F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Tone

The tone of the winter session at Devon is strict. The winter at Devon means that school is in session and that the extended freedoms of the summer are over. On page 74, Gene said, "If you broke the rules, then they broke you." This quotation says that the rules during the winter are much more stringent and that intolerance against the masters is not acceptable. This quotation also says that it is much harder disobeying the rules in the winter compared to the summer. Also, in the winter the masters become much more suspicious and cautious of what the students are doing while the students are not in their classes. An example of the masters being much more suspicious is when Quackenbush and Gene were fighting in the river and then Mr. Ludsbury comes up to Gene. On page 81, Mr. Ludsbury says:

Has there been a cloudburst in your part of town? No, sir. I’m sorry sir, I fell into the river... And could you tell me how and why you fell into the river? I slipped."

When Mr. Ludsbury asked how and why Gene fell into the river shows that the teachers are very suspicious and that they are very loyal to the strict rules of Devon. In addition to when Mr. Ludsbury asks how and why Gene fell into the river shows that the masters are very curious of what the students are up to during the winter session. When Mr. Ludsbury was questioning Gene it shows that also during the winter the masters have no trust of the students and what they are up to. During the summer, Gene never was questioned about the Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session. This quotation also shows that it is very hard to get away with mischievous acts during the winter session because the masters catch every little thing that looks suspicious to them. Also, this quotation also shows how serious the teacher's attitude is during the winter toward the students and that there is no connection between student and teacher.