Assignment 7 question 3 Julia Burnett

How does Finny feel about the war? How do you know this? Why does he act this way? Does it feel consistent with his character? (see 108-116)

Finny feels that the war is not real, that it was created by the media and powerful men so they could take more for themselves and not worry of young people threatening their jobs, because he is ashamed that he can't serve his country due to his injury. After Gene told Finny he was going to enlist, he becomes defensive and disappointed until Gene admits that he was never really considering joining the Army and teases Brinker, Finny quickly joining in. This reaction shows the reader that Finny does not want his peers, especially Gene, enlisting in the army. While in the gym, Finny tells Gene that he doesn't believe the war is real, that he thinks it is a lie created by, "The fat old men who don't want us crowding them out of their jobs. They've made it all up" (Knowles 115). In the beginning of the book, the majority of the games and challenges created by Finny were in preparation for the war, such as blitzball and jumping off the tree. As Finny said, jumping off the tree was, " My contribution to the war effort!" (Knowles 16). Before his accident, Finny was a large supporter of the war efforts, explaining to Gene that he wore his "emblem" because, " I was reading in the paper that we bombed Central Europe for the first time the other day... Well, we've got to do something to celebrate" (Knowles 25). After his accident his view on the war changed completely, as he refused to believe its existence. Finny feels this way towards the war after his accident because he is ashamed that he is one of the few young men that cannot serve. By not believing in the war, no one can criticize him for not being able to fight for his country. As we can see when Gene and Brinker are discussing enlisting, Finny becomes defiant and embarrassed, refusing help with his crutches or the shower, as it would show that he was weak and dependent on others, unlike the soldiers they idolize. Finny is lying to himself about the existence of the war to ease his embarrassment. Finny, who refuses to believe there is a war going on, has begun to influence Gene's opinion of the war, which will affect his future as a man, a student, an athlete and an American.