1. The name of Gene's old school is:
Devon
Dover
Dartmouth
Exeter


2. The author, John Knowles, says he based Gene's school on his old school,
Andover
Yale
Trinity
Exeter


3. In Chapter 4, Gene says that his main academic rival is:
Leper Lepellier
Finny
Chet Douglass
Brinker Hadley


4. At Finny's winter carnival, there is a riot over:
the event prizes
a burned copy of The Illiad
a few jugs of hard cider
Finny's cigarettes


5. Brinker Hadley's timid roommate is:
Leper Lepellier
Brownie Perkins
Chet Douglass
Bobby Zane


6. Which of these boys is NOT a member of the "Super Suicide Society"?
Leper Lepellier
Chet Douglass
Bobby Zane
Brinker Hadley


7. Who is the first Devon boy from Gene's class to enlist?
Leper Lepellier
Chet Douglass
Bobby Zane
Brinker Hadley


8. What is Finny's goal for Gene after Finny breaks his leg?
For Gene to become a great all-around Olympic athlete
For Gene to be captain of the football team
For Gene to become a great Olympic marathon runner
For Gene to break some long-standing track records


9. What is Chet Douglass' main non-academic talent?
Running
Playing trumpet
Drinking a lot
Writing songs


10. Who does NOT come to Finny's aid after he breaks his leg on the stairs?
Mr. Ludsbury
Brinker Hadley
Phil Latham
Dr. Stanpole
11. What, for Gene, is the first symbol of the war coming to Devon?
the military recruiters who come to campus
the day at the railyard
Leper's enlistment
The first snowfall


12. At the beginning of the novel, Gene returns to Devon after how many years?
Ten years
Twenty years
Fifteen years
Five years


13. What are the names of the two rivers near campus?
the Devon and the Naguamsett
the Dover and the Naguamsett
the Charles and the Nantahala
the Devon and the Aguah


14. At the beginning of the book, Finny wears what as a show of patriotism?
a pink shirt
a red, white, and blue outfit
the school tie as a belt
khaki army clothes


15. What is the entry requirement for the "Super Suicide Society"?
a show of heroism
showing up at daily meetings
a dive off the tree
a dive into the Naguamsett


16. What branch of the service does Gene finally enlist in?
Marines
Army
Navy
Air Force


17. What part of the campus is finally given to the war effort?
Center Common
Far Common
the First Academy building
the stadium and gym


18. What does Gene consider as the closing act of his school days?
cleaning out his locker
getting his diploma
Finny's death
leaving school for the last time


19. What class were Gene and Finny a part of?
the class of 1941
the class of 1942
the class of 1943
the class of 1944


20. Finny breaks a school record in what sport?
running
swimming
diving
rowing
21. When does Finny tell Gene that Gene is his best friend?
when Gene visits him at home
when they are at the beach
when they do their first jump from the tree
after Finny breaks his leg a second time


22. Who first accuses Gene of causing Finny's accident?
Leper Lepellier
Finny
Chet Douglass
Brinker Hadley


23. What finally convinces Leper to enlist?
a visit from a persuasive recruitment officer
a video of ski troops
his wish to escape from being drafted
his sense of duty toward his country


24. What causes Finny's leg to break the second time?
a fall during a snowball fight
another attempted jump from the tree
Finny trying to play sports again
Finny slipping on some stairs


25. Why does Leper "escape" from the army?
he dislikes the food
the drill sergeant harasses him
he is about to get dischargedGene: The narrator of the book, a student at Devon during World War II. His best friend at school was Phineas, a superior athlete, while Gene was better known for his academic skills. Phineas and Gene spend a lovely summer together at Devon, which is ended when Phineas fell from a tree, an accident which Gene, either consciously or unconsciously, caused. Gene has a definite dark side lurking beneath the surface, though he appears to be a good, honest person in his everyday life. The book is spawned by a later visit to Devon, and of his strong memories and lingering feelings about what happened in 1942 at Devon.

Phineas: Gene's best friend and roommate, a remarkable athlete with a disregard for the rules and an innate ability to win people over. He gets Gene in quite a bit of trouble via his impulsive nature and instinctive disobedience, but he is very good at heart, and thinks the world of his best friend. After his accident, he is unable to play sports, which crushes him; but, he decides that Gene shall take over his old place, and become the wonderful athlete that he was before he shattered his leg.

Brinker Hadley: One of Gene's friends, and his main rival for the top academic spot in the class. Brinker is rather strange‹he makes long-running jokes with rather sinister undertones, seems very independent and determined, and seems like he's his own person. He is the one who starts enlistment fever on campus, and then stops it dead by chickening out since Gene won't go with him. He's a bit of a paradoxical character, and a kind of foil to the rebellious, free-spirited Finny.

Leper Lepellier: One of Gene and Finny's friends; he is a soft-spoken, nature-loving boy, with an old soul and ways that are quite idiosyncratic compared with the other boys. He is an avid skier and naturalist, but, rather uncharacteristically, he decides to enlist, and is the first boy from Devon to do so. He becomes, for a short while, the symbol of American victories abroad; but this is dashed when he deserts the service in a panic.

Chet Douglass: Another of Gene and Finny's friends, and part of the Super Suicide Society. He is not quite as brave with Finny's little stunts, and is a good trumpet player too. He's also one of the top students at the school, though Gene outpaces him because Chet's genuine curiosity for everything keeps him a little behind in class.

Bobby Zane: Another member of the Super Suicide Society, also not terribly adventurous. He likes to follow Finny around and go along with his inventions, but is a very minor character in the book.

Mr. Prud'homme: Gene and Finny's substitute house master for the summer. He is usually rather stern, although Finny is able to get the better of him and get out of trouble for skipping various events.

Mr. And Mrs. Patch-Withers: Other substitute masters for the summer, whom Gene describes as being especially stern and conventional. Nevertheless, Finny is able to weasel his way out of wearing the school tie as a belt during one of their teas, and also gets little moments of friendliness out of this otherwise rule-bent couple.

Dr. Stanpole: The head of the school's infirmary. He is a friendly man who takes care of Finny when he breaks his leg, and Gene seems to know and like him.

Quackenbush: The captain of the crew team, also a generally disliked figure on campus. He and Gene get into a fight, which means the end of Gene's days as assistant captain, though it is no loss. He is rather awkward and humorless, and no one seems to have special regard for him.

Mr. Ludsbury: Gene and Finny's term-time house master, a very stern and straight-laced rule monger who berates Gene for taking advantage of the summer masters, which he really didn't. Not a pleasant sort of fellow, and also not susceptible to Finny's vast charm.

Brownie Perkins: Brinker's roommate, a rather timid boy who is scared of Brinker and is easily bossed around by him. He tries to keep a low profile, and is not terribly involved at the school.

Phil Latham: The school wrestling coach, also an expert in first aid. He helps Finny after his second fall, and stays with him until the doctor arrives.