The death of Finny in the story, A Separate Peace, was extremely shocking. From the beginning of the novel, I could tell there was some reason Gene was visiting the old school, especially the staircase, and now we know why, he went to the staircase as a “reminder” of Finny. I did not think that Finny passing away was the reason for him going to the staircase in the first place, I thought it was going to be something a lot less extreme. My prediction was that he was going to the staircase to remind himself of a good pastime of him and his friends.
The death of Finny is a logical climax to the novel because it shows how much each of the boys really care for eachother. “I believe you, It's okay because I understand and believe you. You've already shown me and I believe you.” (Knowles 191), Finny’s last words, show the relationship between the boys. Even though Gene had moved the limb of the tree, and had caused his friend a broken leg, Finny forgave Gene, Like we had heard in the beginning of the novel: Gene was his best friend. Finny “Believed” (Knowles 191) that his friend did not do that intentionally, “that it was just some kind of blind impulse.” (Knowles 191) This is a logical climax due to the events that have occurred, and how the boys reacted to it, these boys were truly best friends. Gene realized this only after his friend's death.
I agree with Mitch that Finny's death was not expected. Some people could argue that the pair would have stayed friends, and would even have a stronger bond. In the infirmary, when talking about why Gene bounced the limb, Finny assures Gene, "'I believe you. It's okay because I understand and I believe you'" (Knowles 191). This quote could show that Finny trusts Gene again, and that he is ready to forgive him and continue being friends. Also in the same scene Finny says "'Then that was it. Something just seized you. It wasn't some kind of hate you've felt all along. It wasn't anything personal'" (Knowles 191). In this quote, it is clear that Finny still has doubts, and is trying to convince himself that his best friend doesn't hate him. This could potentially cause their friendship to be too shaky and untrustworthy to maintain. I think that the death of Finny was a logical climax because it leaves it up to the readers to decide what would have happened to the boys' friendship.
ReplyDeleteI think Finny's death was expected. No human being can go through life with this weight on their back. After Finny's first injury, Gene and Finny were never the same. Gene started to become more like Finny, to mask his guilt he had about injuring Finny in the first place. This process of holding your guilt back and changing your personality because of it is in-humane, and I knew either one of them (Finny and Gene) would he die.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ben that Finny's death was very expected. From the beginning of the novel it is clear that this rivalry between friends wouldn't end in a simple argument. It was going to be something much greater than that. "Finny had deliberately set out to wreck my studies" (Knowles, 53). Because Gene had this whole plot in his head, he began to think of the unthinkable. So unthinkable that it could lead up to injury or even death. When Gene pushed Finny out of the tree it was a deliberate physical action, but when Finny falls down the stairs it is caused by Gene's words instead. Meaning it is more indirect.
ReplyDeleteI think that Finny's death was expected. There was a lot of foreshadowing throughout the book signaling that someone might die. But it is surprising because Finny is the one person who denies the war, so for him to die is interesting. Also, him falling out of the tree is foreshadowing for him falling down the stair because he fell on both of these occasions. Finny's death was expected and foreshadowed throughout the book.
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