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Elwin “Leper” Lepellier
Cliff Quackenbush is an irritable and condescending Devon crew team manager. Disliked by most Devon students, Cliff mistreats anyone who he has power over. In the aftermath of Finny’s fall, Gene decides that he will become the assistant crew manager because he doesn’t want to play sports, no longer trusting himself to engage in competitive activities after what he did to Finny. However, his plan goes awry when he punches Quackenbush in the face, defending Finny’s honor because Quackenbush uses the word “maimed.” In response, Quackenbush puts him in a wrestling hold, and the two boys fall into the river.
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Cliff Quackenbush Character Timeline in A Separate Peace
The timeline below shows where the character Cliff Quackenbush appears in A Separate Peace. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 6
...which the Devon joins before entering the ocean. When he reaches the Crew House, Cliff Quackenbush, the crew manager, admonishes him for being late. Most people dislike Quackenbush because he’s abrasive...
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At the end of the day, Quackenbush tries to understand why Gene is suddenly interested in managing teams, which is a job...
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Although Gene wants to think that he hit Quackenbush to defend Finny, he knows that he really did it for himself. On his way...
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Chapter 7
...the others talk about joining the military. While everyone speaks eagerly about wanting to enlist, Quackenbush says that he’s going to finish his studies before entering the military. Hearing this, Brinker...
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