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.