In what ways could fear be a major part of the narrator's school life as it is described in Chapter 1?
The U.S. is fighting World War II so they could be sent to war, adolescents of the narrator's age are often anxious to be accepted by their peers, and the narrator could have a more personal reason to be fearful
What emotion besides fear does the narrator recall experiencing in his time at the Devon School?
Unhinged, uncontrollable joy
What is implied when the narrator speaks of his convalescence in Chapter 1?
Since a convalescence is a time of recovering from illness or injury, the implication is that he is recovering from something emotional or spiritual, rather than physical
From what is the narrator convalescing in Chapter 1?
We don't know, but it clearly is something that happened in his days at Devon School
Who is the narrator of the book?
Gene Forrester, a young man in his thirties
How long has the narrator been out of the school?
15 years
Why is this story said to be narrated in flashback?
Everything happened 15 years ago in the past, so it is a flashback to that earlier time
In what point of view is the novel told?
First person narration
What two disturbing places does Gene revisit at Devon at the beginning of the book?
The tree, and the staircase
What about the tree and the staircase are foreboding for Gene?
He describes both as "fearful sites," tells us that the stairs are "unusually hard," and states that the tree was "a huge lone spike...forbidding as an artillery piece"
Gene says, "Nothing endures, not a tree, not love, not even a death by violence." What is the contrast, and what literary device is being put to use by the author in Chapter 1?
Violent death does not seem to fit with a tree or love, and foreshadows a violent death that takes place during the story
What is the mood in the first few pages of the book, and how is that mood reinforced by the description of the day?
The mood is somber, thoughtful, and gloomy, and the rainy, gusty, bleak autumn day seems to emphasize this mood
What does Finny want to do at the tree?
He wants to jump off of it, and he wants the other boys to do so as well
How do the narrator's thoughts and feelings change in the 1st chapter as he prepares to and then jumps from the high limb on the tree by the river?
After being filled with fear and anxiety as Finny challenges the boys to leap from the tree into the water, the chapter closes on an upbeat note when Gene successfully leaps from the limb, and his friendship with Finny is cemented
What do we learn about Finny in Chapter 1?
Phineas, nicknamed "Finny," is the boldest and most outgoing of the boys, the clear leader of the group, and is funny, popular, and something of a daredevil
Why does Gene's "West Point stride" bother Finny?
He finds it too militaristic, too conforming, representing authority and doing as one is told, something Finny hates to do
The music on the phonograph at the close of the first chapter is personified by the author--how?
Knowles describes the phonograph as if it has conscious motivations, changing its "mind" as it plays one song, then rejects it for another that is more "ambitious"
How does Finny get away with tying a tie around his waist instead of a belt?
He says it is a tribute to the Allied bombing in Central Europe
Who is Mr.Prud'homme, and why does Finny try to "win him over"?
A substitute teacher at Devon for the Summer Session, Finny wants to try and persuade the teacher to temporarily abandon his sternness and authority
Which of Finny's traits stuns people?
Finny bluntly states what's on his mind
In what ways is Finny astonishing or puzzling to people, especially to the faculty of the school?
Finny is a mass of contradictions, which is puzzling to faculty members, having a calm ignorance of the rules combined with a winning urge to be good, loving the school, but loving even more to bend or break the rules
Why does Gene say the faculty is more tolerant of the boys in the Summer Session?
Because it is during a time of war, and there is a certain nostalgia for days of peace, and partly because Finny's inherent joy and desire for freedom results in a relaxation of the rules for everyone
What article of clothing is a symbol of Finny's nonconformity?
He wears a pink shirt, proudly calling it his "emblem"
Why is the item that Finny wears in Chapter 2 considered an example of his nonconformity?
A pink shirt is an extremely unconventional choice for a young man at a conservative boys' school
What does Gene envy in Finny?
Gene envies Finny's ability "to get away with anything"
How does Gene rationalize his feelings of envy for Finny?
He says these feelings are "perfectly normal" and that there is "no harm in envying even your best friend a little"
How does Finny get out of trouble with Mr. Patch-Withers for wearing his school tie as a belt?
Finny explains that wearing the Devon School tie as a belt represents the school's contribution to the war effort, though Mr. Patch-Withers smilingly states that this explanation is illogical
What mixed feelings does Gene have about Finny when they leave the tea?
Gene is disappointed that Finny got away with it, and this reinforces the sense of resentment; he also says that he is proud to have such a person as his best friend
Why is Finny so attractive and likable as a person?
He's unique, open and honest, with a good sense of humor and a vibrant life-force--he is also a fine athlete, and a loyal friend
On what dramatic note does Chapter 2 end?
Gene loses his balance in the tree, nearly falling, but Finny quickly reaches out to steady him
What does the dramatic incident at the end of Chapter 2 foreshadow?
A crucial event to come, as Gene wouldn't even have been IN the tree if it weren't for Finny demanding that he do so, even if he did practically save Gene's life
With what realization does Chapter 3 open?
Gene wouldn't even have been IN the tree if it weren't for Finny demanding that he do so
What does Gene have to do every night to his own disbelief?
He has to make the jump from the tree every night, even though he is terrified by the danger
Why does Gene do the nightly act when he is so afraid of it?
In order to save face with Finny, whom he feels emotionally forced to obey, Gene jumps from the tree
When Gene says that "Finny's life was ruled by inspiration and anarchy," why is this paradoxical?
It seems to contradict itself, since anarchy is a state in which there ARE no rules, so Finny is ruled by a lack of rules
What is the name of the Club they set up where one has to jump of the tree?
The Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session, which is a Smashing Success
What is the name of the game Finny makes?
Blitzball
Which of Finny's "Commandments" fits with blitzball?
Finny's "Commandment" is that you must always win at sports--since there are never winners in blitzball, there are no losers--everybody wins
What is blitzball, and how do the rules get decided upon?
A game in which everyone tried to knock down the medicine ball carrier, and Finny makes up the rules as they go along
Why is blitzball the PERFECT game for Finny?
It makes use of all the things and skills he does well
When Gene talks about how perfect this game is for Finny, what emotions lie beneath his words?
He thinks Finny designed the game so that he would naturally be good at it, and seems somewhat jealous that is the case, though unwilling to admit his jealousy, even to himself
What does Finny do that seems unusual for him?
When he breaks the swimming record, he refuses to try again to do it officially, and doesn't want Gene to tell anyone about it, either
What impresses Gene about the record Finny breaks?
Since there are few relationships at Devon not based on rivalry, it seems unusual that Finny seems to be ABOVE such rivalry when trying to keep the broken record secret
What does the broken record really teach us about Finny?
His idea of competition seems less about trying to beat someone else, and more about striving to do one's personal best
Which off-limits location do Finny and Gene go in chapter 3?
The beach
When Finny calls Gene his "best pal," does Gene respond?
No, he holds back from saying so
What keeps Gene from telling Finny how he feels about him?
While Finny sees their friendship as something simple and true, Gene's ideas about it seem more troubled, and the jealousy he feels yet doesn't say is beginning to indicate it will play a major role in the plot
