"I could hardly believe it, but it was too plainly printed in the closed expression on his face to mistake... Phineas was shocked at the idea of my leaving. In some way, he needed me. He needed me, I was the least trustworthy person he had ever met... I had even told him... But there was no mistaking the shield of remoteness in his face and voice. He wanted me around. The war then passed... and dreams of enlistment... lost their meaning for me." (108)
This is an important turning point for Gene where he realizes that Phineas still trusts him like a best friend, even like a brother. It's so important that he finally sees that Finny has put the past behind him and forgiven him because it kind of lets him go back to the friendship he used to have, without the envy. When Gene understands that Finny still sees him as a best friend and still trusts him, even though Gene knows he's not trustworthy, he starts allowing himself, I believe, to forgive himself a little for what he did. I think Finny trusts Gene because he knows him so well. Like, they were so close, and Finny's the kind of person who wouldn't want that closeness to go away.
What is Finny thinking when he's friendly with Gene? It's not easy to forgive someone so nonchalantly for something like shattering your leg and crippling you for life.
"There isn't any Devon Winter Carnival and never has been."
"There is now. We'll have it in that park next to the Nagaumsett. The main attraction will be sports, naturally, featuring I expect a ski jump-"
"A ski jump! That park's flat as a pancake."
"-and some slalom races, and I think a little track. But we've got to have some snow statues, too, and a little music, and something to eat. Now, which committee do you want to head?"
I have him a wintry smile. "The snow statues committee." (129)
I find this to be the most important line in the book because I love Finny random enthusiasm here! He's trying to incorporate himself into the school that he loves, because he can't be a part of it like he used to. And I also love how Gene's just going along with it all, at first thinking Finny's crazy, but ends up kinda getting into it. Right here is where Finny's character really shines through, like a ray of sun in the gray weather of the winter.
Why did the teachers let them get away with this?
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
A Separate Peace 11•24
"But I could feel my throat closing in them; I could never say them, never." (90)
This is important because it shows that Gene could admit to himself and to Finny what he did, but he's still not fully come to terms with it yet. He can't tell these (basically) strangers that he hurt his friend because I don't think he can really admit to it yet. I think he still kind of pushes the possibility that it was his fault away, even though he admitted it, and admits it several times. It's almost like he's- not only ashamed- but also afraid of the incident.
Why were the people accusing him of hurting Phineas all of a sudden?
This is important because it shows that Gene could admit to himself and to Finny what he did, but he's still not fully come to terms with it yet. He can't tell these (basically) strangers that he hurt his friend because I don't think he can really admit to it yet. I think he still kind of pushes the possibility that it was his fault away, even though he admitted it, and admits it several times. It's almost like he's- not only ashamed- but also afraid of the incident.
Why were the people accusing him of hurting Phineas all of a sudden?
Sunday, November 23, 2008
"Until the back of my hand cracked against Quackenbush's face I had never pictured myself in the role of Finny's defender... But I didn't feel exactly as though I had done it for Phineas. It felt as though I had done it for myself."(79-80)
I think that he's slowly becoming more and more guilty that he hurt Finny, and more and more willing to put it behind him. Here, I can see him mad that Quackenbush was indirectly making fun of Finny by making fun of physically disabled people. If he's mad at this boy who didn't even say one word about Phineas, then he's obviously very sensitive about the subject. Gene wants to protect Finny because it was his own fault that Finny got hurt. It's almost like he never wants to see Finny be hurt again, even if it's just by some stranger that never did anything specifically to him.
What does Gene think of Phineas now?
I think that he's slowly becoming more and more guilty that he hurt Finny, and more and more willing to put it behind him. Here, I can see him mad that Quackenbush was indirectly making fun of Finny by making fun of physically disabled people. If he's mad at this boy who didn't even say one word about Phineas, then he's obviously very sensitive about the subject. Gene wants to protect Finny because it was his own fault that Finny got hurt. It's almost like he never wants to see Finny be hurt again, even if it's just by some stranger that never did anything specifically to him.
What does Gene think of Phineas now?
Thursday, November 20, 2008
A Separate Peace 11•20
"You see! Kill me! Now you know what it is! I did it because I felt like that! Now you know yourself!" (70)
Gene has told Finny that he deliberately jounced the limb to make him fall off, but Finny refuses to believe him. Gene gets mad and guilty and begins to yell at him. He kind of snaps, but this time it's out of guilt and not jealousy and anger. He really likes Finny, and he feels so upset that it was his fault he was hurt. It's important because you see that Gene's not completely ruled by jealousy or else he'd never be so regretful.
Does Finny really not believe him or is he in denial?
Gene has told Finny that he deliberately jounced the limb to make him fall off, but Finny refuses to believe him. Gene gets mad and guilty and begins to yell at him. He kind of snaps, but this time it's out of guilt and not jealousy and anger. He really likes Finny, and he feels so upset that it was his fault he was hurt. It's important because you see that Gene's not completely ruled by jealousy or else he'd never be so regretful.
Does Finny really not believe him or is he in denial?
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
A Separate Peace 11•18
"Holding firmly to the trunk, I took a step toward him, and then my knees bend and I jounced the limb. Finny... tumbled sideways, broke through the little branches below and hit the bank with a sickening... thud. It was the first clumsy physical action I had ever seen him make. With unthinking sureness, I... jumped into the river, every trace of my fear of this forgotten" (59-60)
This is where Gene really snaps, at least for the first time. He intentionally tries to hurt Finny by causing him to fall out of the tree. Not only does he accomplish that, he then jumps into the river, happier than before. I don't think Phineas had done anything to deserve that, because he was only being himself! Gene is this extreme person who can't handle himself, and I feel bad for him.
Why didn't anyone notice how strange it was that he then jumped into the river without acting concerned?
This is where Gene really snaps, at least for the first time. He intentionally tries to hurt Finny by causing him to fall out of the tree. Not only does he accomplish that, he then jumps into the river, happier than before. I don't think Phineas had done anything to deserve that, because he was only being himself! Gene is this extreme person who can't handle himself, and I feel bad for him.
Why didn't anyone notice how strange it was that he then jumped into the river without acting concerned?
Monday, November 17, 2008
A Separate Peace 11•17
Chapter 2:
"He had gotten away with everything. I felt a sudden stab of disappointment. That was because I just wanted to see some more excitement; that must have been it." (28)
This quote is important because it's showing Gene's insecurity and jealousy toward his best friend. He wanted to see Phineas get in trouble because he was tired of seeing him get away with the worst offenses as it they were minor mistakes. It kind of shows that he's so envious of his friend that it borderlines hatred. But Gene is still his friend. I believe he would have really liked Phineas was he not so good in everything and wasn't everything Gene wanted to be.
Is he trying to convince himself, or does has he accepted that he was really jealous?
Chapter 3:
"I should have told him then that he was my best friend also and rounded off what he had said. I started to; I nearly did. But something held me back. Perhaps I was stopped by that level of feeling, deeper than thought, which contains the truth." (48)
This is a lot like the quote I chose for chapter two. It shows that he really likes Finny, but he can't bring himself to not be jealous of him. Who wouldn't be? He's the kind of person who has everything and you can't help but belittle yourself when you're around them. But Gene is doing his best to be his friend and actually accept him even though he's god-like.
By "that level of feeling... which contains the truth" supposed to mean hatred or jealousy, or was it something completely different?
"He had gotten away with everything. I felt a sudden stab of disappointment. That was because I just wanted to see some more excitement; that must have been it." (28)
This quote is important because it's showing Gene's insecurity and jealousy toward his best friend. He wanted to see Phineas get in trouble because he was tired of seeing him get away with the worst offenses as it they were minor mistakes. It kind of shows that he's so envious of his friend that it borderlines hatred. But Gene is still his friend. I believe he would have really liked Phineas was he not so good in everything and wasn't everything Gene wanted to be.
Is he trying to convince himself, or does has he accepted that he was really jealous?
Chapter 3:
"I should have told him then that he was my best friend also and rounded off what he had said. I started to; I nearly did. But something held me back. Perhaps I was stopped by that level of feeling, deeper than thought, which contains the truth." (48)
This is a lot like the quote I chose for chapter two. It shows that he really likes Finny, but he can't bring himself to not be jealous of him. Who wouldn't be? He's the kind of person who has everything and you can't help but belittle yourself when you're around them. But Gene is doing his best to be his friend and actually accept him even though he's god-like.
By "that level of feeling... which contains the truth" supposed to mean hatred or jealousy, or was it something completely different?
Sunday, November 16, 2008
A Separate Peace
"With the sensation I was throwing my life away, I jumped into space." (17)
I picked this quote because I liked how it was worded a lot. I mean, it seems like exactly how I would feel if I was jumping from a tree into water. Actually, I've done a few stupid stunts, and that was pretty much my exact process of thought. It reminds me of myself, but that's not why it's important. I think it's really important to Gene's character. It shows that he's being held back by his logical side when Phineas pushes him to do something stupid, but his pride seems to overtake his logical side and he does it anyway. At least, that's what I get from this sentence.
Why doesn't the writer show his name in this part of the book, but it's on the back?
Phineas:
I like his character a lot. He seems like the determined kind of person that you want to learn from. He seems superhuman, like nothing could ever hurt him physically or emotionally. With the way he dares to stand out and live instead of just exist, it's almost like nothing could ever stop him.
Adjectives: determined, dreamer, athletic, on-the-go, unpredictable
"Narrator":
I relate to him very well. He notices small things like I do. The houses, the steps... I notice small details about things, too, when I'm alone and have time to think by myself with no distractions. He seems like he wants to soak everything around him up, like he wants to hold on to it all. When he had the flashback to "Finny", he seemed to be very different. I think being around Phineas made Gene outgoing. Being alone changes that drastically.
Adjectives: perceptive, logical, quiet, living in the past, irresolute
I picked this quote because I liked how it was worded a lot. I mean, it seems like exactly how I would feel if I was jumping from a tree into water. Actually, I've done a few stupid stunts, and that was pretty much my exact process of thought. It reminds me of myself, but that's not why it's important. I think it's really important to Gene's character. It shows that he's being held back by his logical side when Phineas pushes him to do something stupid, but his pride seems to overtake his logical side and he does it anyway. At least, that's what I get from this sentence.
Why doesn't the writer show his name in this part of the book, but it's on the back?
Phineas:
I like his character a lot. He seems like the determined kind of person that you want to learn from. He seems superhuman, like nothing could ever hurt him physically or emotionally. With the way he dares to stand out and live instead of just exist, it's almost like nothing could ever stop him.
Adjectives: determined, dreamer, athletic, on-the-go, unpredictable
"Narrator":
I relate to him very well. He notices small things like I do. The houses, the steps... I notice small details about things, too, when I'm alone and have time to think by myself with no distractions. He seems like he wants to soak everything around him up, like he wants to hold on to it all. When he had the flashback to "Finny", he seemed to be very different. I think being around Phineas made Gene outgoing. Being alone changes that drastically.
Adjectives: perceptive, logical, quiet, living in the past, irresolute
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