Characters
Who is the main character/narrator?
Gene
What school does Gene and his friends attend?
Devon boarding school/west point
What did Gene and Finny used to jump from?
A high branch on a tree
What does the tree represent?
The Super suicide society
Where does Gene return to in the beginning of the story?
The stairs
Who is Genes best friend?
Finny
What sport is Finny especially good at?
All of them
What happens to Gene at the tree?
Gene almost falls but grabs a bench and saves himself.
What does Finnys pink shirt represent?
It represents Finnys confidence and vibe
What season Genes flashback begin in?
Summer
Who is the class's top academic student?
Gene
What is the summer session?
The summer session is a special term that juniors and seniors attend at their school during summer, due to the war.
What "society" does Finny create during the summer session.
The super Suicide Society of the Summer session
What is one major theme of the novel so far?
Guilt, jealousy, fear etc
Why does Gene think Finny wants him to fail?
Because Finny said he would be very envious if Gene succeeded.
Who is the very strict teacher that Finny and Gene have?
Mr. Prud'homme
What war is happening during the story?
World War Two
What happens during the tree incident?
Finny breaks his leg and is hospitalized
How does the tree become a symbol for Gene?
In Genes life, the tree symbolizes regret and bad memories, yet it also gives good memories of their time of peace.
Why does Gene jump off the tree after what he did to Finny?
Gene feels empty and cold, so in his carelessness, he jumps off the tree.
Who enlists for the war, and why?
Leper enlists because of the beautiful European landscape and because he wants to become a ski trooper.
What does the summer session and the Devon school as a whole prepare the seniors and juniors for?
Adulthood and the war
How does jealousy affect Finny and Gene's relationship?
It builds tension between them and makes them dislike eachother
What happens to Finny after the incident? How does this affect Gene?
Finny gets hospitalized and is unable to play sports. Gene feels immense regret.
What does Gene finally realize at the end of chapter 9?
He realizes that Finny was never trying to compete with him.