A Seperate Peace Chapter 11 Summary
A Separate Peace Chapter 11 Summary
• Gene returns to Devon from Leper’s house and finds Finny in the midst of a snowball fight, which he has organized. • Brinker comes to visit Gene and Finny in their room and asks about Leper. Gene tells him that Leper has changed dramatically and that he has deserted the army. Although Gene’s words are vague, Brinker immediately surmises that Leper has “cracked.” He then says that there are two people in his class that are unable to contribute to the war. Gene realizes that this pair includes Finny and tries to get over the implication by saying that there is no war, hoping he can distract Finny by getting him to elaborate upon his theory. • Brinker takes Gene aside and tells him that he knows that he has decided not to enlist because he pities Finny. He says that they should confront Finny about his injury casually, whenever possible, to make him accept it. • Gene reads Finny Caesar’s Gallic Wars. Though Finny doesn’t believe in Caesar, he does finally admit the existence of World War II. He says that he had to accept the reality of the war when Gene told him that it had caused Leper to go crazy. If something can make a person go crazy, Finny says, it must be real. He adds that he did not completely accept Gene’s description of Leper at first but that it was confirmed when he saw Leper hiding in the bushes that morning after chapel. Gene is shocked to hear that Leper is back at Devon. • Brinker comes into Gene and Finny’s room with several other boys and takes Gene and Finny off to the Assembly Hall, where he has gathered an audience and a coupleof judges for an inquiry into the cause of Finny’s accident. Brinker asks Finny to explain in his own words what happened on the tree, and Finny says that he lost his balance and fell. • Finny quietly announces that he saw Leper slip into Dr. Carhart’s office that morning; the two boys are sent to find him. After a while, the boys return with Leper. The
• Gene returns to Devon from Leper’s house and finds Finny in the midst of a snowball fight, which he has organized. • Brinker comes to visit Gene and Finny in their room and asks about Leper. Gene tells him that Leper has changed dramatically and that he has deserted the army. Although Gene’s words are vague, Brinker immediately surmises that Leper has “cracked.” He then says that there are two people in his class that are unable to contribute to the war. Gene realizes that this pair includes Finny and tries to get over the implication by saying that there is no war, hoping he can distract Finny by getting him to elaborate upon his theory. • Brinker takes Gene aside and tells him that he knows that he has decided not to enlist because he pities Finny. He says that they should confront Finny about his injury casually, whenever possible, to make him accept it. • Gene reads Finny Caesar’s Gallic Wars. Though Finny doesn’t believe in Caesar, he does finally admit the existence of World War II. He says that he had to accept the reality of the war when Gene told him that it had caused Leper to go crazy. If something can make a person go crazy, Finny says, it must be real. He adds that he did not completely accept Gene’s description of Leper at first but that it was confirmed when he saw Leper hiding in the bushes that morning after chapel. Gene is shocked to hear that Leper is back at Devon. • Brinker comes into Gene and Finny’s room with several other boys and takes Gene and Finny off to the Assembly Hall, where he has gathered an audience and a coupleof judges for an inquiry into the cause of Finny’s accident. Brinker asks Finny to explain in his own words what happened on the tree, and Finny says that he lost his balance and fell. • Finny quietly announces that he saw Leper slip into Dr. Carhart’s office that morning; the two boys are sent to find him. After a while, the boys return with Leper. The