currently wearing, the reader can conclude
that—
A. the boys will refuse to enlist and wear a new uniform
B. Gene feels uncertain and pessimistic about the future
C. Finny’s increasing mobility and sense of play encourages Gene
D. Gene does not enjoy participating in physical activity
51. Brinker says that Leper and Finny are similar because—
A. they both love being outdoors
B. their academic abilities will help them succeed
D. they are both unable to participate in the war

52. Finny finally admits to Gene that the war is real because Finny—
A. finally enlists in the military to fight
B. listens to Gene’s discussion about Caesar
D. sees Leper’s condition for himself
53. In the sentence, “To myself, however, I made a number of swift, automatic calculations:
that Leper was no threat, no one would ever believe Leper; Leper was deranged, he was
not of sound mind and if people couldn’t make out their own wills when not in sound mind
certainly they couldn’t testify in something like this,” the word deranged means—
A. friendly
B. disturbed
C. dissatisfied
D. mournful
54. During his “testimony,” Leper compares the way Finny and Gene appeared on the limb
to—
A. a pair of birds
B. a couple of strong athletes
C. two brave soldiers
D. a two-piston engine
55. Which of the following sentences creates a mood of efficient action?

A. The foyer and the staircase of the First Building were soon as crowded as at midday.
B. But surrounding it was the stillness of near-midnight in a country town, so that the
hurrying feet and the repressed voices had a hollow reverberance.
C. I would have liked very much to have done that myself; it would have meant a lot to
me.
D. Everyone behaved with complete presence of mind, and that included Phineas.
56. When Finny falls from his bed, Gene does not offer assistance because—
A. Gene does not have the medical skills to help
B. Finny is able to help himself back up to the bed
C. Gene does not want to increase Finny’s anger
57. When Gene walks around Devon on the night of Finny’s second accident and says, “But I
could not hear, and that was because I did not exist,” Gene is feeling—
A. like he is nothing without Finny
C. responsible for the accident
58. In the sentence, “The tone of his words fell dead center, without a trace of friendliness or
unfriendliness, not interested and not bored, not energetic and not languid,” the word
languid means—
A. fresh
B. lazy
C. angry
D. excited

59. Which statement from the text best shows Finny’s internal conflict?
A. “You’d make a mess, a terrible mess, Finny, out of the war.”
B. “I’ve gotten awfully made sometimes and almost forgotten what I was doing.”
C. “It wasn’t anything you really felt against me, it wasn’t some kind of hat you’ve felt all
along.”
D. He was nodding his head, his jaw tightening and his eyes closed on the tears.
60. The Center Common is different from the Far Common because—
A. the Center Common is newer than the Far Common
B. the Center Common is not used as often as the Far Common
C. the Center Common is often used by the community while the Far Common is not
D. the Center Common represents the traditions of Devon while the Far Common does
not
61. How does Brinker feel about his father’s opinions about the war?
A. Brinker believes that his father’s generation is responsible for the war.
B. Brinker and his father agree that young men should search out the most exciting
enlistment option.
C. Brinker respects his father’s heroic actions during World War I.
D. Brinker is enthusiastic about making World War II memories comparable to the ones
his father has from World War I.
62. Which statement from the text best shows that Gene is maturing?
A. “I’ll probably have a lot of training, and I’ll never see a foxhole.”
B. It would have been comfortable, but I could not believe it.
C. With those of my year this point often came when they grasped the fact of the war.
63. In the sentence, “The P.T. instructor’s voice, like a frog’s croak amplified a hundred times,
blared out the Army’s numerals...,” the word amplified means—
A. increased
B. lessened
C. described
D. Instructed
64. When Gene leaves his locker empty and unlocked, this symbolizes his abandonment of—
A. Finny
B. honor
C. sports
D. adolescence

Answer Key
Final Assessment—Multiple-Choice Questions
1. The narrator of the novel is returning to the school • Draw inferences
in order to—
A. see if the school has changed • Reference: Chapter 1, p. 12
B. find an internal sense of balance
C. attend a class reunion
2. The speaker is thankful after he sees the tree • Draw inferences

because he realizes that—
A. the tree reminds him of his childhood • Reference: Chapter 1, p. 14
C. the memory of it will no longer haunt him
3. The speaker calls the seniors “draft-bait” because • Understand literary elements such as historical
after graduation they all expect to— context
B. fight in World War II • Reference: Chapter 1, p. 15
4. Finny does not like the speaker’s “West Point • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
stride” because it represents— symbolism
A. eagerness to join the army
B. rules and rule makers • Reference: Chapter 1, p. 19
C. a necessary evil
D. the speaker’s personality
5. Mr. Prud’homme is unable to enforce all of the • Describe and analyze the development of plot
school rules because he— and identify conflicts and how they are
A. wants to be friends with Finny addressed and solved
C. does not know all of the rules • Reference: Chapter 2, pp. 21–22
6. In the following sentences, what does the word • Rely on context to determine meanings of
indulgent mean? “Anyway, they were more words and phrases
indulgent toward us than at any other time; they
snapped at the heels of the seniors, driving and • Reference: Chapter 2, pp. 23–24
molding and arming them for the war. They noticed
our games tolerantly.”
A. lenient
B. unforgiving
C. passionate
D. indifferent
7. Finny wears the Devon School tie as a belt • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
because he—
A. wants to make a political statement • Reference: Chapter 2, pp. 27–28
B. is hurrying and needs a belt
C. likes the way it looks
8. Gene jumps out of the tree first to prove that he— • Draw inferences
A. is arrogant and proud
B. truly enjoys breaking the rules • Reference: Chapter 2, pp. 30–31
C. wants to begin training for the war
D. is not afraid to jump

Answer Key: Final Assessment—Multiple-Choice Questions (continued)

9. What does Gene realize about Finny’s action when • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
they are on the limb before they jump together?
A. He could have been badly injured from • Reference: Chapter 2, pp. 31–32
a fall.
C. He is worried that the teachers will catch
them.
D. He enjoys his friendship with Finny.
10. The Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session • Analyze text structures such as cause and
appeals to the students because it— effect
A. will not be successful without enough
members • Reference: Chapter 3, pp. 33–34
B. will help the boys prepare for war
C. is assumed to be a secret tradition of the
school
D. requires a dedication that the teachers
respect
11. The statement, “Although he was rarely conscious • Draw inferences
of it, Phineas was always being watched, like the
weather,” helps the reader to conclude that Finny— • Reference: Chapter 3, pp. 36–37
A. is not trusted by the other boys
B. is a natural leader for the other boys
12. What event has caused the atmosphere in America • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
to change during Gene and Finny’s time at the
Devon School? • Reference: Chapter 3, pp. 40–42
A. The shortage of goods such as gasoline
B. The impact of World War II
C. The gruesome death of Mussolini
D. The importance of the olive drab color
13. What can the reader conclude about Gene’s • Draw inferences
reaction to Finny’s breaking the swimming record?
A. Gene does not understand Finny’s request for • Reference: Chapter 3, pp. 44–45
secrecy.
C. The friendship between Gene and Finny is
strengthened.
D. Gene wants to become a better swimmer.
14. When Finny calls Gene his “best pal” while they are • Analyze text structures such as cause and
visiting the beach, Gene is uncomfortable effect
because—
A. Finny does not possess the qualities that • Reference: Chapter 3, p. 48
Gene admires in a friend
B. he does not want Finny to stop including the
other boys in their adventures
C. he does not think that Finny knows him well
enough to say that
D. most students at Devon are not emotionally
honest with each other


15. When Gene wakes up at the beach, words such as • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
gray, drained light, dead, and mordantly help create mood
a mood of—
A. regret • Reference: Chapter 4, p. 49
B. surprise
C. melancholy
D. anticipation
16. Chet Douglass symbolizes the true value of— • Understand and analyze literary terms such a
A. learning symbolism
B. goal-setting
C. forgiveness • Reference: Chapter 4, p. 54
D. teamwork
17. After Gene tells Mr. Prud’homme how he and Finny • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
slept on the beach, Gene—
A. regrets telling him the story • Reference: Chapter 4, p. 55
B. worries about receiving punishment for his
actions
C. realizes that Mr. Prud’homme enjoys a good
story
D. reflects on the lack of discipline during the
summer
18. During the time before final examinations, a turning • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
point occurs when— texts including the patterns of organization,
A. the French examination is announced syntax, and word choice
B. Finny tells Gene that he did not think Gene
needed to study • Reference: Chapter 4, pp. 56–59
C. Leper decides to jump from the tree to join the
Suicide Society
D. Finny declares that the Suicide Society is “only
a game”
19. Which statement from the text best shows that Gene • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
feels like he has won the competition against Finny? responses and interpretations
A. What he meant was clear enough, but I was
groping for what lay behind his words, for what • Reference: Chapter 4, pp. 58–60
his thoughts could possibly be.
B. I said nothing, my mind exploring the new
dimensions of isolation around me.
C. None of this mattered now; I would have
listlessly agreed to anything.
D. With unthinking sureness I moved out on the
limb and jumped into the river, every trace of
my fear of this forgotten.
20. Which of the following sentences describes Gene’s • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
inner conflict after Finny’s accident? responses and interpretations
A. Out of my hearing people must have talked of
other things, but everyone talked about • Reference: Chapter 5, pp. 61–62
Phineas to me.
B. The effect of his injury on the masters seemed
deeper than after other disasters I
remembered there.
C. I had no idea why this gave me such intense
relief, but it seemed, standing there in Finny’s
triumphant shirt, that I would never stumble
through the confusions of my own character
again.
D. That night I slept easily, and it was only on
waking up that this illusion was gone, and I
was confronted with myself, and what I had
done to Finny.


21. During his conversation with Gene, Dr. Stanpole • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
remarks, “Oh, you know Finny.” Why is this irony
statement ironic?
A. Finny is not an honest person. • Reference: Chapter 5, p. 63
B. Gene believes that he really does not know
Finny.
C. Finny does not have clear, predictable
character traits.
D. Gene knows Finny better than anyone.
22. When Dr. Stanpole puts his hand on Gene’s • Describe and analyze the development of plot
shoulder, Gene begins crying because— and identify conflicts and how they are resolved
A. Gene feels threatened by the possibility that
Dr. Stanpole knows how Finny was hurt • Reference: Chapter 5, p. 64
B. Gene believes that he does not deserve any
kindness
C. Gene is uncomfortable with any show of
physical affection
D. Dr. Stanpole is someone that Gene admires
23. Why does Gene decide to visit Finny before he • Analyze text structures such as cause and
returns to Devon? effect and how they influence understanding
A. Gene has missed Finny over the September
break. • Reference: Chapter 5, pp. 67–70
B. Finny has invited his roommate to visit before
going back to school.
C. Gene wants to tell Finny the truth about how
Finny was hurt.
D. Gene’s train to Devon is delayed.
24. When Finny returns to Devon, Gene will most • Draw inferences
likely—
A. discontinue his friendship with Finny • Reference: Chapter 5, pp. 70–71
B. try to undo the admission of guilt he made to
Finny
C. ignore Finny in any conversations and
activities
25. The hymn played on the opening day of the Winter • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
Session, Dear Lord and Father of Mankind Forgive irony
Our Foolish Ways, is ironic because the boys—
A. are acting foolishly in their seats in the Devon • Reference: Chapter 6, pp. 73–74
chapel
B. will be registering for more religious classes
during their senior year
C. had engaged in rule-breaking activities during
the Summer Session
D. needed spiritual strength during the Duration
of the war
26. For Gene, Finny’s fall from the tree symbolizes • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
the— symbolism
A. lack of maturity in their group of friends
B. end to their friendship • Reference: Chapter 6, p. 74
C. importance of secret societies at boys’
schools
D. end of the carefree Summer Session
27. Gene’s description of the opening day of the Winter • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
Session suggests that he is— tone
A. reflective about the events of the summer
B. excited about beginning his senior year • Reference: Chapter 6, pp. 72–74
C. worried that he will be sent off to war
D. interested in trying out several sports


28. When Gene walks by the Devon River on his way • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
to the Crew House, he remembers one of Finny’s simile
favorite tricks and compares Finny to a river god in
order to— • Reference: Chapter 6, pp. 75–76
A. describe the beauty of the river
B. show how crazy Finny could act
C. demonstrate Finny’s love for the water
D. illustrate Finny’s physical grace
29. During his phone conversation with Finny, a turning • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
point occurs for Gene when— texts including the patterns of organization,
A. Finny talks of the cost of the long-distance syntax, and word choice
phone call
B. Finny makes fun of Gene wanting to be • Reference: Chapter 6, pp. 82–85
assistant crew manager
C. Gene realizes that Finny still wants to be
close friends
30. Gene’s “baptism” in the Naguamsett River • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
B. the newest challenge for the boys at Devon • Reference: Chapter 7, p. 86
D. Gene’s life being thrown into adulthood
31. The author includes Brinker’s poem, his “Shortest • Analyze the characteristics of clearly written
War Poem Ever Written,” to show the reader that— texts including the patterns of organization,
A. Brinker enjoys expressing his feelings through syntax, and word choice
poetry
B. the effects of World War II are not felt at • Reference: Chapter 7, pp. 91–92
Devon
C. the boys do not think the war will last for a
long time
D. World War II is inspiring the boys to do great
things
32. Gene describes Leper as “the person who was • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
most often and most emphatically taken by characterization and theme
surprise” to establish that Leper—
A. does not adapt well to change • Reference: Chapter 7, p. 93
33. Gene chooses not to join the other boys in making • Analyze text structures such as cause and
fun of Leper because Gene— effect for how they influence understanding
A. is reminded of Finny when he sees Leper
B. has gotten to know Leper better • Reference: Chapter 7, p. 96
D. does not understand why the other boys do it
34. The boys experience “a moment of cheer” at 4:30 • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
on the day they work in the railroad yard because
they— • Reference: Chapter 7, p. 97
A. decide to give up for the day
B. realize the war does not involve them directly
C. accomplish the task of clearing the tracks
D. are excited to have missed a whole day of
classes


35. When Gene first sees Finny with his crutches in • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
their room, Gene is able to accept the sight of
Finny’s disability because Gene— • Reference: Chapter 8, p. 104
A. is concerned about Brinker’s reaction to
Finny’s return
B. associates the crutches with athletic
injuries
C. shifts his focus to the snow outside the
windows
36. For Gene, the “peaceful summertime stillness” • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
symbolizes his— symbolism
A. attitude toward academics
B. distance from the war • Reference: Chapter 8, p. 109
C. membership in the Suicide Society
D. friendship with Finny
37. The author uses the descriptions of the Devon • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
School’s buildings to explain the theme of— theme
A. “appearances can be deceiving”
B. “love conquers all” • Reference: Chapter 8, pp. 110–111
38. When Finny reaches the gym on his first day back, • Draw inferences
he has to rest because he—
A. regrets skipping class to go to the gym • Reference: Chapter 8, pp. 112–113
B. is not truly recovered enough to return to
school
D. wants to gather courage before seeing his old
trophies
39. How can Gene begin to believe that Finny’s fantasy • Analyze text structures such as cause and
about the war presents a persuasive argument? effect for how they influence understanding
A. He wants to contradict Brinker’s beliefs.
B. The war is a government conspiracy. • Reference: Chapter 8, p. 118
C. Devon is too far from the war’s reality.
D. He is tired of war-time projects.
40. Why does Gene find Leper’s decision to enlist so • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
ironic? irony
A. Phineas believes Leper will be a war hero.
B. Leper’s decision makes the war a reality for • Reference: Chapter 9, pp. 123–124
Gene.
C. Leper is the least likely student to fight in the
war.
D. Gene always believed that Leper would be
the first to enlist.


41. Which statement from the text best shows how the • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
film inspires Leper to enlist? responses and interpretations
A. No real war could draw Leper voluntarily
away from his snails and beaver dams. • Reference: Chapter 9, pp. 123–125
B. On that morning, satisfying one of his urges to
participate in nature, Leper Lepellier was the
first thing the rising sun struck in the United
States.
C. To Leper it revealed what all of us were
seeking: a recognizable and friendly face to
the war.
D. Threats to enlist that winter were always
declaimed like Brinker’s, with a grinding of
back teeth and a flashing of eyes; I had
already heard plenty of them.
42. Brinker’s behavior toward Leper’s military service • Analyze Characters
suggests that Brinker—
A. is proud of Leper’s accomplishments • Reference: Chapter 9, pp. 126–127
B. does not expect Leper to succeed
C. believes that Leper is playing a major role in
the war
D. is not able to maintain a friendship with Leper
43. When Gene says, “There was going to be no • Describe and analyze the development of plot
government, even by whim, even by Brinker’s and identify conflicts and how they are
whim, on this Saturday at Devon,” he means that— addressed and solved
A. the games would not be limited by set rules
B. the Devon Masters would be in attendance • Reference: Chapter 9, p. 134
D. Saturdays at Devon are usually very well-
governed
44. The tone of Leper’s telegram suggests that he— • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
A. misses his closeness with nature tone
B. feels unsafe and desperate
C. is enjoying the United States ski troops • Reference: Chapter 9, p. 137
45. When Gene calls the homes in Vermont “fragile • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
havens” he is— metaphor
A. showing the delicate design of their exteriors
B. describing their heavenly décor • Reference: Chapter 10, p. 139
C. identifying the unreliable safety they
provide
Leper’s mental state has changed since he left responses and interpretations
Devon?
A. Leper had come to the entrance of the room • Reference: Chapter 10, p. 143
on the right, the dining room.
B. He shrugged, a look of disgust with my
question crossing his face.
C. None of this could have been said by the
Leper of the beaver dam.
D. Leper went over in his chair and collapsed
against the floor.


47. The sentence “For if Leper was psycho it was the • Draw inferences
army which had done it to him, and I and all of us
were on the brink of the army,” establishes that— • Reference: Chapter 10, p. 144
A. the army provided very little training Gene
C. Leper is very different from the rest of Gene’s
friends
D. does not respect military service
48. Gene purposely knocks Leper out of his chair • Analyze text structures such as cause and
because he wants Leper to— effect for how they influence understanding
A. stop revealing the truth about Finny’s
accident • Reference: Chapter 10, p. 145
D. go back to the military and continue serving
49. Gene is ashamed of how he treats Leper so he— • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
A. stays at Leper’s house for lunch
B. apologizes to Leper • Reference: Chapter 10, p. 146
C. enjoys being in Vermont and wants to stay
D. encourages Leper to return to Devon
50. When Gene wonders if the “uniform of the season” • Draw inferences
for next spring will have the same “smell of vitality”
as the clothes the boys are currently wearing, the • Reference: Chapter 11, p. 154
reader can conclude that—
A. the boys will refuse to enlist and wear a new
uniform
B. Gene feels uncertain and pessimistic about
the future
C. Finny’s increasing mobility and sense of play
encourages Gene
D. Gene does not enjoy participating in physical
activity
51. Brinker says that Leper and Finny are similar • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
because—
A. they both love being outdoors • Reference: Chapter 11, p. 157
B. their academic abilities will help them
succeed
D. they are both unable to participate in the
war
52. Finny finally admits to Gene that the war is real • Identify main ideas and their supporting details
because Finny—
A. finally enlists in the military to fight • Reference: Chapter 11, p. 163
B. listens to Gene’s discussion about Caesar
D. sees Leper’s condition for himself
53. In the sentence, “To myself, however, I made a • Rely on context to determine meanings of
number of swift, automatic calculations: that Leper words and phrases
was no threat, no one would ever believe Leper;
Leper was deranged, he was not of sound mind • Reference: Chapter 11, pp. 172–173
and if people couldn’t make out their own wills
when not in sound mind certainly they couldn’t
testify in something like this,” the word deranged
means—
A. friendly
B. disturbed
C. dissatisfied
D. mournful


54. During his “testimony,” Leper compares the way • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
Finny and Gene appeared on the limb to— simile
A. a pair of birds
B. a couple of strong athletes • Reference: Chapter 11, pp. 175–176
C. two brave soldiers
D. a two-piston engine
55. Which of the following sentences creates a mood • Analyze characteristics of clearly written texts
of efficient action? including word choice
A. The foyer and the staircase of the First
Building were soon as crowded as at midday. • Reference: Chapter 12, pp. 178–179
B. But surrounding it was the stillness of near-
midnight in a country town, so that the
hurrying feet and the repressed voices had a
hollow reverberance.
C. I would have liked very much to have done
that myself; it would have meant a lot to me.
D. Everyone behaved with complete presence of
mind, and that included Phineas.
56. When Finny falls from his bed, Gene does not offer • Analyze text structures such as cause and
assistance because— effect for how they influence understanding
A. Gene does not have the medical skills to help
B. Finny is able to help himself back up to the • Reference: Chapter 12, p. 185
bed
C. Gene does not want to increase Finny’s
anger
57. When Gene walks around Devon on the night of • Draw inferences
Finny’s second accident and says, “But I could not
hear, and that was because I did not exist,” Gene is • Reference: Chapter 12, p. 187
feeling—
A. like he is nothing without Finny
C. responsible for the accident
58. In the sentence, “The tone of his words fell dead • Rely on context to determine meanings of
center, without a trace of friendliness or words and phrases
unfriendliness, not interested and not bored, not
energetic and not languid,” the word languid • Reference: Chapter 12, p. 188
means—
A. fresh
B. lazy
C. angry
D. excited
59. Which statement from the text best shows Finny’s • Use elements of text to defend and clarify
A. “You’d make a mess, a terrible mess, Finny,
out of the war.” • Reference: Chapter 12, p. 191
B. “I’ve gotten awfully made sometimes and
almost forgotten what I was doing.”
C. “It wasn’t anything you really felt against me,
it wasn’t some kind of hat you’ve felt all
along.”
D. He was nodding his head, his jaw tightening
and his eyes closed on the tears.


60. The Center Common is different from the Far • Analyze text structures such as compare and
Common because— contrast and how they influence understanding
A. the Center Common is newer than the Far
Common • Reference: Chapter 13, pp. 195–196
B. the Center Common is not used as often as
the Far Common
C. the Center Common is often used by the
community while the Far Common is not
D. the Center Common represents the traditions
of Devon while the Far Common does not
61. How does Brinker feel about his father’s opinions • Describe and analyze the development of plot
about the war? and identify conflicts and how they are
A. Brinker believes that his father’s generation is addressed and resolved
responsible for the war.
B. Brinker and his father agree that young men • Reference: Chapter 13, p. 201
should search out the most exciting
enlistment option.
C. Brinker respects his father’s heroic actions
during World War I.
D. Brinker is enthusiastic about making World
War II memories comparable to the ones his
father has from World War I.
Gene is maturing? responses and interpretations
A. “I’ll probably have a lot of training, and I’ll
never see a foxhole.” • Reference: Chapter 13, pp. 199–203
B. It would have been comfortable, but I could
not believe it.
C. With those of my year this point often came
when they grasped the fact of the war.
63. In the sentence, “The P.T. instructor’s voice, like a • Rely on context to determine meanings of
frog’s croak amplified a hundred times, blared out words and phrases
the Army’s numerals….,” the word amplified
means— • Reference: pp. 203–204
A. increased
B. lessened
C. described
D. instructed
64. When Gene leaves his locker empty and unlocked, • Understand and analyze literary terms such as
this symbolizes his abandonment of— symbolism
A. Finny
B. honor • Reference: p. 203
C. sports
D. adolescence

__________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Final Assessment
Short-Answer Questions
1. Why are memories of Finny important to Gene? Explain your answer and support it with
2. How does the class of 1943 change in A Separate Peace? Support your answer with

Answer Key
Final Assessment–Short-Answer Questions
Short-Answer Questions
1. Why are memories of Finny important to Gene? Explain your answer and support it with evidence from the
selection.
Suggested Response
During their last year at Devon, Gene’s and Finny’s lives become inseparable. To Gene, memories of Finny
are synonymous with memories of himself. Finny’s life is a “flow of simple, unregulated friendliness” and is the
“essence of this careless peace.” Gene’s passive acceptance of rules and life is only altered by Finny’s
influence. Gene claims that it is “quite a compliment...to have such a person choose me for his best friend.”
The two boys are more than just best friends or roommates. After Finny’s second accident, Gene concludes,
“Phineas had thought of me as an extension of himself.” Gene leaves Devon completely changed, mostly due
to his relationship with Finny. Gene’s nature is self-described as “Phineas-filled,” and he readily admits that
“Phineas created an atmosphere in which I continued now to live.”
2. How does the class of 1943 change in A Separate Peace? Support your answer with evidence from the
selection.
Suggested Response
Devon’s class of 1943 undergoes a life-altering change. The novel describes their journey from a “summer in
complete selfishness” when they could be “careless and wild,” living “lives which were not bound up with
destruction” to a time when “happiness had disappeared” because “the simplicity and unity of their characters”
is broken as they “grasped the fact of the war.” This journey from peace to war makes an inescapable impact
on each boy, and they all react individually. Leper moves from making “little sketches of birds and trees” to
being mentally disturbed when he finds out “that the army was just too much for him.” Brinker changes from
the model student, the “Lawgiver,” into a questioning “rebel for the Duration.” Even though Gene claims that
Finny was exempt from this process, he states that “all others at some point found something in themselves
pitted violently against something in the world around them.”

__________________________________________ _______________________
Student Name Date
A Separate Peace
Final Assessment
Essay Questions
Directions: Choose one question and write a well-organized essay that responds to the
question. Use specific examples from the novel to support your position.
1. One of the themes in the novel A Separate Peace deals with the definition of “separate
peace” and how different characters try to acquire it. Discuss how you feel the novel
defines peace and how the novel suggests peace can be achieved on a personal level.
2. The novel A Separate Peace is a “coming-of-age novel.” Discuss the ways that the
descriptions of the Naguamsett and Devon Rivers symbolize a student’s journey from
childhood to adulthood.
3. On page 191, Gene states, “Phineas, you wouldn’t be any good in the war, even if
nothing had happened to your leg.” What “important and right” message is Gene telling
Finny?
4. Explain why the reference to the Maginot Line in the last paragraph is an effective way to
close the novel.

Answer Key
Final Assessment–Essay Questions
Essay Questions
1. One of the unifying ideas in the novel A Separate Peace deals with the definition of “separate peace” and how
Gene tries to acquire it. Discuss how you feel Gene defines peace and how he attempts to achieve it on a
personal level.
Student responses should take a position as to what they feel is Gene’s definition of peace according to the
novel and describe how he tries to acquire peace. Students should provide specific examples of how
statements and behavior illustrate or support that definition. Below are sample points students may cite:
For Gene, a separate, or personal, peace involves finding harmony within himself. On page 12 he states,
“Everything at Devon slowly changed and slowly harmonized with what had gone before. So it was logical to
hope that since the buildings and the Deans and the curriculum could achieve this, I could achieve, perhaps
unknowingly already had achieved, this growth and harmony myself.” Acquiring harmony for Gene involves
facing fears and “fear’s echo” and realizing that “the more things remain the same, the more they change after
all…Nothing endures, not a tree, not love, not even a death by violence.” Time and experience will help in
dealing with the fear that disturbs the harmony of personal peace. Gene also seeks harmony through
acknowledging his dark side that resulted from a “brief burst of animosity, lasting only a second, a part of a
second” (p. 188), the part of him that Leper calls “savage” (p. 145), and obtaining forgiveness. He comes to
Devon as an adult to make peace with his memories. Peace for Gene also involves friendship and trust. When
Gene, thinking that Finny would denounce him, finds out that Finny trusts him as a friend, he states that for
him, “peace had come back to Devon” (p. 109). Most of Gene’s inner conflict that disturbs his internal peace
comes from trying to protect Finny from the knowledge of Gene’s betrayal. He does not want to lose Finny’s
friendship and feels like a lost spirit when he believes that the friendship is irretrievably damaged after Finny’s
second fall. Gene accomplishes some of that peace when Finny forgives him at the end of the novel. Gene
also sees peace as being represented by those “gypsy summer” days, where innocent play was mandated by
Finny, the essence of careless peace,” who reminded the adult world “what peace was like, of lives which
were not bound up with destruction” (p. 24). Gene chooses to take the memories of that summer and make
his nature “Phineas-filled,” thus finding an element to balance his own, darker nature. For Gene, peace is
balance.

Answer Key: Final Assessment Exam—Essay Questions (continued)
Essay Questions
2. The novel A Separate Peace is a “coming-of-age” novel. Discuss the ways that the descriptions of the
Naguamsett and Devon Rivers symbolize a student’s journey from childhood to adulthood.
Student responses should take a position as to how they feel the descriptions of the two rivers support the
idea that the two rivers symbolize the journey from childhood to adulthood. Students should provide specific
examples from the text to support their arguments. Below are sample points students may cite:
Students may respond that the Devon River represents the carefree attitude of The Summer Session because
it is where the boys did their swimming; its water is fresh and clear, much like the consciences of children; it
has friendly, familiar forces such as hills, farms, and forests, which the boys knew, direct its course, and it
passes through the school. These “friendly, familiar forces” which the boys knew” could represent the trusted
family members and teachers, who guide children through school. It is the smaller river, just as children are
smaller. As the Devon progresses, however, it eventually throws “itself with little spectacle over a small
waterfall” and is completely absorbed by the “turbid” or confusing Naguamsett, just as adolescence
completely overtakes childhood. The salt in the Naguamsett River fouls the freshness of the Devon River, just
as responsibilities confuse the adolescent. The Naguamsett is “governed by unimaginable factors,” making it
frightening, just as the factors of the adult world may frighten some adolescents. The Naguamsett is not as
innocent as the Devon.
On page 76, there is a paragraph that contains the single sentence, “The Devon School was astride these two
rivers.” This suggests that the Devon School represents a bridge between two different entities. Literally, it is
the place where the fresh-water Devon empties into the saline Naguamsett. Figuratively, it is the place where
children turn into adults: adolescence. The syntax of the sentence helps to denote its importance. It is a one-
sentence paragraph that stands between two large paragraphs. This emphasizes the importance of the
sentence by making it stand out, suggesting that this sentence contains an important, thematic idea. Gene
has just presented comparisons between The Summer Sessions and The Winter Sessions. He describes the
care-free summer as compared with the rule-bound winter. At the end of the care-free summer, Finny fell from
the branch. Soon after, Gene is thrown against his will into the Naguamsett. Gene’s “baptism” in the
Naguamsett symbolizes the adolescent Gene being “thrown” into the adult world, which contains internal and
external conflicts that are not easily solved and that leave an enduring emotional residue that cannot be
washed away. Gene comments that swimming in the Devon was “like taking a refreshing shower itself.” This
is because the Devon was a place for childish play and childish conflicts that are soon forgotten. The
Naguamsett, however, is for the more mature. Gene states that he had never before swum in the
Naguamsett. This stands to reason because, until now, he had been a child with childish issues. Now,
however, Gene is facing unpleasant issues that he cannot avoid and that threaten to affect his life
significantly. Gene is internally conflicted because of his guilt over his role in Finny’s fall from the tree. His
inner peace is destroyed. Gene is also dealing with the ways that World War II is insinuating itself into his
world, destroying the innocent peace at Devon and forcing him to make decisions about where he is to fit
inside this changing world, mourning over what is lost. Gene finds it appropriate that he “had been thrown into
it, in the middle of a fight” because he does not enter the adult world with the adult responsibilities and pitfalls
easily. To be thrown into a conflicted adult world while in the middle of a physical conflict seems appropriate.
(p. 86). Devon sits “astride these two rivers,” where a fresh-water river empties into a saline river and is lost.
The memory of what happened at Devon will sit astride Gene’s memory, where childhood playfulness was
emptied into “turbid,” guilty recriminations, and was lost.

Answer Key: Final Assessment Exam—Essay Questions (continued)
Essay Questions
3. On page 191, Gene states, “Phineas, you wouldn’t be any good in the war, even if nothing had happened to
your leg.” What “important and right” message is Gene telling Finny?
Student responses should identify what they believe to be the “important and right” message and provide
examples from the text to support their arguments.
Gene is telling Finny that he is unsuited to go to war, not because of his physical injury, but because of his
character. In the paragraph on pages 190-191 that begins “A look of amazement fell over him,” Gene tells
Finny that he would make “a mess, a terrible mess…out of the war” because Gene understands that Finny is
“careless and wild,” “the essence of” a “careless peace” that “was not bound up with destruction” (p. 24).
Gene knows that Finny’s world is “ruled by inspiration and anarchy” (p. 34). Finny follows his own rules and
“not those imposed on him by other people” (p. 34). Finny is a free spirit who invents games such as “blitzball”
and snowball fights that have arbitrary rules of engagement and no clear winners or losers. Gene recognizes
that Finny would not fit into the regimented, disciplined world of the soldier, whose rules for engagement are
dictated, and where absolute, unquestioning and immediate obedience to superiors is necessary for survival
on the battlefield. Finny does not have the enmity, the dark urge that Gene, Brinker, and his other classmates
(with the exception of Leper) possess, the dark urge that is required in order to fight to the death against an
enemy in a battle where the winner lives and the loser dies. For Finny, there is no enemy, real or imagined.
Gene alludes to this when he describes the scenario of Finny “during a lull in the fighting,” organizing games
“with the Germans or the Japs,” “teaching them English,” or exchanging uniforms, just as he used to
exchange his clothes with Gene’s. Finny’s childish, innocent sense of play and fantasy would not fit in the
adult world that is filled with conflict and fighting a world war. As Gene reflects on page 58, “[Finny] didn’t
know yet that he was unique.” Finny would “make a mess, a terrible mess” out of the war, because Finny does
not have the enmity inside of him that would allow him to truly understand the concept of war. Finny’s inability
to identify and deal with the enmity of others makes him vulnerable in an adult world where conflicts abide.
4. Explain why the reference to the Maginot Line in the last paragraph is an effective way to close the novel.
Student responses should take a position as to how the reference to the Maginot Line makes an effective
closing to the novel. They should explain the metaphorical significance and provide specific examples from
the text to support their arguments. Below are sample points students may cite:
In the last paragraph on page 204, the Maginot Line is a metaphor for the elaborate, but ineffective “frame of
mind” and behaviors that the students and adults at Devon have developed and are depending upon in order
to feel safe in an uncertain and frightening world. The Maginot Line is a line of well-fortified forts that France
built along her eastern boarder during the 1930s in response to fears about a possible invasion from
Germany. At the beginning of World War II, the French felt confident that this line of forts, which were
constructed at great expense and contained state-of-the-art weaponry, would stop an invading army long
enough for France to mobilize her forces and then use the line of forts to repel an attack. The Maginot Line,
named for Andre Maginot, the Minister of War who convinced the French government to provide funding for
the construction of the line of inter-connected forts, proved to be ineffective. The German army bypassed the
line, mounting an invasion through Belgium and the Netherlands, eventually cutting off the line from the rest of
the country, rendering it useless as a French defense against the German invasion. Gene recognizes the
mental and emotional defenses that individuals build to protect themselves from personal fears, real or
imagined. He comments on them, calling these defenses ineffectual by comparing them to the French
Maginot Line. In the paragraph immediately preceding, Gene states, “Other people experienced this fearful
shock somewhere, this sighting of the enemy, and so began an obsessive labor of defense, began to parry
the menace they saw facing them by developing a particular frame of mind.” He cites the ineffective defenses:
• Some students behave as if to say, “I am a humble ant, I am nothing, I am not worth of the menace.”
• Mr. Ludsbury behaves as if to say, “How dare this threaten me, I am much too good for this sort of
handling, I shall rise above this.”
• Quackenbush strikes “out at it always and everywhere.”
• Brinker develops “a careless, general resentment against it.”
• Leper emerges “from a protective cloud of vagueness only to meet it, the horror, face to face, just as he
had always feared, and so give up the struggle absolutely.”
None of these approaches diminish or eradicate the fear, real or imagined. Phineas is the only character that
Gene states “never was afraid, only Phineas never hated anyone.” Phineas never saw “an enemy,” and,
consequently, never felt the need to build ineffectual defenses. This novel is set during World War II, a time
that the Maginot line was activated, to no avail. The characters in the novel have been building defenses
against their own, perceived enemies, real and imagined. In trying to defend themselves from what they fear,
many characters have discovered that their defenses, no matter how well constructed, are ineffective, and, in
some cases, unnecessary, just like the Maginot Line.


Appendices

Appendix I
General Rubric for Scoring the Essay Questions
The Essay as a Below 70 Points 70-80 Points 80-90 Points 90-100 Points
whole is… Not effective Somewhat effective Generally effective Highly effective
Focus of Essay
Individual Not occurring Occurring somewhat Occurring much of the time Occurring most, if not all,
paragraphs are the time
focused
Composition as a Not occurring Occurring somewhat Occurring much of the time Occurring most, if not all,
whole is focused (ideas unconnected) (ideas somewhat connected) (ideas, for the most part, are the time (strong
connected) connection between
ideas)
Introduction and Not occurring Occurring somewhat Occurring for the most part Occurring (adds
conclusion add depth (formulaic) (superficial) (adds some depth) significant depth)
to composition (not Not present
formulaic)
Organization of Ideas
Sentences build on Not occurring Occurring somewhat Occurring much of the time Occurring most, if not all,
each other (no logical progression) (progression of thought not (progression of thought the time (ideas flow
always smooth or logical) smooth for the most part) smoothly)
Paragraphs build on Not occurring Occurring somewhat Occurring much of the time Occurring most, if not all,
each other (random ideas) (transitions not always (generally, transitions are the time (transitions
smooth or logical) meaningful, logical) smooth and logical)
Writing organized so Not occurring Occurring somewhat Occurring much of the time Occurring most, if not all,
that ideas are clear (wordiness and repetition (some wordiness and (minor wordiness and the time (ideas are
of ideas stalls progression repetition but not enough to repetition; progression of presented clearly and
of ideas) completely stall progression thought is not stalled) effectively)
of ideas)
Development of Ideas
Thorough and Not occurring Occurring somewhat Occurring much of the time Occurring most, if not all,
specific (deeper, not (many unexplained ideas, (briefly explains ideas, some (some ideas more explained the time (thoughtful,
wider; ideas are large gaps of missing missing information) than others) explained in detail)
supported by textual information between
references ) ideas)
Insightful (not “run of Not occurring Occurring somewhat Occurring much of the time Occurring most, if not all,
the mill;” discussion (summaries, surface-level) (general, superficial) (some depth of thought but the time (thoughtful,
of textual references No text references and/or Text references present, but no compositional risk) insightful, compositional
goes beyond No explanation of text paired with superficial Text references paired with risk taken)
summarization) references explanations satisfactory explanations Text references and
explanations smoothly
interwoven
Writer’s Voice
Sustained throughout Not occurring Occurring somewhat Occurring much of the time Occurring most, if not all,
the composition (not sustained throughout) the time
Individual and Not occurring Occurring somewhat Occurring much of the time Occurring most, if not all,
authentic (formulaic) (original at times) (generally expresses self) the time (unique)
Grammar, Spelling, Sentence Structure
Consistent command Not occurring Occurring somewhat Occurring much of the time Occurring most, if not all,
of grammar and (many errors) (demonstrates a limited (demonstrates a general the time (few errors)
spelling with minor control) control)
errors
Complex phrasing Not occurring Occurring awkwardly Occurring appropriately Occurring effectively
(Adapted from the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills Writing Rubrics, www.tea.state.tx.us)

Appendix II
General Rubric for Scoring the Short-Answer Questions
The Short - Below 70 Points 70–80 Points 80–90 Points 90–100 Points
Answer as a Not effective Somewhat effective Generally effective Highly effective
whole is…
The Student’s Conclusion Answers the Question Asked
Answer offers a Not occurring Occurring somewhat Occurring much of the time Occurring
reasonable analysis (Answers are summaries (Answer is superficial and (Answer offers an adequate (Answers offer a crisp
of text only or answer is shows only a surface level analysis of the question) and succinct analysis)
incorrect or analysis is not analysis)
offered at all)
Answers the Not occurring Occurring somewhat Occurring much of the time Occurring
complete question, (Analysis answers only (Analysis answers the (Analysis answers the (Analysis answers the
not just part of it part of the question or fails question, but is rambling and question adequately, question, showing
to address the question at global) showing some specific significant and relevant
all) detail) detail)
Answer is insightful, Not occurring Occurring somewhat Occurring for the most part Occurring
showing a deeper (Analysis is formulaic and (Analysis is present, but (Analysis is present and (Analysis answers the
reading of the text insight not present) superficial) shows some insight) question, showing
significant insight.)
Provides Supporting References from the Text

(Direct Quotations, Indirect Quotations, Synopses)
Text support is Not occurring Occurring somewhat Occurring much of the time Occurring
relevant to the (Text support has no (Text support is present, but (Text support is adequately (Text support is closely
answer (There is a logical connection to is only loosely connected to connected with analysis) connected to the
close relationship answer or text support for the analysis) analysis, many times
between the text answer is not offered at interwoven with the
offered as support all) analysis)
and the conclusion)
Text support Not occurring Occurring somewhat Occurring much of the time Occurring
demonstrates a (Text support has little or (Text support demonstrates (Text support demonstrates (Text support
deeper no connection to the a superficial understanding an adequate understanding demonstrates a deeper,
understanding of the analysis; therefore, it does of the text) of the text and an adequate more insightful
text and helps to not explain the analysis) support for the analysis) understanding of the text
explain the analysis and becomes persuasive
when explaining the
analysis)
All student Not occurring Occurring somewhat Occurring much of the time Occurring
statements of (Some statements of (Statements of analysis have (Adequate and specific text (Insightful and specific
analysis are analysis do not have supporting text references, support is present to support text support is present to
connected to text supporting text ) but the references are all statements of analysis) support all statements of
support general and rambling) analysis. Text support is
often interwoven with the
analysis and helps to
make the analysis
persuasive)
Grammar, Spelling, Sentence Structure
Consistent command Not occurring Occurring somewhat Occurring much of the time Occurring
of grammar and (many errors) (demonstrates a limited (demonstrates a general (few errors)
spelling with minor control) control)
errors
Complex phrasing Not occurring Occurring awkwardly Occurring appropriately Occurring effectively
(Adapted from the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills Writing Rubrics, www.tea.state.tx.us)

Appendix III
Using the Vocabulary Note Cards
(Suggested Activities)
Create interactive Word Walls of the Week

Make sure these word walls are changed every week. Have students post vocabulary words
on a wall or poster that:
• can be used as nouns, verbs or other parts of speech
• are used as verbals (Gerunds, Participles, Infinitives)
• have the same etymology, such as Latin roots, Greek roots, Middle English roots, Old
English roots, or roots from another language
• reflect certain prefixes or suffixes
• are part of independent or subordinate clauses
• are examples of colloquialisms, regional dialect, or slang
• are examples of technical vocabulary
• evoke tone or mood or have specific, emotional connotations
• belong to a specific motif
• can be used to describe different aspects of specific characters
Students may also match the posted words with synonyms and/or homonyms found in the
novel or in other readings.
Play word games as a class or in small groups

Have competitions to see which individuals or which groups can be the first do the following:
• Find words that have Greek or Latin roots
• Find words that can be used as different parts of speech, then use them correctly in a
sentence that demonstrates that part of speech
• Construct complex, compound sentences using only vocabulary words from their stack
• Find words that change definitions when they change parts of speech and use those words
correctly in a sentence
• Recite a meaning of the word and use it correctly in a sentence when the word is pulled
randomly from a box or sack (This could be organized in a way that is similar to the way a
spelling bee is conducted.)
• See who can write a paragraph that uses the most vocabulary words in a meaningful way
• Act out the words or definitions of the words, having others guessing the word by watching
the pantomime
Have groups compete to see which group can identify a word when only the definition and part
of speech is given.
Have students use words in compound sentences that provide the meaning of the word in the
second part of the sentence. All words must be spelled correctly. The sentences must make
sense, and all grammar and punctuation must be correct. (Example: assuaged: The heating
pad assuaged the pain in his leg; the moist heat relieved the cramp.) Extra credit can be given
to students who write compound sentences that are also complex sentences.

Appendix IV
Suggested Research Topics
• The Maginot Line
• John Knowles’s life, especially his education at Philips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire.
• World War II—Home-front Activities during 1942-1943
• Rationing during 1942-1944
• World War II—The Battles during 1942-1943
• The Music during the War Years 1942-1943 (Songs Referenced in the Novel)
◊ “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree with Anyone Else but Me”
◊ “They’re Either Too Young or Too Old”
◊ “The Nutcracker Suite”
◊ “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind Forgive Our Foolish Ways”
◊ “The Warsaw Concerto”
◊ “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”
◊ “Roll Out the Barrel”
• The Draft during 1942-1944
• The U.S. Army, 1942-1944

◊ Organization
◊ Duties
◊ Boot camp and other training
◊ Special Forces
• The Olympics—1930’s through the 1940’s
• World War I—Chateau-Thierry
Additional Activities
• Write or discuss the author’s treatment of the following:
◊ War
◊ Aggression
◊ Loyalty
◊ Rivalry
◊ Hate
◊ Goodness
◊ Fear
◊ Idealism
◊ Self-awareness
◊ Honesty
◊ Competition

Appendix IV (continued)
• Discuss how the author uses setting to aid in developing theme

◊ Devon in the summer/Devon in the winter
◊ The tree from which Finny falls
◊ The stairs where Finny takes his second fall
◊ The Center Commons and the Far Commons
◊ The description of the room where the trial occurs
◊ The river where the boys play as opposed to the river where Gene is dumped
◊ The room where Gene first tries to confess to Finny
◊ The room where Leper confesses about his “escape”
◊ The place where a grown Gene finds his “separate peace”
• Read Lord of the Flies and write about or discuss about the following:
◊ Compare the conflicts, motivations, and characteristics of the following characters:
Gene from A Separate Peace and Ralph from Lord of the Flies
Finny from A Separate Peace and Simon from Lord of the Flies
Leper from A Separate Peace and Piggy from Lord of the Flies
◊ How “the Beast” manifests itself in Gene and how he deals with it
◊ Discuss the treatment of rules in both novels
◊ Discuss the meaning and consequences of freedom in both novels


References

References
Clausen, A., & Gilleland, M. (1994). A separate peace study guide. Fall Creek, WI:
Progeny Press.
Costello, R. B. (Ed.). (1997). The American heritage college dictionary (3rd ed.). Boston,
MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Fawcett, S., & Sandberg, A. (1988). Evergreen: A guide to writing (3rd ed.). Boston, MA:
Houghton Mifflin Company.
Grammar and composition handbook high school 2. (2000). Westerville, OH:

Glencoe/McGraw-Hill.
Jago, C. (2000). With rigor for all: Teaching the classics to contemporary students.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Jago, C. (2004). Classics in the classroom: Designing accessible literature lessons.

Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Knowles, J. (1987). A separate peace. New York: Scribner.
McKean, E., et al. (Eds.). (2004). The Oxford American writer’s thesaurus. New York:
Oxford University Press.
Murfin, R., & Ray, S. M. (2003). The Bedford glossary of critical and literary terms
(2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
Texas Education Agency. (2004). TAKS™ Texas assessment of knowledge and skills
information booklet: Exit level English language arts, revised. Austin, TX: Author.
Wolf, D. P. (1995). Reading reconsidered. New York: College Entrance Exam Board.

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Chapter 1 (pp. 9–20) ....................................................................................................................... 9

Chapter 2 (pp. 21–32) ................................................................................................................... 31

Chapter 3 (pp. 33–48) ................................................................................................................... 53

Chapter 4 (pp. 49–60) ................................................................................................................... 77

Chapter 5 (pp. 61–71) ................................................................................................................... 99

vi © 2010 Region 4 Education Service Center. All rights reserved.

Chapter 7 (pp. 86–102) ............................................................................................................... 145

Chapter 8 (pp. 103–122) ............................................................................................................. 167

Chapter 9 (pp. 123–137) ............................................................................................................. 189

Chapter 10 (pp. 138–151) ........................................................................................................... 211

Chapter 11 (pp. 152–177) ........................................................................................................... 231

© 2010 Region 4 Education Service Center. All rights reserved. vii

Chapter 13 (pp. 195–204) ........................................................................................................... 275

Final Assessment ....................................................................................................................... 297

Appendices ................................................................................................................................. 325

References .................................................................................................................................. 333

viii © 2010 Region 4 Education Service Center. All rights reserved.

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Why Use a Balanced Approach to Academic Rigor

In order to be successful in today’s high school literature classrooms, students must

© 2010 Region 4 Education Service Center. All rights reserved. 3

4 © 2010 Region 4 Education Service Center. All rights reserved.

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Phineas (Finny) Gene’s roommate—represents innocence, careless peace

Elwin (Leper) Lepellier The naturalist—represents the escape from reality by

Brinker Hadley The political class leader—represents “justice incarnate”

Chet Douglas Model students—represents obliging, considerate followers

Brownie Perkins Brinker’s roommate—represents submission to authority

Cliff Quackenbush Rowing Crew Manager—represents pugnacious, goaded

Mr. Prud’homme Substitute Master of the Summer Session—sternest of the

Mr. Patch–Withers Substitute Headmaster of the Summer Session

Mr. Ludsbury Faculty member

Dr. Stanpole School doctor who treats Finny

Phil Latham Wrestling coach

Mr. Hadley Brinker Hadley’s father—represents the older generation

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12 © 2010 Region 4 Education Service Center. All rights reserved.

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Vocabulary Word Skills Suggestions for Developing Skills

14 © 2010 Region 4 Education Service Center. All rights reserved.

Vocabulary Word Skills Suggestions for Developing Skills

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Vocabulary Word Skills Suggestions for Developing Skills

16 © 2010 Region 4 Education Service Center. All rights reserved.

Vocabulary Word Skills Suggestions for Developing Skills

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Vocabulary Word Skills Suggestions for Developing Skills

18 © 2010 Region 4 Education Service Center. All rights reserved.

Vocabulary Word Skills Suggestions for Developing Skills

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Discussion Topics Targeted Concepts, Processes, Skills

Fifteen years (p. 9)

The speaker is remembering how he felt when he

“argument might begin again any time”

find a peaceful reconciliation within himself.

his memory of the tree had been distorted and that

The marble stairs in the foyer of the First Academy

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Discussion Topics Targeted Concepts, Processes, Skills

Up until this point in the narrative, the speaker has