He is competing with Finny , so he assumes that Finny must be competing with him. Gene feels ashamed of the extent to which he is plagued by insecurity and envy; he overcomes this feeling of shame not by trying to improve himself but rather by convincing himself that Finny is just as bad as he himself is.
Why is Gene mad at Finny?
Finny says that something made him lose his balance and that he looked over to Gene to see if he could reach him. Gene recoils violently and accuses Finny of wanting to drag him down with him.
What does Gene dislike most about Finny?
According to the rules of the club, Finny and Gene must now jump from the tree every night, and Gene “ hates” it .
How does Gene feel about Finny?
In A Separate Peace, Gene and Finny's relationship evolves over time. They begin as best friends, but eventually Gene develops feelings of resentment and jealousy towards Finny , viewing him as more of a rival. Gene's insecurities peak when he purposely makes Finny fall from a tree, shattering his leg.
Does Gene want to be like Finny?
Gene wants to be Finny ; that's the kind of person that Gene wants to be. Throughout the book, there are clues that indicate his desire to be more like Finny. After Finny's accident, Gene is supposed to get some clothes for Finny. He stands in the room and actually puts Finny's famous pink shirt on.
Is Gene jealous of Finny?
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. ... He had thought of Finny as above such competitiveness, and now regards Finny not as his friend but his enemy.
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 .
Does Finny hate Gene?
Although we see all of the characters through Gene's eyes, his perception of others is most significant in the case of Finny . Even as Gene resents his best friend and harbors dark, unspoken feelings of hatred toward him, he regards Finny at times with something akin to worship.
Are Gene and Finny truly friends?
Finny was always reassuring Gene that they are good friends , and he cannot bring himself to admit that Gene caused him to fall off the branch. ... By jouncing the tree limb and causing Phineas to hurt himself, Gene involuntarily caused a chain of events that resulted in his friend's death.
What does Finny say about the war?
Finny declares that there is no war , that it is all a conspiracy orchestrated by the adult establishment—by fat, rich, old men—to keep young people in their place.
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.
How did Gene lose his innocence?
Gene loses innocence as he comes to terms with the fact that he was wrong in his blame for Finny who only ever loved him in return . Gene feels guilty for his blame and actions that resulted from his subconscious resentment and in this guilt and blame that he finally imposes on himself his innocence is lost.
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 Gene struggle with?
Gene struggles with complex emotions , often vacillating between adoration and envy toward his best friend. ... He also envies Finny's ability to finesse his way out of difficult situations. The climax of the story occurs when Gene purposely shakes the tree branch that he and Finny are standing on.
What does Finny apologize to genes?
Why does Finny apologize to Gene? Never accuse a friend of a crime if you only have a feeling he did it .
What does Finny say caused him to fall?
How does Finny react when the narrator says that he causes him to fall? Finny doesn't believe Gene and says that he didn't do it, Finny thinks that Gene is tired and stressed so he doesn't know what he is taking about.
