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And So, The Story Begins! Ch. 1 Pgs 1-6
At the begining of the story, we meet our main charatcter, Gene. This ex school boy is returning to his old highschool for reasons that we are not yet sure of. As he walks, he sees, obviously, the school. The Cage, and last but most definitely not least, the tree. This is the point where the story REALLY begins. How? Just read on and find out. -
FLASHBACK! Ch. 1 Pgs 6-13
In this part of the book, we are introduced to a few new characters. The most important of them being Phineas. Finny for short. Finny is Gene's supposed 'Best Friend' even though later in the book, we find out that may be Gene isn't that much of a true friend after all. One thing that happens in this part of the book is that we get to know The Tree. This special plant makes up a very large part of what goes on in these boy's lives. They climb the tree, jump off it into the river, climb... -
FLASHBACK! cntd.
... out of the river, and start the whole process over again. Because they were doing this one day, Finny and Gene were late to supper. But, Finny most definitely was a man with a plan. You see, Finny had a way with talking to people. He would talk and talk and talk until somebody forgot what they were mad about. Throughout the book, this becomes a very useful skill for the both of them. -
Getting Caught... Or Not... cntd.
... he does, well that just plain disappoints him. But in this young man's mind he thinks, 'I just wanted to see more action. That's all.' -
Getting Caught... Or not... Ch. 2 Pgs 14-21
Because the boys missed dinner, their absences were most definitely noticed. The very day after missing it, Finny and Gene are confronted by the head master about their behavior. As always, Finny talk talk talks his way out of it. Now at first, Gene is happy that he wasn't going to get in trouble. But when Finny does the unimaginable, wearing his SCHOOL TIE as a belt to the headmaster's annual tea, Gene is excited for the fact that for once, Finny may just NOT get away with it. And when... -
Saved Ch. 2-3 Pgs. 24-25
One day when Gene and Finny are at the river, they decide to jump off together. When Gene goes in front, he looks back at Finny and slips. Suddenly, Finny reaches out to grab Gene's arm and saves his life. Once again, Gene at first is very thankful but, he then thinks, 'I wouldn't even have been on that limb if it weren't for Finny! He made me almost lose my life. He didn't save it!' -
The Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session Ch. 2-3 pgs 25-34
The day Finny saves Gene's life, they decide to create a club called the super suicide society of the summer session. This club is basically about Finny being Finny and the two boys' friendship. Eventually, because Finny is so cool, other boys at the school catch on. In this club, you must jump out of the tree that Gene almost died in for initiation. -
The Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session ctd.
... plans when he finds a medicine ball. This evening, Finny made up a new game called Blitzball. As for the rules, he kind of just made them up as he went. -
Blitzball, Naturally. Ch. 3 Pgs. 28-32
One day when the newly found club meets, they plan to play badminton. But, Finny has other plans when he finds a medicine ball. That very day, Finny invented a game called Blitzball. As for the rules, he pretty much just invented those as he went. -
Finny Breaks a Record Ch. 3 Pgs. 35-37
A few days after creating Blitzball, Finny makes another incredible feat. Out of the blue, he beats the school swimming record for the 100 yard free style by .7 seconds. But, he doesn't want anybody to know. This nearly starts to infuriate Gene. That this kid was perfect at everything athletic. To think that he could just pick up a sport for just one day and break a school record in one attempt was just mindblowing! -
Gene's Little Green Monster Emerges Ch. 4 Pgs. 42-52
When the boys get back from the beach, Gene continues to study. Some words are exchanged between him and Finny and before you know it, Gene believes that Finny is trying to ruin his Gene's chances at valedictorian. Over the next weeks, gene is very intense about his studies. At the end of this chapter, Gene yells at Finny because he once again believes that Finny is trying to ruin his chances by asking him to go to a Super Suicide Society meeting. But in the end, Gene discovers it was all... -
Genes Little Green Monster Emerges Cntd.
...in his head. For when Finny discovers that school did not just come naturally to Gene, he not only suggests, but encourages him to stay home and study. -
The Accident Ch. 4 Pgs. 51-52
When Gene finally decides to go to the meeting, Finny wanted to do a double jump. While up there, Gene jiggled the tree branch and Finny fell. Down, down, down until the thump. The sickening thud that caused Gene to go into shock and dive into the river without a single thought in his mind. -
Crippled Finny=Shocked Gene Ch. 5 Pgs. 52-55
After a few days, Gene is allowed to see Finny in the infirmary. All that was broken was his leg, but it was a messy break. On the way to Finny's room, Gene is informed that Finny will walk again, but sports are finished for him. -
Confessions Ch. 5 Pgs. 56-59
At first when Gene sees Finny, they exchange only conversational words. But, as the minutes go on, Gene begins to try to tell Finny that he wriggled the branch, causing his disasterous fall. Finny, on his medicinal drugs, was in somewhat of a 'loopy' state and would probably not even remember the conversation. -
They Reunite Ch. 5 Pgs. 60-63
After a long month where Gene went back home to the south, he once again returns to Devon. But, on his way, he stops to see Finny at his house. After lightly conversing for awhile, Gene finally confesses to practically pushing Finny off of the limb. Finny argues back that it was not Genes fault but eventually asks Gene to leave. -
Gene Returns to Devon Ch. 6 Pgs. 64-72
During this part of the book, Gene returns to Devon. When he gets there the order has been restored, accentuating the fact that Finny was not there. He goes to Chapel Service and discovers that even that was more uptight than normal. After Chapel, he goes to his room, which is still the same one he shared with Finny over the summer. He was about to go in, then realized he was late for an appointment at the crew house. When he gets there, we as an audience discover that he has volunteered... -
Gene Returns to Devon Cntd.
... to be the assistant senior crew manager for the rowing team. Then, the manager of the rowing team and him get in a fight and fall into the river. Gene then splashed out of the river and started for his dorm. On his way there, he sees a teacher who tells him there is a long distnance phone call waiting for him. -
Finny Returns In the From of A Phone Call Ch. 6 Pgs. 74-77
This long distance phone call was from no other than Phineas. He was calling to make sure that Gene didn't let anybody take his place in their room. Gene assured Finny he didn't, even when they really just didn't assign him one. They keep on talking and Finny discovers that Gene is not doing any sports that year. At the end of the chapter, Finny says, basically, "You HAVE to do sports. For me." -
Gene Goes Out For A Smoke Ch. 7 Pgs. 80-82
During this time period, smoking was allowed for people under 18. At Devon, there was a smoking room but it was made as depressing as possible in order to discourage it. The boys at this school called the smoking room the Dungeon. One day, Gene and Brinker go down there and Gene starts to be jokingly accused of getting rid of Finny. Of course what they assume is spot on. -
Chapel Leads to Shoveling and Shoveling Leads to Enlisting Ch. 7 Pgs. 87-92
One day during chapel, they announce that they need some guys to help shovel snow out of the railroad tracks. The work while there was very dull and monotonous. But, as they were walking back to their dorms, Brinker says "I'm going to enlist. Tomorrow." In a way, Gene kind of says he's going to enlist too. -
Finny! Ch. 7-8 Pgs. 94-97
As soon as Gene returns to his room after being at the railroad all day, he discovers that Finny is back! As always, Finny's already critisizing Gene's clothes. They go on to talk even more and eventually they both get tired and go to bed. Gene then decides that since Finny is back, he should start praying again. So, for about three minutes, there is silence. Then, Finny explodes into his nightly talking ritual. -
To Enlist or Not To Enlist Ch. 8 Pgs. 98-101
The morning after Brinker says he's going to enlist, he shows up in Gene and Finny's room to go get Gene. When Finny figures out that Gene was kind of planning to enlist, Finny kind of freaks out and seems a little hurt so, they start to kind of make fun of Brinker. At this point, Brinker gets his first real nickname. The Yellow Peril. -
Finny Falls Back into His Old Ways.... Cntd.
... though he's injurned act so that he could finally return to Devon. -
Finny Falls Back into His Old Ways... Ch. 8 Pgs. 103-105
On his first day back to school, Finny decides that he doesn't want to go to class. At first, Gene is totally against this. But, as always, Gene ends up going along with it in the end. Finny decides he wants to go to the gym. So, that's where they go. They walk a quarter mile to the gym all the way across campus and when they get there, Finny is covered in sweat. Then, he stopped to compose himself and went in. Gene then realizes that Finny has been putting up this whole strong even... -
... Or Not... Ch. 8 Pgs. 106-108
In this part of the book, the boys are in the gym just kind of hanging out and then Finny finally says that he doesn't believe there is even a war. Obviously Gene thinks that he's just still on his medical drugs and so do we because we know for a fact today that those things happened in the 40s. He continues to talk about it and eventually gets to that there isn't even a food shortage.
