A Separate Peace

Grade Levels

Excerpt

Chapter Six Questions and Vocabulary – A Separate Peace

Vocabulary: Define the following terms, found in chapter one.

• stopgap

• sultriness

• apse

• exhorted

• idiosyncratic

• vindicated

• emissary

• exaltation

• infinitesimal

• turbid

• sinecure

• maimed

Questions for Review: Answer in complete sentences. You should use references from the text to support each answer.

• Why has the maid service disappeared from Devon? What does it mean when they say that they have disappeared “for the duration”?

• Name 3 changes that have come to the school with the start of the winter term.

• How does Gene feel about each of these changes?

• How can the two rivers (the Devon and the Naguamsett) be symbolic?

• When Quackenbush calls Gene “maimed,” why does Gene react so strongly?

• Why does Gene feel regret that he did not fully take advantage of the summer?

For the teacher: Suggestions on Student Answers to Review Questions.

NOTE: These are simply a guideline; individual student answers will vary.

• The maid service is gone so the school can make cut-backs in order to support the war efforts. “For the duration” was a phrase used to mean that it would be that way until the war was over.

• The rules are stricter, the teachers have all returned, chapel services resume daily, the regular students/class leaders have all come back to resume their leadership of the school. Gene feels nostalgic about most of it, wishing for summer to come back.

• One is positive, one is negative; one clean and rambling, the other filthy and stagnant. It represents the two sides of Gene’s experience at Devon.

• His guilt over having maimed Phineas comes back to him, and he snaps.

• He realizes now that his anger and hatred toward Finny tainted one of the last chances he might have had to be young and carefree.

• He feels too guilty to play them; like since Finny can’t enjoy sports any more, he shouldn’t either.

• He has always felt like he had to live up to Finny’s image, but now he can just absorb himself into Finny’s persona and stop worrying about being himself.

About

This is a set of vocabulary terms and questions for review/discussion about chapter 6 of A Separate Peace.