Assignment 4 pg. 61-71 Question 2-Justin Ma

Briefly explain Gene’s visit to the infirmary. How does Finny act? Why? Does this feel “realistic”? How does Gene’s visit impact Finny?

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Gene is informed one morning that Phineas is better, something he had been dreading because if Phineas’s condition has improved, that means Gene must confront Finny and he believes Phineas knows what really happened. As Gene finds out Phineas will only be able to walk once more, but never again play sports, he becomes immediately distressed as he knows it was his fault, and for the first time Gene displays genuine concern for Phineas’s safety and future, the first time he has worried about Phineas since the fall or something other than others discovering it was him or how he himself was dealing with the accident. From the moment Gene enters the infirmary, he feels nervous, even stating he felt like he would black out. Phineas acts completely normal and friendly, as he does not believe it was Gene’s fault for his accident, or that Gene had anything to do with his fall. But Phineas does notice Gene’s nervousness to confront Phineas, stating that Gene looks even worse that he does.

       
        Starting in the infirmary scene, Gene begins to show what appears to be true concern for Phineas. From here, Gene pushes Phineas to tell him what really happened on the tree in his opinion, which Phineas responds to very casually, as if he knows his future is uncertain and he will not be able to play sports, but has accepted that, and is not letting that be a burden to him. He tells Gene “I just fell, something jiggled and I fell over. I remember I turned around and looked at you, and it was like I had all the time in the world. I thought I could reach out and get hold of you” (Knowles 65). But Gene, still paranoid about Phineas’s intentions after all that has happened, flinches and exclaims that he was trying to get a hold of him to drag him down too while it was only to save himself from falling, but this time they were not as successful as when Phineas saved Gene. Phineas also admits that he had a nagging feeling or suspicion of what was really the truth, but is too noble to accuse a friend based only on a feeling, stating he must have been delirious to convince himself he was wrong, only further showing how good of a person he is, even apologizing for ever accusing Gene. This makes Gene feel guilty as Phineas’s accusations were true and he knows almost for certain that Phineas never meant them any harm and that they were never competitors, and that the whole accident had been his fault for nothing but anger about something that never happened. After this realization Gene decides he must tell Phineas the truth, as that is what Phineas would have done to him. But right before he gets it out, the doctor returns and he loses his chance. I feel that this visit is realistic as even though Gene shook the branch on purpose, he does feel terrible about it as his anger that caused the shake was over nothing. This is what this scene illustrates, as he feels so guilty as it was intentional and his fault, which is shown through his nervous aura, yet he realizes he made a mistake and regrets it more than anything, shown as he is frantically demanding how Phineas got hurt and he feels so bad he is willing to tell Phineas the truth about the accident and risk their friendship. This whole scene is kept realistic however, by showing that Gene has not all of a sudden turned into an angel, but still has some of his former anger and paranoia as when Phineas mentions he attempted to grab a hold onto Gene, Gene believes momentarily that it was to drag him down with him, while it only to save himself from falling, showing that Gene still refuses to completely accept that he was wrong as that would be, in Gene’s mind, a defeat under Phineas.

JJ Ma

Assignment 4, question 5, pages 61-71, Elianna Knight

Gene tried to do the right thing by telling Finny the truth, but it ended up hurting Finny in a greater way. Gene thinks, “He would have told me the truth” (Knowles page 66), in the hospital room. The quote proves how highly Gene perceives Finny, and how Gene even attempts to do what Finny would have done. While Gene sat in Finny’s home, he contemplates, “It struck me that I was injuring him again” (Knowles page 70). Finny didn’t want to know what happened because recognizing that his best friend jostled him off a high branch frightened and angered him. Gene did the right thing by telling Finny the truth, even if Finny didn’t want to here it.

Assignment #4, Question 4 - Katie

What is guilt? Do we all have it? Is it part of being human? Can someone live guilt free?

Guilt is when you know you did something that wasn’t right. It’s when your conscience won’t leave you alone because you know that you purposefully did something you are fully aware that you shouldn’t have done. Many people attempt to bury guilt, because it is an uncomfortable and upsetting feeling. Every human being has some level of guilt in his or her life. It’s not possible to live entirely guilt-free. Maybe one has less guilt in his or her life, but that could be because they do less guilty things, or because bad things do not bother them as much. For some people, putting a piece of paper in the trash is not a big deal, and for others, they feel bad afterwards. No one can live guilt free, but the amount of guilt depends on the person.

Gene feels an extreme and terrible amount of guilt, after he jounces the tree, causing for Finny to fall and ending his sports career. It follows him for a long time when Finny is in the hospital. He tries to make the feelings go away, but ends up in kind of a funk, specifically when he is on vacation. While back at Devon he says, “I spent as much time as I could alone in our room, trying to empty my mind of every thought, to forget where I was, even who I was,” (Knowles 62). Gene cannot stop thinking about Finny and what he knows he did, and finally has to tell him, saying, “I was thinking about you and the accident because I caused it,” (Knowles 69). Experiencing guilt is a part of being human, and it can be rough and awful, or just a nagging feeling at the back of your head, but guilt is what helps humans to learn from their mistakes. When one learns from this punishment, they hopefully don’t do it again. Guilt is knowing you are in the wrong, it is a part of being human, and it is something Gene experiences a lot of in this reading.

Assignment 4, Question #4 JFrye

4.) What is guilt? Do we all have it? Is it part of being human? Can someone live guilt free?

Guilt is a feeling of having done wrong or failed in an obligation. It gives rise to a feeling which does not go away easily. Guilt is a feeling which everyone goes through in life. There is an emotional side of everyone's character. Everyone shows guilt, this is shown in chapter 5. "I never forgot, and that evening I put on his cordovan shoes, his pants, and i looked for and finally found his pink shirt, neatly laundered in a drawer" (Knowels 62). In this part of the chapter Gene is trying to comfort himself by wearing Finny's clothes. Guilt is starting to take over his emotions. All he is doing is trying to coverup everything he did. It is not possible for one to live a life free of guilt. Everyone is going to make mistakes in life and are going to regret some of those mistakes.

Chapter 5, Pages 61-71, Question 1 Assignment 4 by Lachie McGrath

1.) While Finny is in the infirmary, Gene is paranoid that people will be suspicious of him, and then he dresses in Finny’s clothes and feels better. Why does Gene do this? Why is this significant?

Gene does this do get comfort in the tragedy that has occurred. By seeing an almost exact resemblance in the mirror, he was able to see a fallacy, that Finny was okay and he was back to normal. However we know that this is not true. "He'll be walking again" (Dr Stanpole 63) Dr Stanpole states that Finny will be able to walk again but not be able to play sports. This forces Gene to cry knowing that he stripped Finny of his life "The only true goodness" (Finny 27). The fallacy is significant because it shows how even as the worst events occur, Gene is still able to find comfort in the silliest of ideas. It also presents us with a symbolic message. "Turns out it was all in my head. We were like two pals sharing stories of our vacations" (Knowles 69). This message also ties in with Gene's jealousy earlier on in the book. Will Gene and Finny be friends again?

Assignment #4, Question 4 Ayame

4.) What is guilt? Do we all have it? Is it part of being human? Can someone live guilt free?

Guilt is an emotion that humans feel when they feel bad about something they did or did not do. I do not think that it is possible to live guilt free, since everyone does things that they regret. However, different people feel guilty about different things. For example, at first Gene doesn’t seem to be very guilty about pushing Finny out of the tree, but instead does everything he can to block it out, pretendingq it never happened. He says, “ I spent as much time as I could alone in our room, trying to empty my mind of every thought, to forget where I was, even who I was” (Knowles 62). However, I think that this is another instance of Gene lying to himself, trying to get himself to no longer care. Guilt is the main emotion that keeps people from forgetting an experience where they did something wrong. He also lies to Finny and tries to manipulate his half-remembered version of the truth, even though Finny has a ‘feeling’ about what really happened in the tree. It was only after Finny apologized for suspecting Gene that the guilt really hits him, and he thinks "And I thought we were competitors! It was so ludicrous I wanted to cry. If Phineas had been sitting here in this pool of guilt, how would he have felt, what would he have done?” (Knowles 66). Gene then tries to assuage his guilt by telling Finny what really happened, but he ends up only hurting him more. By telling Finny, Gene did nothing to help either of them, since Finny now believes that his ‘best friend’ tried to kill him, and Gene knows that all he did was selfishly try to get rid of the burden of guilt by dumping it on Finny, thereby hurting him. Sometimes it’s better to keep a secret if you know that it could damage a relationship or hurt a person. Just because you feel like it would make you feel better doesn’t mean you should go ahead and do it. Life is full of mistakes and nobody’s perfect, so it is humanly impossible to live guilt free.

Assignment #4 Question #1 Victor

Question #1: While Finny is in the infirmary, Gene is paranoid that people will be suspicious of him, and then he dresses in Finny's clothes and feels better. Why does Gene do this? Why was this significant.

This horrible accident is horrible for Finny, but even Gene is greatly affected by it. Gene becomes very paranoid and insecure. To feel better he wears Finny's clothes and sacred emblem. I think he wore them so that he could feel more like Finny. When Gene learns that he is asked by Phineas to visit him in the infirmary, he feels as if he is about to be attacked. In the room, you can notice that he is on the defensive when Finny mentions that he was trying to grab Gene. Gene then says, "To drag me down too"(Knowles 65)! This scene shows that what Gene did to Finny is hurting both of them. Gene knows thats it time to come forward, but the doctor takes him out before then. To come back to why he wore Finny's clothes, Gene and Finny whatever happens will still be best friends. So wearing the clothes is putting part of Finny in Gene, reminding him that Finny didn't deserve the fall.

Will Mann Assignment #4 Question #1

Question #1: While Finny is in the infirmary, Gene is paranoid that people will be suspicious of him, and then he dresses in Finny's clothes and feels better. Why does Gene do this? Why was this significant.

During his visiting session with Finny inside the Devon infirmary, Gene feels insecure and paranoid that people will question his innocence involving the incident with the tree. This insecurity and paranoia sprouts from the constant shadow lurking that Gene consistantly performed before the horrid accident, and since this shadow is not available anymore, stepping into the role feels good and relieving for Gene. Finny is also one of the sole people in the world that Gene looks up to, and when he falls "in battle", Gene feels it appropriate to fill in the gap. Regarding how he sees Finny when he is lying in bed, Gene states "But when I looked in the mirror, it was no remote aristocrat I had become, no character out of daydreams. I was Phineas. Phineas to the life" (Knowles 62). To Gene, Finny is elevated to a higher level than everyone else, and just putting on his clothes instilled the playful and laughter filled spirit of his wounded companion. Upon putting on Finny's clothes, and feeling the power and emotion of them, Gene divulges "The sense of transformation stayed with me throughout the evening, and even when I undressed and went to bed. That night I slept easily, and it was only upon waking up that this illusion was gone, and I was confronted with myself, and what I had done to Finny" (Knowles 62). In Gene's mind, being Finny is a personal dream, and something so minor and unimportant as wearing his wardrobe can spin him into a fictional stupor of happiness and love. Gene may never be as talented or popular as Finny is, but sharing something with him is an honor and a joy for the shadow dwelling, quiet character that is Gene.

HENRY BAMFORD'S Assignment 3 Question 1

When Gene and Finny were at the beach, Finny tells his true feelings about their friendship. “...Best pal... which is what you (Gene) are.” (Knowles 48). Gene responds with nothing, and later says to the reader, “I should have told him (Finny) 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.” (Knowles 48). The truth that Gene is referring to is the fact that, to Gene, they aren't best friends. Gene's jealousy of Finny is to great for Gene to say that they are best pals. In the past reading, his emotions about Finny's shadow have been shown because of Finny's ability to charm everyone. Now, Gene seems to have snapped. The rapid decline of Gene's tolerance of Finny will lead to their friendship permanently ending.

Assignment 40-60 Dowden

4.) What exactly happened in the tree and who do you think was responsible? Why do you say this?

The incident at the tree marks a turning point in Gene and Finny's friendship. Although I do think Finny's fall was partially an accident, Gene did nothing to stop it. "holding firmly to the trunk, I took a step towards him,and then my knees bent and jounced the limb."(Knowles 59-60) This quote suggests that, at least from one perspective, that Gene was simply stepping forward and slipped, causing Finny's fall. But he did not reach out to catch finny, and just watched as he fell. Then he jumped cleanly into the water. I think this is the culmination of the buildup of enmity in the last two chapters and both the boys realize it. Right before falling, Finny "swung his head around to look at me for an instant with extreme interest," (Knowles 60) before falling down. This shows that Finny realized exactly what was happening. Also, the fact that Gene forgets his fear, because it has been blown out of the way, shows that hes not exactly torn up about what happened.

Pages 40-60 Question #4, Sophie A.

What exactly happened in the tree and who do you think was responsible? Why do you say this?

Finny and Gene headed to the tree because Finny pressured Gene to go there and watch Leper jump off the tree for the first time. Gene did not want to go because he was studying for French but Gene as always pressured him into going. When they got to the tree Finny and Gene decided to jump off the tree together. So as they prepared to jump Finny lost his balance and fell. It is hard to tell whose fault this is because jumping off the tree and going there was all Finny’s idea so it could be his fault because of that. You can think even further and blame Leper for deciding to jump off the tree, but really you can’t blame any of them. Finny and Leper did not know Finny was going to fall of the tree it was an accident, but Gene might have done it on purpose because as described “I took a step towards him, and then my knees bent and I jounced the limb” (Knowles p. 59 and 60). After reading this you can’t be sure if Gene did it on purpose or if he was just bending his knees so he could prepare to jump. Since we were not assigned to read further we don’t know if Finny got hurt or if Gene tells us weather or not he did it on purpose. For now you can only conclude that it was an accident and nobody has a fault.

Pages 40-60, Question 3 Julia Burnett

On pages 52-54, how does Gene’s view of their relationship change? (Be sure to explain his usage of enmity). What does he think of it? How do you know this? Why does he feel this way? Do you think it is accurate? Why or why not?

After Gene learns that Finny is jealous of his success in academics, he looks at their relationship as a competition more than a friendship, attempting to decide who is the loser and who is the winner based on academic and athletic achievement. No longer is he trying to catch up to Finny in the competition that is their current friendship, but now he believes that Finny’s jealousy condones his own, saying “You are even in enmity. You are coldly driving ahead for yourselves alone.” (Knowles 53). This newfound knowledge about Finny provided comfort for Gene, allowing him to admit, “You did hate him for breaking that school swimming record,” and giving him the courage to change his target focus, working to excel in academics and earn the title of valedictorian (Knowles 53). As the chapter continues, readers discover that Gene is looking at his relationship with Finny as war, explaining, “while he was a very poor student I was a pretty good athlete, and when everything was thrown into the scales they would in the end tilt definitely toward me. The new attacks of studying were his emergency measures to save himself. I redoubled my efforts.” (Knowles 55). This competition has driven him to a hatred of Finny, however Gene expressed his emotional struggle with the status of their relationship and of the current status of the world, saying, “It was hard to remember in the heady and sensual clarity of these mornings; I forgot whom I hated and who hated me. I wanted to break out crying from stabs of hopeless joy, or intolerable promise, or because these mornings were full of beauty for me, because I knew of too much hate to be contained in a world like this.” (Knowles 55). John Knowles, the author of the book, used Gene and Finny’s relationship to describe the world at that point in their boyhood, a world filled with war between nations, uncertainty of what will come next and hatred of those different or of those who dare to disagree. According to Gene’s description of their relationship, Finny and him are at war, , as he fears what will become of their relationship due to grades and athletic prizes causing him to develop a hatred for Finny, although it is hard to continue as they get along so well. Gene’s relationship with Finny has become a reflection on the world around them, one filled with turmoil, hatred, uncertainty and war.

pg. 40-60 question 5, Chris Bornhorst

Gene and Finney decide to jump out of the tree together. Gene has always had a fear of jumping out of the tree. This fear of his goes away once Finney falls out of the tree onto the bank. Gene's fear of jumping vanishes because he is thinking about Finney and is scared for him and is panicking. His fear for Finney takes over his fear of jumping. Gene being scared of jumping in the first place made him push a limb and knock over Finney. "Holding firmly to the trunk, I took a step toward him, and then my knees bent and I jounced the limb." (Knowles, 60)
This incident was Gene's responsibility because his fear of jumping made him push Finney off the edge.

Assignment 2 pg. 21-40 break Question 3-Quinn Egan

Re-read the opening paragraph of chapter 3. Explore and explain the quote “Yes, he had practically saved my life. He had also practically lost it for me” (33). Explain what Gene is saying and why he is saying it at this point. What are the larger implications of what he is saying?

The Quote “Yes, he had practically saved my life. He had also practically lost it for me” (Knowles 33), shows the first major time in the book where Gene is standing up for himself to Finny even though it was in his head. Gene follows Finny with everything he does even when Gene does not wish to, for example, "...and it also involved the kind of long, labored bicycle ride I hated. "All right""(Knowles 46). In that situation Gene went to the beach with Finny when Gene had a test the next day that he wanted to study for. Gene went anyway as he always has followed Finny. This proves that Finny is destroying what is most important to Gene, his studies. Not only are his studies being destroyed but also his safety. As stated in the first quote Finny saved his life, that Finny put in danger. He is pressuring Gene into doing almost got him killed or seriously injured. So by that quote Gene was expressing the fact that Finny gets him into things that put him into a bad situation that Finny helps him out of. But Gene would never have to be in those situations if Finny did not put him in them. Although it sounds like it is mostly Finny's falt, that is false. Most of the blame goes to Gene, because Gene is the one that goes against his better judgment and follows Finny with everything he does. Gene should use his brain which is very talented and smart and use it to make better judgement, and do what is right for him.

Assignment 2 pg. 21-40 break Question 3-Justin Ma

Re-read the opening paragraph of chapter 3. Explore and explain the quote “Yes, he had practically saved my life. He had also practically lost it for me” (33). Explain what Gene is saying and why he is saying it at this point. What are the larger implications of what he is saying?

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At the end of chapter 2, Gene spends a whole paragraph expressing his gratitude towards Phineas for saving his life, and appears to be nothing but thankful towards Phineas after the near accident. But his first words of chapter 3 show that Gene appears to have slightly altered his opinion on Phineas’s heroic deed. His statement “He had also practically lost it for me” (Knowles, 33), shows that his new thoughts discredit Phineas’s deed in his own mind, and show he thinks it was because of Phineas that he was put in that situation in he first place, so why should he be grateful as Phineas was just saving himself just as much as he was Gene, as if Phineas hadn’t been there, he wouldn’t have been on the limb and lost his balance, as he never would have gone on the limb in the first place. Gene later states “i didn’t need to feel any tremendous rush of gratitude toward Phineas” (Knowles, 33), expressing his thoughts that it is not necessary or required to be thankful towards Phineas as it was Phineas’s fault anyway. This shows that Gene is purposely not grateful towards Phineas, as even if it was Phineas’s fault, he still saved his life, showing Gene does not wish to be in Phineas’s debt. Gene is also jealous, as his jealousy is clear throughout the book, and it is clear it is slowly growing and at this point Gene, upset with Phineas and envious of his social and physical prowess, is tired of constantly following Phineas everywhere. Gene does not wish to have once again require Phineas’s help, or have to owe him anything and have a debt to repay, so he searches and attempts to create an excuse as to why it was Phineas’s fault and how he needs no thanks towards Phineas for saving his life. Gene, though Phineas’s best friend, is tired of living in his shadow and begins to grow jealous of Phineas’s capabilities and personality, leaving Gene to be slowly torn away from his best friend.

JJ Ma

#2 question 1 pages 21-40 Elianna Knight

Although Finny acts controlling and arrogant, he still manages to be well liked. Finny’s charming personality allows him to convince anybody of anything, including the substitute headmaster. Gene states, “Everything he said was true and sincere” (page 23), after Finny persuaded the headmaster into not giving them a punishment for skipping dinner. When Finny made up the game of Bliztball, he dictated how all the boys should play the game. By saying “Well, run” (page 37), Finny ordered Gene to run and Gene naturally did exactly that, no questions asked. Finny acted completely arrogantly when he behaved like the tea was such a drag, even though he participated the most out of all the guests. By thinking he was too good for the tea Finny displayed his arrogance. Being likable, controlling and arrogant, Finny is almost untouchable, and that’s what makes Gene so jealous.

Assignment #2 (21-40 break) Question #5 Katie

Question #5: How would you characterize Gene at this point (the end of the reading)?

Provide two specific examples from the story to support your answer.

It becomes clear to the reader at this point in the story that Gene is a giant follower, and not at all a leader. He does what Phineas tells him to do, because he doesn't want Phineas to stop being friends or "lose face" with him. If something doesn't feel right he ignores it, and does what Finny is saying he should do anyways. Gene is insecure, and he doesn't know how to speak up for himself. He almost fatally hurts himself on top of the tree and yet he goes back up and jumps off of it again and again and again, every time Phineas tells him to. He second guesses his situation when he is up in the tree, saying, "Every time I got myself into position to jump, I felt a flash of disbelief that I was doing anything so periolous. But I always jumped" (Knowles, 34). He knows that Phineas isn't healthy for him saying, "Yes, he had practically saved my life. He had also practically lost it for me" (Knowles 33).

Gene is an intelligent boy, but he is characterized as the weaker two of the relationship. Phineas is dominating his life, and because Gene is too nervous about losing him, he never speaks up. Gene seems to idolize Phineas, and loves being his best friend. Gene is characterized as scared, weak, and not a confident young man compared to his best friend.

ASP Assignment #2 Question #4

4.) How does the invention of and the playing of Blitzball impact/influence the relationship between Finny and Gene? Be sure to provide two specific examples.

The invention of Blitzball impacts the relationship between Finny and Gene by shifting the power to one side, and in this case, to Finny's side. Gene says after the invention of Blitzball,"He had unconciously invented a game that brought his own athletic talents to a pitch." (pg. 39). While Gene is not the most fantastic Blitzball player, Finny, as the inventor, is the best in the whole school. Although Gene does not specifically admit it in the literature, he becomes jealous of Finny and wishes he could be in his social position. While this jealousy can elevate hatred and destroy Finny and Gene's friendship, it can also be beneficial to their relationship, and install a sense of competition. Competition is healthy because it gives us an ever changing ceiling of ability, and helps us keep our purpose (Mann, English 81) Competition is also what makes Gene say "Finny could shine with everyone, he attracted everyone he met. I was glad of that too. Naturally. He was my roomate and my best friend. The invention of Blitzball played a crucial part in the friendship of Finny and Gene, and will continue to do so in the chapters to come.

Assignment #2 Question #1 Victor

1) Once the story shifts to the summer of 1942, Gene begins his narrative about his summer, the war, the school, his friendships and most specifically his relationship with Finny. Provide three specific examples of characterization about Finny, most specifically what kind of person is he and how do you know this.

When Gene is narrating this chapter, he describes Finny, and the school a lot. Finny is described to be somewhat of a rebel, and leader. When Finny starts the "club" he makes almost to stand out, not to bond with anyone but Gene. Gene is so glad Phineas saved his life, but after on he decides to not have any gratitude for Finny because he put him up there in the first place. This shows that Finny can put others as well as himself in danger. Finny makes up very unique rules that make the club though on all, especially Gene. Gene also get away with everything, which is why Gene envys Phineas. "I couldn't help envying him"(Knowles 25)

Assignment 2 Question 2 Ayame

2) Re-read Gene's recognition of his use of sarcasm in the middle of pg. 29. In what way has Gene revealed himself to be weak and then use sarcasm to hide this weakness?

pg. 29: “ …As I said, this was my sarcastic summer. It was only long after that I recognized sarcasm as the protest of people who are too weak”

Already in these few short chapter, Gene has been revealed as more of an academic person then an athletic person, while Finny is the exact opposite. Finny also has a way with words, though, as seen when he convinces the strict teachers to let him off for all kinds of minor offences such as skipping dinner and using a tie for a belt. In Chapter Two Finny displays such charm that Mr. Prud’homme lets them both off “… he saw that Mr. Prud’Homme was pleased, won over despite himself…” (Knowles 22). Finny and Gene are best friends, but Gene probably feels constantly overshadowed by the more athletic, more charming Finny. Because of this, Gene falls back on sarcasm as a reply to everything in an attempt to prove his cleverness and to prove that he is, maybe, just as good as Finny. When he looks back, he realizes that instead of being witty he was being weak, and trying to cover it up. The fact that his future self realizes that helps the reader to see this as well unlike the past version of Gene.

Chapters 2 and 3, PG's 21-40 break, Question 4 by Lachie McGrath

4.) How does the invention of and the playing of Blitzball impact/influence the relationship between Finny and Gene? Be sure to provide two specific examples.

The invention of Blitzball heavily impacted the relationship between Finny and Gene. Blitzball was a game created by Finny for Finny. As Gene says "It was good that Finny shined at it"(Gene page 40). Blitzball helped Gene realize that Finny was "His room mate and his best friend" (Gene page 40). Blitzball also made Gene realize other features of Finny. Firstly, Gene realized that Finny shined at everything he did. "He attracted everyone he met" (Gene page 40). This enabled Finny to get away with everyone wrong thing he did. Not only did this help Finny but Gene was also protected by this feature because the mayhem that they caused were mainly Finny ideas where Gene had tagged along. Secondly he discovered that Finny spontaneous mind and quick wit was a privilege that Finny probably took advantage of making Gene "envy him. It is okay for a friend to envy". This made Gene feel "lucky to have him as a best friend". The invention of blitzball greatly impacted Gene and Finnys' relationship in a good way making them closer than they have ever been before.

Chapter 1, PG's 9-20, Question 3 by Lachie McGrath

3.) Gene visits two specific places upon his return: the First Academy Building and the tree. Name and explain two specific things he notices/realizes about these places/things now (as opposed to then) and why Knowles might have done this.

Gene firstly visits the First Academy Building in a yard called Far Common. He notices three things while he is in there. Firstly he notices that the marble staircase is old and worn. This leads his realisation that the steps were unusually hard and a lot harder than he had remembered. This was “surprising that I had overlooked that, that crucial fact” (Narrator bottom of page 11). Finally he felt older. He had examined his convalescence from a small boy to a grown man and the steps that used to be taunting now were just normal. The second place Gene visits is the tree that he and “Finny” had jumped off. He noticed that the tree seemed older and less daunting as he and Finny had noticed when they were younger. He commented "plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose" the more things remain the same, the more they change after all. By this he means the longer the tree has stayed there the older and more fragile it has gotten. I believe Knowles has done this to try and illuminate to the responder how things can change over time whether it be long or short. It also expresses the difference of objects in the eyes of children and in adults. These were the two specific things that Gene recalled on his return trip to Devon School.

Labels Practice

Finny is awesome! So is Gene!

Chapter 1 pg. 9-20 Question 3-Justin Ma

                    Gene visits two specific places upon his return: the First Academy Building and the tree. Name and explain two specific things he notices/realizes about these places/things now (as opposed to then) and why Knowles might have done this.

Assignment #1 (9-20) question 1- Quinn Egan

John Knowles opens up the book by having the protagonist come back to the Devon school and notice all the changes. Not only have the houses and the school have changed the protagonist has also changed. He points out that he is more successful now. The main differences in when he attended Devon and after was that the school was in better shape and it was redone on the outside. It was in better shape because when he attending Devon there was a war going on so repairing the school seemed less important. The effect that this opening does on the book is that is highlights what is going on at the time and what has changed, in a unique way.

Assignment #1 pp.9-20 Question #1

Victor Mahdavi

John Knowles starts off a separate piece on the present day, Gene is visiting his old school 15 years after graduation. This is interesting, because we get to see what has changed between the old and present day Devon High. John Knowles picked this beginning because he wishes the reader to get under Gene's skin. Simple descriptions like how the stairs had not changed a bit add color and description. Gene's character is also well described. He doesn't enjoy the varnish and glossy new look the school has attached itself to. This book to me starts off confusing and intriguing. It makes the reader want to know more about Gene, what he did, what he lost to the war, and what in the world make him come back 15 years later.

Assignment #1 (9-20) question 3- Sophie A.

Knowles starts off this novel with Gene entering his old school. When Gene enters the First Academy Building he enters it as if it were a museum. Gene notices how much shiner the place looks and how glossy it is. When he walks around the halls and up the stairs he feels much bigger and taller, the entire place just feels different for him. The second thing Gene visits is a tree. This tree is a huge tree that by the time he visits it is way older then he remembers it. He notices how old it looks and how the coldness affected the tree trunk. Scars covered the trunk and its limbs extended over the river. Knowles probably started the book like this because it is an interesting way of starting a novel and it hooks you into it. When you start reading it he gives you very little information so you want to keep reading so you can find out what he is talking about and who. Knowles made sure Gene visited the tree after the Academy Building because he could blend the descriptions of the tree into the story that Gene shares about when he jumped off the tree with Finny back when he went to Devon School. The begging was a great way to start to book because it really interests the reader.

#1 pages 9-20 question 3

The trip back to Deven is depressing and the bad weather highlights the tone as Gene describes the two main places he went, the First Academic building and the tree. Gene describes the Academic Building as a red brick building the same as all the rest with one difference. “A large cupola and a bell and a clock and Latin over the doorway.” Gene mentions this as what distinguishes the First Academic Building from the rest of the buildings. Then Gene mentions the stairs and how hard the marble is. “ I had overlooked this crucial fact” Gene refers to how hard the marble is as a crucial fact, but we have yet to find out why it’s so important. The way Gene can identify the tree is through the scars on the trunk of the tree. The other way Gene confirms his assumption is by the branch over the river. We do know that the branch is important because that is what the boy’s used to jump into the river, which was a sign that you were more fit to be in the army. Although Gene’s journey back to his school was bleak and gloomy the two places he went and the artifacts he noticed will probably have great meaning in the book.

Chapter 1 pages 9-20 Question #3

Katie Massie

John Knowles begins the novel by opening it with present day Gene narrating his return to Devon because it adds a reflective element to the scenes of him as a teenage boy with his friends. The purpose is to show his thoughts on those times and the school years after he’s been there, and it is more honest because not only is he wiser now, but he is also less influenced now than he was a teenager. He understands his foolish and humorous ways, and John Knowles portrays it perfectly when Gene narrates, “I said a lot of things sarcastically that summer; that was my sarcastic summer, 1942.” It is so subtle, but yet is relatable because everyone knows someone or has been that know-it-all teenager that at one point in their life. People know the obnoxious teenager character, the one who says everything snidely, and sarcastically, with a roll of the eyes.

Because it was the past, Gene can say things like “We were in the transit that summer from the groveling status of Lower Middlers to the near – respectability of Upper Middlers,” and it makes the scene have more depth, be more honest, and be funnier. Having a man look back at his times with his friends as a teenager also makes the scenes more sentimental to the reader. It resonates with the reader, no matter what the reader’s age. It makes it relatable, and adds a sweetness to the scenes, somewhat of a bitter sweetness. It’s the kind of writing that makes a person who misses being young, innocent, and alive, tilt their head and give a little half - smile. It also creates a build-up so it makes the reader intrigued, and the scenes with Gene and his friends more interesting. The novel opens with Gene returning to Devon because it allows more honesty and reflection to the following scenes.

pages 9-20, question 1- Chris

John Knowles starts off with the present day Gene 15 years after he graduates because he can describe what has changed over the many years. This is a cool way to start off the story because he does say what has changed and what hasn't. John Knowles did this because he wanted to show the reader that Gene still remembers his experience in the school and that he visits it. This technique makes you think about why it is so important to him and why he visits the school 15 years after he graduates. Now the reader is curious to why it was such a great or bad experience to Gene.

Assignment 1Question 1

Question 1. The novel opens up with present-day Gene narrating his return to Devon 15 years after he graduates. Why does John Knowles begin the novel this way? What is the purpose? What is the effect?

John Knowles starts his novel with Gene at present-day Devons School. The reader sees Gene's current perspective of the school and his old memories from the summer of 1942. This creates a contrast between facts of the novel and bias information coming through Gene's account of the story. Gene's memories are distorted by time lapse and emotion, making the information presented questionable. This difference in presenting facts makes the first fourteen pages of the novel seem more real. Gene's present-day accounts of the bleak Devons School may also contain hints as to what happened during Gene's high school experience. The author mentions some of Gene's “fearful” places at the school and the novel may start to show us more of Gene's fear. John Knowles is trying to clue the reader in as to where the story will go next as well as create a strong base for his novel.

Chapter 1 Question 3

When Gene enters the First Academy Building, the main thing he notices are the stairs. He notices that the marble is very hard, since the worn-out parts where people walk are not very deep. He also notices, based on himself in relation to these stairs, that he is older and taller then when he last saw them-- an obvious fact, but it adds to the feeling of memory that is present through this whole chapter. This is probably why John Knowles included it. After he visits the stairs, Gene goes outside to see the tree. He has some trouble finding it due to the fact that he remembers it as a lonely, monumental, easily seen object when in fact it is a part of a group of trees. This is interesting because it indicates that the tree played some important role in a major event, since places or objects that we associate with a traumatic or overly emotional memory tend to stand out as singular and unique even if in reality they are not. Knowles uses the tree to introduce a flashback and begins the book that way. These two places serve as an introduction into the whole book rather then just launching into the story without giving any background. It also hooks the reader and provides enough information about the setting that the author can begin the story without having to explain too much.

A Separate Peace Assignment #1 Question #3 - Jordan Frye

(Question Number Three)-Gene visits two specific places upon his return: the First Academy Building and the tree. Name and explain two specific things he notices/realizes about these places/things now (as opposed to then) and why Knowles might have done this.

In the first chapter Gene visits two places during his return to Devon. The first place Gene returns to is the Fist Academy Building. He notices that the centers of the marble stairs were not worn or used. He then assumes that the marble is very hard. He thinks thats it is odd that he never noticed that in the past. He also notices that he grew and that he is now a lot bigger compared to the stairs, in the past the stairs used to seem very large in comparison to his size. Then second place he visits is the tree. At first it was hard for him to find it but when he does he notices that it looks very similar to the other trees around it. Just like the stairs the tree now seems much smaller than it was in the past. The author John Knowles shows this amount of detail to show that time can over power the truth in a way in which it changes the experiences or memories people have. These two locations could also become symbols later on in the story .

Chapter 1 Question 2

Gene is narrating his own story of what happened when he was in high school. How do a. his perspective (1st person narration) and b. the retrospective (looking back and telling the story as if it were present) influence you as a reader and how does it impact the credibility or integrity of the story being told?

The protagonist in A Separate Peace, Gene, narrates and reflects upon events and significant places at his old high school, allowing for readers to experience incidents from both a teenager's and adult's perspective which therefore adds credibility to the story being told. At the beginning of the book, Gene returns to his high school, reflecting upon how the curriculum, students, and school buildings has and has not changed in the fifteen years since he graduated, as well as his growth as a student there in the early 1940's. Gene who wanders around the school visiting important monuments from his boyhood, visits an old tree before explaining, as if it were in the present time, the event that took place at the site and its aftereffect. As Gene is now an adult, he can reflect upon the legitimacy of comments that were made while he was in high school as well as adding wisdom and knowledge on the logic or reason as to why the event took place in the first place, whether a smart choice or not. While the flashback is being told the readers get to hear a teenager's perspective and opinion of the event, adding depth and reliability to the information told as two very different sources are narrating the story. When a young Gene is convinced by his friend Finny to jump off of a tree into water he is nervous, asking himself, "What was I doing up here anyway? Why did I let Finny talk me into stupid things like this? Was he getting some kind of hold over me?" however when he returns to the school as an adult, he rushes to find the tree, saying he was, "thankful, very thankful that I had seen it...Changed, I headed back through the mud." (page 17 and 14 respectively). Although as a teenager the tree seemed daunting and the action seemed pointless to him, it had a profound affect on Gene as he struggled to find it and explained how much he learned from revisiting it. In this case Gene's opinion of the tree as a teenager was far different than how he viewed the tree as an adult. By including Gene's perspective as both a young man and an adult, a reader can feel more comfortable that the information given is not biased and can have further understanding of the significance, affect and reasons behind any particular event.

Chapter 1 Pages 9-20 Question #2

Gene is visiting his old school and hasn't been there for 15 years. He tells us about a story involving him, his friends and a tree branch over a river. The fact that Gene is telling us about the event of his buddy Finny jumping off the tree and him jumping off the tree himself, has lead me to believe that this story may not be entirely credible. I say this because we were not reading about the moment in action. We were hearing the story from a primary source but we have no proof that it was factual. On page 14 it says "The tree. . . seemed weary of age." Gene was saying this to show that back in his day the tree looked much stronger and younger but trees dont change too much in 15 years so Gene may not remember everything correctly. This reminds me of the jury in the book Monster, when I had to judge how credible the testimonies of the defendant and the prosecutor were. A majority of the story told by Gene was probably true but you can't be sure it was 100% credible due to the fate that it was being told from memory, we were not witnessing the action.

A Seperate Peace Assignment #1 Question #1

Question: The novel opens up with present day Gene (1958ish) narrating his return to Devon 15 years after he graduates (until the middle of page 14). Why does John Knowles begin the novel this way? What is the purpose? What is the effect?


John Knowles starts the novel with this form of literal opening because it sets an eerie and reflective tone for the entire book. He uses the present day form of the main character, Gene, as a foreshadowing image and a final product, or destination, for the high school version of Gene. The present day Gene is portrayed by Knowles as a thinking man, giving the reader a major clue as to the events of Gene's high school days. The purpose of this setting is to give the readers a base idea in the back of their heads that they can relate to the text later on in the story. If the audience can relate to the text, then they feel connected to the book, and generally enjoy it more. The effect of this setting is that the reader will think more about the choices Gene makes in the later text, or in high school. Knowledge is wealth, and since the reader will know how Gene turns out in the end, they will understand the novel more. These reasons are why John Knowles chose to show the audience the finished product before the work in progress in his novel, A Seperate Peace.

A Seperate Peace Assignment 1 by Max

3.) Gene visits two specific places upon his return: the First Academy Building and the tree. Name and explain two specific things he notices/realizes about these places/things now (as opposed to then) and why Knowles might have done this.


The first place Gene visits during his return to the school is the First Academy Building. He notices first at the old marble stairs, the fact that the centers were not worn. He infers that the marble must be very hard, and thinks it odd that he never noticed that fact in all his years at Devon. He also notices that he is a lot bigger in proportion to the stairs, and remembers them seeming so big. The second place he visits is the tree. When he looks for it, though he remembers it too be huge and intimidating, he finds it hard to find among all the others. When he finally finds it he notices that, just like with the stairs, he has grown proportionally to the point that the tree almost seems small. The fact that Knowles adds his level of detail to such a small period of time is very important. He shows how memories can exaggerate things in grandeur, and how some quite remarkable things are often taken for granted.

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