Thursday, April 21, 2016
Assignment #3 (40-60): What exactly happened in the tree and who do you think was responsible? Why do you say this? (Lang)
Exams were coming up, and Gene was determined to do well. He began studying as Finny walked into the room declaring that Leper Lepellier intending on making his leap that night. Gene snarled at Finny because he needed to study for his exams. Finny told him he could stay and study, but Gene decided to go anyway. When they arrived at the tree, Phineas began to exuberantly throw off his clothes and came up with the idea that himself and Gene should jump off the tree side by side. Finny began climbing up the tree and Gene followed. Phineas, trying to help Gene told him to "Come out a little way, ... and then we'll jump side by side" (Knowles 59). Gene held firmly onto a branch in order to step towards him. All the sudden, Gene's competitive side took charge, and he bounced the limb of the tree that Finny was on, which caused him to fall off backwards. I do believe that this was Gene's fault. He mistakenly believes that him and Finny are in a competition with one another. Gene is very aware that he will never reach the level of athleticism that Finny obtains, so by bouncing the limb, Gene is trying to show off his athletic superiority.
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ReplyDeleteI think that when Finny fell off the tree, it was both Gene’s and Finny’s fault. When the two of them meet up for the their club, Finny gets an idea, “We’ll go together, a double jump!” (Knowles 59). If Finny hadn’t come up with the idea, he wouldn’t have fallen. It was also Gene’s fault because right before they jump, Gene causes Finny to fall, “… and then my knees bent and I jounced the limb. Finny, his balance gone swung…” Gene might have done this deliberately because he was angry with Finny about the whole situation with best friends. They are very competitive at this time so it was both of their faults.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Julia is saying. Gene purposely bounced on the tree branch, causing Finny to lose his balance and plunge down onto the bank. I also think that Gene isn't as good of a friend towards Finny as Finny is towards Gene. When Gene had gone onto the branch for the first time with Finny, and Gene lost his balance, Finny caught him. "There was a moment of total, impersonal panic, and then Finny's hand shot out and grabbed my arm, and with my balance restored, the panic immediately disappeared" (Knowles 31). But when Finny and Gene end up on the branch again during another Suicide Society meeting, Gene states, "My knees bent and I jounced the limb. Finny, his balance gone...hit the bank with a sickening, unnatural thud" (Knowles 60). Finny is a good, loyal friend to Gene, while Gene isn't a good friend to Finny.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Julia that Gene was mistaken thinking that him and Finny were in a competition with each other. One thing that I believe which is different from Julia is that Gene bounced on the limb to hurt Finny intentionally in order to end his athletic dominance, because he thought Finny was trying to ruin his academic performance by distracting him and not let him study for exams. "I didn't know you needed to study." (Knowles 58). This shows that Finny admires Genes academic performance and isn't trying to destroy Gene. Gene is being delirious think him and Finny are in a constant battle because Finny looks up to Gene when it come to academics and isn't trying to fight him.
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