To me, Finny's death surprised me, although I did have a hunch that something was going to happen. There was an unbelievable amount of tension in this chapter and I knew it was going to lead up to something, I just didn't know what. I thought that something minor was going to happen, because the climax had already happened. I didn't think that something was going to top it. It does seem like a logical climax to me. This is what the whole story leads up to, and is very conclusive. It concludes Finny and Gene's relationship, on a extreme, but necessary level. It is only necessary because there was so much conflict in there relationship, it would be hard to wrap up. Although it seems like a logical climax, I don't think that it is. I think the climax is when Finny falls from the stairs. There is much more tension building up to that moment than Finny's death. Finny's death seemed as quick and sudden, that it didn't feel like a solid moment. That is why it is not climax. Why do you think Gene didn't feel anything when Finny died? Do you think Gene was surprised at his death? How did this chapter emotionally impact you?
Monday, October 17, 2011
#11. 2) Does Finny's death surprise you? Why or why not? Does it seem like a logical climax for the novel? Is it the climax?
In chapter 11, the story hits its climax at the very end, but in chapter 12, the story is in its falling action. The chapter starts off with how the injury is treated, and how Finny is taken off to the infirmary. Gene starts to feel awful, and wishes none of this has ever happened. He goes to the infirmary and tries to get in through the window. Finny starts thrashing around, until he falls off of his bed. Gene feels like he doesn't know what to do, and exits back through he window. Gene wanders around the campus, from the stairs in which Finny fell, to the gymnasium. Gene feels that something has changed there, but he does not know what. Gene does not find his way back to his dorm, and falls asleep in the gym. When he wakes up he is asked to take some of Finny's things to the infirmary. He has a brief talk with Finny, a sincere and conclusive talk. Little did Gene know was that this was the last time he would see Finny. The rest of the day proceeded in a blur. At 5:00, Gene finds out the bad news that Finny has passed away. Gene did not feel much sadness, only "...an extremely cold chill along my back and neck, that was all." (p.193) This was one of the things that I was confused about.
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Why don't you think Gene did not feel anything when Finny died? Gene at the end of the chapter says "I could not escape feeling that this was my own funeral, an you do not cry in that case." (page 194) I think Gene does not cry because Gene feels like it is his fault that he died and that his leg was broken because Finny broke his leg an then stormed out of the Assembly Room and fell all because of Gene. I do not think that Gene thought that Finny would die because Dr. Stanpole told him that it was a "clean break" and that those are easy to fix. So I think that Gene that he was going to be okay. This chaptered did not impacted me that emotionally because I knew that this was going to happen due to all the facts leading up, but I did get a little bothered by how much Gene did not really have emotion when Finny died.
ReplyDeleteGood job Loui! I will be answering the first question. I think that Gene did not feel anything when Finny died because of what Knowles says page 194 "I did not cry then or ever about Finny. I did not cry even when I stood watching him being lowered into his family's strait-laced burial ground outside of Boston. I could not escape a feeling that this was my own funeral, and you do not cry in that case." This shows that although Gene is sad to see Finny go, he feels as though Finny's presence was just a reminder of the guilt he had to face as his life came to an end. Sense Gene feels responsible for Finny's broken leg, which in all caused his life to be taken away, he feels as though his connection with his friend is so deep that when Finny died, a part of Gene went with him. Gene also realizes that he has to be strong for the others around him, including Finny's family.
ReplyDeleteWhen Finny passed away during surgery, Gene did not cry. He was stunned. It was a complicated friendship then it was gone. His emotions were all ready all over the place "I was quite a card tonight myself."(page 182) Then Finny dies, he does not know what to do. Some people can relate to that feeling when something unexpected happens and you do not know what to do. Gene was surprised but it's not like it was completely sudden, a lot of stuff happened earlier in the book. Finny fell then there was a lot of emotions going around then he fell again. Gene new Finny a had lost a lot what he loved and died a little inside but then the surgery made it real. Gene was really confused after all he went through with FInny.
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