EDITED VERSION 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. It was an impulse move. Finny understands this, and says to Gene as they are sitting in the infirmary for the second time, "It was just some kind of impulse move you had in the tree there, you didn't know what you were doing." (Knowles 191). 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.

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.

Assignment 10, Question 4, Lachlan McGrath

4) Name two important events of rising action that Knowles uses to build up to the climax of the fall. If you choose the trial, choose a specific incident to discuss and how it leads to the fall.

There were two main events that lead to Finny's fall down the marble staircase. Firstly there was the return of Leper to the school. This had made Gene very uncomfortable as he exclaimed "you saw Leper?" (Knowles 163). This inkling of surprise was because Leper had the ability to share the guess that Gene had jounced the limb. When this finally comes out Gene tried to stop Finny but he let him go. Secondly there was the trial. The specific part of the trial was when they had just gotten Leper. Gene seemed to be feeling very nervous because he knew the "Truth Will Out" (Knowles 88). This sudden change in the atmosphere described in page 173 represents to the responder that everyone is wondering what will happen but does not express their emotions about the subject. This creates an awkward atmosphere that Gene wishes he was not in. Once Leper actually enters the room he tries to act very confident although obviously off his rocker. This led to Genes comment on page 174 that " Any fool could see his false confidence". Both of these events had significant contributions to Finny's fall. This contribution was that of both supense and a rising awkwardness in Finy Gene had never seen before.

Assignment 9 Question 4 Katie

4.) Since Leper is “section 8” (“for nuts in the service”), explore the irony of Leper’s statement “always were a savage underneath.” Take into consideration that Leper contacted Gene. Why is this important?

Leper has basically been diagnosed by the army as, “psycho” so for him to call someone else something is a bit ironic since he shouldn’t be talking. He doesn’t know for a fact what really happened on the tree, and what he is talking about so it doesn’t seem fair for him to accuse someone of being crazy, when he has been called that himself. Leper has always been the most calm, and most peaceful out of the boys, and now he is making the most intense accusation. He has changed to be one of the more disturbed boys. In the beginning of the book, I don’t think anyone could have guessed that Leper would be one of the first to guess what really happened up on that tree. But even though Leper is telling Gene he was “always a savage underneath” he contacts him first because he feels more comfortable with someone he thinks is on the same level as him. He thinks that they both have something wrong with them. Leper wants to contact and talk to someone who has done something wrong, someone who will understand at least a little bit of what he is saying. Leper has changed sufficiently saying,“I admitted a hell of a lot to myself.” (Knowles 145). Leper has changed because now that he feels he has the title of being “psycho”, he feels he can call other people whatever he wants.

(103-123) Assignment 7, question 4 Chris Bornhorst

4.) What do Gene’s observations about the changes in Finny reveal about Finny? About Gene? (109-114)

Gene notices Finny do some stuff that is very out of the ordinary once he comes back to Devon, which change both of them. Gene learns about how Finny has changed as a person during the time when he was gone. The observations that gene makes about Finny is that he is a little bit of an outsider in the social world. Finny is a little social awkward. Also, he stands in front of buildings and just stares up into the sky. He also said something to Gene. "... when you really love something, then it loves you back, in whatever way it has to love" (Knowles, 111). This relates to Finny because he really loves sports. He likes athletics more than anyone, but when he got injured he couldn't play anymore, but that didn't stop him because he is still involved with it by helping Gene train for the Olympics.

This comment by Finny changed the way Gene looks at things because he seems to think that it's all about being the best at what your good at. He doesn't realize until now that it's about what you love, and what loves you back. Finny and Gene have changed a lot during the period when Finny was gone.

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.

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?

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.