4) Gene reflects on Phineas’ impact on his life at the bottom of page 202 and top of page 203. In this passage, what do you think Gene means when he s

In the beginning of this chapter Gene was stating how the war has started creeping in on there personal life an now is definitely in there life. The Devon campus has changed in many different ways. "The Far Common was different... But the bricks had been laid a little too skillfully, and the woodwork was not as brittle and chipped as it should of been." (page 195-196) This quote shows how the Gene describes the Devon campus. Then Brinkers dad, Mr. Hadley comes and talks to the boys about what they are planning to do after the graduate Devon. Gene told Mr. Hadley that he has joined the Navy and that he was being sent off to Pensacola.

“Phineas alone had escaped this.” (202) I think Gene means that Phineas does not have to have to join the war and that he escape the hardship of possibly dying due to the war. Phineas got to miss out on the war and the hard times that came with only having one usably leg. He missed out not dwelling about he can not play sports. He also escaped from Gene and his friendship. If he would of survived the surgery their friendship would have been different.

I think that he escape all the hard times by the way that he lived. Phineas was an innocent character that cared only about sports, competition, an friendships. Throughout the whole book he did not think that war was real until right before he died.

If Phineas had survived what would Gene and his friendship have been like? Would they still be friends or would Phineas had found other friends? If you were Finny before he died would you have been thinking about joining the army with only one leg?