The main reason why this tree was important was because it was both a challenge and an adventure. It is very juvenile the way these boys make this jump into a competition. Finny puts pressure on the other boys as he yells, "...You can't stand around admiring the view. Jump! (Knowels 9)" And when other boys compare the "jumps," "I think th

your not suppose to. It had offered them everything necessary to fulfill their teenage desires: adventure, self-satisfaction, and rebellion. Without the tree, these boys would have lived many boring years at Devon.

at was better than Finny's (Knowels 9)." Finny becomes defensive, replying, "All right pal... don't start awarding prizes until you've passed the course. The tree is waiting (Knowels 9)." As you can see, this need for adventure was another way for them to prove themselves to be better than their peers. This tree was the ultimate challenge for Gene and another plus for Finny's repitor for his list of daring acts. They had both stood on different grounds when the time came to jump off this tree. Gene was frightened and very careful with the tree. His thoughts showed this fear when he narrated, "The tree flooded me with a sensation of alarm all the way to my tingling fingers (Knowels 8)." He took his time out of fear and made sure that he wasn't going to hurt himself.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Finny's Knowels, Separate Peace, , Jump Knowels, knowels 9, prove themselves,
Approximate Word count = 667
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)