Assignment 11 Question 1 Katie

Is Finny's fall, and ultimately his death, something you can blame on Gene? Why or why not? If he is not to blame, then who is?

Finny's fall is something that Gene can partially be blamed for, but I wouldn't say entirely. Although it was he would physically caused Finny's fall, he wasn't really consciously and purposefully doing it. He hadn't thought it through or planned it out. He wasn't trying to cripple Finny for life, it was an impulsive and dangerous move, that he wasn't in control of. Finny's death definitely cannot be blamed on Gene, although he helped to cause it. This is because he wasn't trying to kill Finny at all, and even if he had really meant to make Finny fall off of the tree, he had never had the real, admitted intention of killing Finny. No one is particularly to blame in this situation, although many caused it. Blame is suggesting that it was a their cruel intent. Brinker Hadley helped to cause the death, because if he had not held the trial, Finny never would have fallen down those stairs. Dr. Stanpole helped to cause the death, because he was not quite careful enough during the operation that directly caused Finny's death.

I do not think that anyone should be blamed for Finny's death, although many caused it.