I find Gene’s statement very true. Finny doesn’t dislike anybody. How could you even imagine Finny picking up a gun and shooting people. There isn’t a person in this book that Finny hasn’t liked. Finny simply is too pure to kill. I also doubt that a person like Finny could find reason for the war. He is full of forgiveness and understanding. He was even able to understand why Gene could push him off a tree. Most of the people in this world couldn’t forgive someone after they had ruined their life. Do you think Finny has always been interested in the war or did it start after his accident? At this point in the chapter do you think Gene was trying to be nice to Finny after seeing his anger? Do you think that after learning this from Finny, Gene’s war views have changed?
Allie, you make some very solid points about Finny's internal motivations. I agree with your statement about how Finny is a misfit for war because of his purity and simplicity as a person. Gene's views on war have changed vastly. Throughout the book, Gene's internal thoughts have been greatly impacted on how Finny acts externally. After all, it was Finny's subtle competitiveness that motivated Gene to subconsciously. The war had been something that had always been thought upon negatively within the minds of the boys of Devon. Finny's death marked Gene's realization that the innocent never win. He realized that he and the rest of his peers are savage underneath; some boys were more savage than others. Finny's pureness caused Gene to realize that he should go to war. One question to think about is how Brinker's views on war have been changed. What really goes on inside his head about Finny's death?
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DeleteAllie, Finny has been interested in joining the war since the beginning of the book. Even in the first chapter, Finny's interest is evident when Gene describes how Finny doesn't wear pajamas to bed because he heard that it was unmilitary. Despite Finny's innate interest in the war, I believe that his desire to be part of the war grew after his accident. Before the accident Finny was sure that he would be able to enlist in the war; he took it for granted. However, after his fall the war was no longer possible for Finny. It suddenly became a thing that he could only wish for and not have, and therefore his desire for it increased. I think that Gene was trying to be nice to Finny after his sudden spout of anger because he craved Finny's friendship. Gene didn't want to do anything that could anger Finny any further, and so he tried to be nice. After learning about Finny's real feelings about the war, I do believe that Gene's own views on the war changed. Gene's entire world revolved around Finny, and even though Gene knew of how real the war was through Leper, he still didn't acknowledge it completely; the war was surreal because Finny was not part of it. Therefore, when Gene learned that Finny was trying to enlist even when he was discrediting the war, Gene was able to finally accept the war and realize that it was completely real.
ReplyDeleteWill Gene's new view on the war cause him to enlist? Why or why not? Do you think Gene can be forgiven for his faults or is he completely guilty?
Great points, Allie, I completely agree. Finny's character seems much too nice for the war, and the snowball fight was good foreshadowing to support Gene's opinion. I think that Finny has always been very interested in war, ever since early on in the book when he didn't wear pajamas because he heard it was "unmilitary." I think that at this point in the chapter Gene was tired of pretending and lying to Finny, and just wanted to be realistic. Gene wanted Finny to know exactly what he thought. This is supported by this passage from Page 190, "I knew what I said was important and right, and my voice found that full tone voices have when they are expressing something long-felt and long-understood and released at last."
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