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.
I agree with you Chris. I would also add that this moment changed Gene's life forever, never quite being able to forgive himself. Knowles also tried to use the changing of weather to suggest the change in their friendship. From a glistening summers day to cold autumn. The change in Gene's fear was due to the fact that he had seen the worst of what could happen.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with you, but don't you think that it wasn't only Gene's fear that made him push Finny? Maybe it was connected to what Julia was saying about Gene and Finny being in a sort of a 'war', with Finny being so good at sports and Gene trying to compete. Also, Gene seemed to be very tired of Finny and how he kept on bothering him and getting him to do things like jumping out of the tree. However, I don't think that Gene wasn't afraid of jumping out of the tree after Finny fell because he was worried about Finny. Rather, maybe it was that all along he was afraid of Finny and Finny's disapproval if he failed. Because Finny failed first Gene no longer had to be afraid.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you third, Chris, for the most part, as I do not believe that the “jounce” was entirely purposeful but I also do not believe that it was completely an accident. Gene did not mean to knock Phineas off the branch and seriously hurt him when he jounced the tree, as Gene had recently come to the conclusion that Phineas had never been jealous and that the rivalry had only existed in his own mind, but when your high up on a tree limb why would you shake it when your best friend is on the other end? The way Gene says he shook the branch does not sound like an accident, but it seems almost absurd that Gene would try to almost kill Phineas simply due to a rivalry, as that would not even settle anything, instead Gene would almost lose more. I believe that the jounce was almost instinct, some of Gene’s former rage taking control of Gene momentarily and seeing Phineas vulnerable, it took advantage of it, and Gene had never wanted to actually shake the branch. But after Phineas falls off the branch, Gene does not show any form of concern, or fear for Phineas’s safety, instead only stating that it was the only clumsy action he had ever seen Phineas make. Then when he himself jumps off the limb, there is a large chance that Gene lost his fear of jumping due to his main priority becoming getting to Phineas quickly or there was no more point in being afraid as the tree seemed like nothing compared to what the consequences might be or if Phineas was seriously injured. But if Gene was worried, how come he does not show any concern at all after Phineas’s fall? I believe that part of Gene was almost satisfied because he still felt some of his former rage towards Phineas and felt Phineas deserved it for what he had done, and even though he never actually wanted to knock Phineas off the branch or hurt him, his former feelings still had enough control over him as so that he did not appear extremely worried or openly express his concern for his once one sided rival.
ReplyDeleteJJ Ma