Who does Finny think is making up the war?

• A. The politicians
• B. The fat old men
• C. The generals
• D. The newspapers

Answer: (B)

Finny tests your understanding of his view that war is something grown-ups create rather than a truth the boys must face. He treats the war as a story adults tell to rally people, justify risky actions, and keep power in the hands of those who profit from the drama. When he talks about who’s making up the war, he singles out the “fat old men”—the men in charge who craft and parade this grand narrative to control others and feed their own sense of importance. This framing shows Finny clinging to a playful, optimistic view of life and resisting the grim seriousness that adults try to attach to the conflict.

So this idea—that war is manufactured by the grown-ups who wield authority—best fits Finny’s mindset. He’s not pointing to separate groups like politicians, generals, or newspapers as the sole source; he’s critiquing the adult world as a whole for fabricating the war to sustain a certain myth and order.