Although Finny’s fall from the tree may be because of Gene, they agree not to blame Gene so they can possibly save their friendship. Throughout most of the book, Gene has blamed himself for jostling the limb, and making Finny fall from the tree. This makes sense, because if Gene did not do that Finny would have been fine. However it is no longer possible to deny it after the night in the assembly hall. So to save their friendship, Finny says, “It was just some kind of blind impulse you had in the tree there, you didn't know what you were doing.” (Knowles 191). By saying this, he is blaming something other than Gene for the accident. This will remove animosity and enmity between them, and allow their friendship to continue on. Gene goes with the idea. Finny further shows that he doesn’t blame Gene when he says, “I believe you. It’s okay because I understand and I believe you. You’ve already shown me and I believe you.” (Knowles 191). After the night in the assembly hall, Gene and Finny agree that the accident was not Gene’s fault to save their friendship.
I disagree that Finny and Gene are trying to save their friendship. I think that Finny and Gene are thinking less about their own loneliness or companionship, and more about the other person. In the infirmary, Finny asks if it was blind impulse that caused him to bounce the branch, and Gene says, "'How can you believe that? I can't even make myself pretend that you could believe that'" (Knowles 191). In this quote, Gene is admitting to himself that Finny may never be able to forgive or trust Gene again, which means that their friendship would no longer be able to exist. When Gene brings Finny a suitcase of his belongings, Finny tells him where to put it. "The tone of his words fell dead center, without a trace of friendliness or unfriendliness, not interested and not bored, not energetic and not languid" (Knowles 188). Finny doesn't put on one of his masks in order to protect their friendship. I think that the boys each have the best interest in mind of themselves, and their friend, not their relationship.
ReplyDeleteI think that Gene did cause the life of Finny, and that is something that he is going to have to live with. I think when Finny said , “I believe you, It's okay because I understand and believe you. You've already shown me and I believe you.” (Knowles 191) that got some of the stress he would have to deal with off of his shoulders and that he does not have to live a life full of grief.
ReplyDeleteI think that Finny's death is partly because of Gene, however not fully. Finny died because of his bone marrow after falling down stairs. He was mad and annoyed because Gene and Brinker were talking about his previous injury. When storming out of the room, Finny fell down the stairs, an injury which lead to his death. I think this death had to do with guilt as well as Gene. If Finny and Gene did not have this cloud of guilt looming over them, Finny would certainly not be dead.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ben. I think that Finny's death was only part Gene's fault. While Gene did cause the original injury, it is not like he pushed Finny down the stairs, or made the bone marrow go through his blood stream to stop his heart. "This at last penetrated my mind. Phineas had died from the marrow of his bone flowing down his blood stream to his heart" (Knowles 194). So, Gene might have caused the injury, but Gene did nit directly cause Finny's death.
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