Chapter 8: Why does Finny say Gene never knew himself before? He says he never knew himself before
because he always had Finny to rely on to be popular and do stuff with
, without Finny Gene had to do stuff for himself which made him find who he truly is. [“You didn’t even know anything about yourself.”]
Why does Finny think Gene does not study?
Why does Finny think the narrator doesn’t have to study to achieve good grades? … Why does Finny tell Gene not to attend the meeting, but to stay in and study? Because that was what Gene was making a scene about he wants
Gene
to do what he wants. Gene’s secret is that he wants to be valedictorian.
In what way does Finny react to the questions that Gene had never seen before?
Chapter 8: How does Finny react to Brinker’s question to Gene about enlisting? Finny’s reaction was very shocked about Brinker question on Gene’s enlisting in war. [“
His large and clear eyes turned with an odd expression on me. I had never seen such a look in them before
.”] Inside its high Italian Renaissance.
Does Finny really know Gene?
Despite what others suspect and know,
Finny does not suspect Gene of any jealousy
or of having jounced the tree limb, an action which has caused Finny’s terrible fall and broken leg–a shocking fact that Finny learns at the end of this chapter.
How does Gene begin to view himself in regards to Finny?
Here Gene acknowledges his own position as one of the competitive boys, but because he grows to know and like Leper, he can resist the tendency to give Leper a hard time just for being different. … Gene
reflects on the moment Finny breaks a school swimming record
, but in front of Gene alone.
Why is Gene jealous of Finny?
Finny makes a joking observation to subtly convey his lack of interest in competition. Gene misses his intention and takes Finny at his word. Gene’s jealousy of Finny’s
status as best athlete of their class has led him, half-consciously, to try to make them “even” by being the best scholar
.
What happened to Finny at the end of Chapter 4?
Gene and Finny climb the tree, planning to jump together. While climbing the limb, Gene “jounced” it, causing
Finny to lose his balance and fall onto the bank
, where he shattered his leg, making him unable to play sports ever again.
Why does Gene not cry when Finny dies?
Although he is overwhelmed by the news of Finny’s death, Gene does not cry, not even at the funeral,
because he feels as if it is actually his own funeral
. The events following the second fall emphasize the separation between the roommates now that Finny knows Gene’s responsibility in the original accident.
What does Finny’s death symbolize?
Finny’s death represents
his failure to become an adult
. … This happens right after Finny admitted that Gene had in fact purposely jounced the limb. Finny’s death is symbolic of the fact that having to evolve, or become an adult, and face conflict was too much for him, so he literally perished.
Does Finny forgive Gene?
The theme of forgiveness in A Separate Peace is a main part in the story because of three key turning points in the story: Gene forgiving Finny, Finny forgiving Gene, and Gene forgiving himself. … He rids himself of the guilt of Finny’s accident, and
he can finally forgive himself
.
Is Finny jealous of Gene?
Finny was never jealous of Gene
and is, therefore, probably a better person for it.
Does Gene hate Finny?
It isn’t until the two have a small fight that he realizes that Phineas is such a genuine person,
he has no underlying hatred for Gene
, which in turn makes it possible for Gene to feel the same about Phineas. …
What does Finny think of Gene?
Some critics have identified Finny as Gene’s
“Doppelganger
,” another self, wild and uncontrollable, that Gene loves but feels he must destroy. Gene is the good boy, the theory explains, the student who wants to obey, but is prevented by dark forces beyond his control, represented by Finny.
Why does Gene try on Finny’s clothes?
Gene finds comfort in putting on Finny’s clothes
because for a little while he can be someone other than himself
. Because of Gene’s guilt and self-loathing, just being himself is painful. Finny is still in the infirmary, and Gene has yet to face him after making him fall from the tree.
Did Gene mean to hurt Finny?
It wasn’t anything personal. In other words,
Finny convinces himself that Gene never meant to hurt him
because that is what he must believe.
What does the narrator realize about himself and Finny?
What does the narrator realize about himself and Finny?
Gene realized there could never be a rival between them and that he was not of the same quality as Finny was. They are the same
. What does Finny want to do the night at the tree?
