Comparing Gene And Finny In A Separate Peace By John Knowles

Finny was one of those kids that was a rebel, but could talk his way out of everything. The “Houdini” of getting in trouble! Gene was obviously jealous of this, like everyone. But, the kicker is when the reader finds out that Gene thought that Finny was trying to sabotage him because he was jealous of Gene’s academic abilities. Finny would never sabotage Gene.

This is just one example of how Finny pushes Gene to do stuff that he wants to do and not what Gene wants to do. As you can see Finny and Gene are more different than they’re similar. Gene and Finny differ from each other in sports, their goals, and throughout the book, Finny always seems to be pushing gene to do something he doesn’t want to do or he doesn’t feel comfortable doing. Those are just a few reasons on why Finny and Gene are very different from each

Anger and guilt consume him for most of the novel until Finny’s untimely death. Gene in comparison to before he “jounced the limb” and caused Finny’s fall, is much darker, fueled by his negative emotions and

Throughout the rest of the book Knowles keeps stating Gene’s thoughts of regret andFinny’s disbelief of the situation. In a true friendship, if one was feeling a great amount jealousy,one would most likely talk it through or at least think through the situation instead of trying tocause physical harm to them. Once summer session is over, Brinker Hadley comes into the two boys room unaware ofFinny’s return and asks Gene if he is ready to enlist which they talked about prior to Finny’sreturn. Finny who wanted nothing more to be able to enlist was thinking about losing his bestfriend but reacted differently. He kind of shook it off and went to shower.

Gene says that, “I was beginning to see that he could get away with anything. I couldn’t help envying him a little…” (Knowles 25). Gene then tries to justify his envious feelings towards Finny by explaining that, “There was no harm in envying even your best friend a little.” However, this envy turns into more of a jealousy and Gene starts to see Finny as more of competition, rather than a friend.

The main purpose Gene had in the novel was to beat his fellow 's students, he went to extreme lengths to become the best. “Holding firmly to the trunk, I took a step toward him, and then my knees bent and I jounced the limb. Finny, his balance was gone, swung his head around to look at me for an instant with extreme interest…” (page 59-60). Gene and his jealousy towards Finny overtook Gene and he jolted Finny off the branch resulting in him breaking his leg and not being able to play sports.

After Finny shatters his leg, Gene goes back to his room and tries on Finny’s clothes. As he studies himself in the mirror, Gene notices he looks similar to Finny and states, “I had no idea why this gave me such intense relief, but it seemed, standing there in Finny’s triumphant shirt, that I would never stumble through the confusions of my own character again” (62). At this moment, Gene

He still encourages Gene to do the things that Finny no longer can because he wants to see someone else flourish, and most importantly: his friend. After Finny’s death, Gene even declares that “nothing … had broken [Finny’s] harmonious and natural unity” (Knowles 203). Since Gene exclaims this, the reader understands that Finny

After Finny’s leg is broken and he is in the hospital Gene comes over and they are talking about how Finny could have fallen. Finny considered that it could have been Gene’s fault but thinks he is crazy for thinking that. The people at school don't suspect a thing and think that Gene was just a bystander. Gene and Finny’s relationship isn't real but Finny thinks it is and doesn't think that Gene is bad at all or that he is jealous of him.

Gene is jealous of Finny; which shows his immaturity and leads up to the pinnacle of the novel. Due to Gene’s ego he gives into doing something that he will later regret, he jounces the limb the Finny was standing on. Growth can come only through conflict and struggle and therefore, Gene's sense of guilt, however much he hides it, represents his attempt to make things right. He gains the knowledge of evil in himself

Guilt can be defined as feeling responsibility or remorse of one's offence or wrong. Gene Forrester is a prime example thaguilt is a theme prevalent in A Separate ace. The novel A Separate Peace, John Knowles is about Gene Forrester, a lonely intellectual, and his struggle against his own guilt of breaking his friens leg and running his future. His t is shown when he feels obligated to become what Phineas could now not be and when he postpones his own desires for the desires of Fin Obviously, Gene’s actions towards Finny as left him with much guilt.

Gene wanted Finny to get in trouble for what Finny had did, which had worn his tie as a belt. He hated that Finny got away with almost anything that he did wrong and wanted to go down someday. Another way their relationship is affected is through Gene’s lack of self-finding and liking. Gene hated that he never was like Finny, so he started to acting and do things that Finny did. That caused a lot of jealousy, guilt, and self-destruction from throughout the relationship that Gene and Finny had.

Although Gene was always jealous of his best friend, Gene felt guilty for what he did to Finny. “The Tree” is the center of Gene’s worst memories, and his worst decisions. That tree saved a life, and it also killed one. Gene didn’t feel terrible when he pushed Finny down the tree. When he broke his friend’s foot, and found out the damage meant Finny could no longer participate in sports, he showed a side we have not seen before.

Later in the book finny would realize that is a big mistake when he is pushed in the river and breaks a bone .This is the downfall of finny's sports career. Gene is bitter character that is not good at sports like

Gene’s survival was dependent on Finny’s death. When Gene jounces the limb he shatters Finny’s leg, as well as his heart. Finny knows that Gene purposely caused his fall, but can’t let his “best pal” be exposed. Finny will do anything to save Gene from Leprosy. Finny realizes that Gene “just didn’t know” what he had done, and forgives his sin, which saves Gene.