Although, if he feels that way this is how he can make it up to him. Finny and Gene both have the utmost respect for each other. They are the best of friends and don't want that to be tarnished, they have a bond they don't ever want to be broken. In the book A Separate Peace, Finny and Gene the two main characters share an absolute great friendship.…
The homoerotic tension in A Separate Peace that exists between Gene and Finny creates the central problem in the novel. Gene is unable to come to terms with how he feels about Finny and this leads to an extremely unhealthy relationship that leads to disastrous consequences for Finny. Gene idolizes Finny throughout the novel, because of the tension that exists between them, and this leads to Finny, in Gene’s mind, as becoming an unobtainable, perfect person. Gene, unable to deal with the fact that Finny could be too good for him, reacts very negatively to this idea. Gene glorifies Finny into a perfect person which Gene thinks he can never be good enough for, this leads to an unhealthy obsession of Finny’s personality that evolves into a dangerous…
The change in Gene after he and Finny declare war on each other is Genes most pivotal moment as it affects him then and for years to come. Before Gene was reborn he had another life. In this past life Gene and Finny were inseparable. Gene and Finny went to the beach together, lived in the same dorm, they even formed the Super Secret Suicide Society together.…
During Gene’s time at Devon, he faced many internal conflicts. Most of which consisted in forms of raging envy for Finny’s unconditional talent for any sport, good looks, and popularity. Instead of accepting the fact that Finny was simply a better human and leaning his focus onto self-improvement, he concluded that Finny must be jealous too. Gene wanted to excel at something related to how Finny had exceeded. Wistfully Gene’s plan later resulted in Phineas’ death; therefore, he clearly did not deal with his conflict in an appropriate way, but Finny’s death did end Gene’s war.…
Gene explains, “Finny had deliberately set out to wreck my studies. That explained blitzball, that explained the nightly meetings of the Super Suicide Society, that explained that I share all his diversions. The way I believed that you’re-my-best-friend blabber!” (53). Gene has discovered that his best friend is not a friend at all because in his mind, Finny is the enemy.…
Gene didn't want Finny to lose his athletic abilities for good, but once that does happen, Gene is able to become a better person. This is where the true nature of Gene and Finny as foils makes a difference in the story. Finny suffers a traumatic event that spirals him into depression and denial about the war. Gene wrestles with his conscience and how to be a better friend after witnessing and experiencing his own vengeful feelings exposed toward someone who was supposed to be his best friend. Had Finny not broken his leg and declined in his strength of character, though, Gene would not have been able to rise up out of his jealous nature to become a better person.…
Gene is is jealous for his best friend, Finny. Gene hurts Finny sheerly from jealousy. After Gene unconsciously hurts Finny, he feels guilty and feels the need to change so. However, Gene still feels guilty for Finny, and he remembers this throughout his life. Gene, is a grown man who returns to the Devon School to remember those years.…
Because of his actions and problematic behavior, this makes Gene the weaker character. In a comparison of the two boys, Knowles implies that Gene is nearly an exact opposite of Finny. Driven by rivalry and bitterness, Gene’s entire mindset is comprised of comparing himself to others and becoming the best at everything. On page 24, one moment changes everything and will cause Gene to spitefully hurt his best friend.…
Gene’s emotions give the reader a clue to how envious of Finny, Gene really is. Gene yearns to become Finny just as Adam and Eve wanted to become God. He wishes that he had all of the attributes that Finny does. Gene, because of his greed…
Gene is now able to understand the fallacies in Finny’s flawless, but unrealistic, world; therefore he is free to address his true foe. He understands that he was symbolizing his desire to be like his best friend by detesting Finny for possessing all the qualities Gene himself craved. Finny’s death causes Gene’s misperception to die as well: "I did not cry then or ever about Finny... I could not escape a feeling that this was my own funeral, and you do not cry in that case” (Knowles 186). Gene now realizes that he cannot become his best friend because the perceived qualities of Finny that he coveted were not realistic and that no one truly existed with the possession of all of those ideal traits.…
Do differences in personality traits have a great affect on who will flourish in a real world society? In “A Separate Peace” the two main characters, Gene and Phineas, have many personality traits that make them similar but they also have very different interests in life. For example, Gene is mainly focused on his academics, while Phineas is very athletic and he is not too concerned about school or his grades. Knowles uses these two sets of characteristics to portray how two divergent people change as they mature and decide what path they choose to follow in life. Although Gene and Phineas have these unlike attributes, it is Phineas’ enjoyment of adventure, that Gene wanted so badly to appreciate as well, that brings them together.…
Gene’s feeling of guilt causes him to go completely numb. When he know he causes Finny’s death, he wanted to be dead. “I spent as much time as I could in our room, trying to empty my mind of every thought. To forget where I was, or who I was” (Knowles, 62). Gene feels he almost can’t bear the guilt.…
Julien Berry Theme: Jealousy in A Separate Peace Song: Jealousy by Natalie Merchant Thesis Statement: People are often ruled by their emotions and can let those emotions impact their actions; for better or for worse. Jealousy is one such emotion that can cloud judgement and effect behavior. Jealousy is a central theme in the book A Separate Peace written by John Knowles, and drives the actions and behaviors of the characters within the novel. The book is about two friends, Gene and Finny, and their relationship during their school year together at Devon. Throughout the book, jealousy creeps into Gene and Finny’s relationship as their friendship matures and develops.…
Finny cannot accept the fact that his best friend would purposefully cause him harm (Rowe 3). Both of the boys are resolute in their denial of Gene’s misdeed, which causes tension and distrust…
“Finny is separate from all traits negative in nature.” (Edublogs) Finny is easily likable and is often seen as a leader and a role model. Throughout the conflicts in the book Gene learns that he is actually meant to learn from Finny and become a part of Finny’s personality. Slowly Gene becomes more comfortable with himself as he is killing his enemy. Eventually when Gene ills his enemy he is now at peace with himself, feeling no sympathy for his actions.…