Gene can be characterized in a numerous amount of ways based on how you perceive him. At this point in the story, we know that Gene is the narrator. But we also know that he is very fearful. During the flashback to summer, Gene repeatedly talks about how he fearful he is. On page 10 it says “Looking back now across fifteen years, I could see with great clarity the fear I lived… I felt fear’s echo along”. Just within these two lines from page 10, Gene states that he lived his life a very timid person. Throughout the story, I also feel Gene is Submissive. Throughout the flashback to summer, Gene is constantly letting Finny take the lead on. On page 33 it says “Yes, he practically saved my life. He had also practically lost it for me. I wouldn’t have been on that damn limb except for him. I wouldn’t have turned around, and so lost my balance, if he hadn’t been there”. Leading up to this quote Finny asked Gene if he was afraid of jumping out of the tree still. This caused Gene to feel like he had something to prove and climb the tree. On the limb he nearly falls but Finny catches him. If Gene wasn’t so easily controlled he wouldn’t have felt the need to climb the tree. This is one of the many quotes that shows Gene’s submissiveness.
-Anthony LaMonica
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ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons that Gene is submissive, especially towards finny, is because he is fueled by competitiveness and jealousy. "You and Phineas are even already. You are even in enmity...you did hate him for breaking that school swimming record, but so what?" His jealousy is constantly pushing him to follow Finny because he believes that if Gene does everything Finny does, he can do at least one thing better than him. His jealousy also shows that he is insecure. He does not believe he is better than Finny and is constantly trying to prove himself like on page 60 when Finny falls out of the tree. Gene finally feels better than Finny and "loses his fear."
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ReplyDeleteThe fear that Gene felt in A Separate Peace is a result from his relationship with Finny. Finny constantly put Gene down, such as when he stated “Never say you are five feet nine when you are five feet eight and a half.” (Knowles 35) Finny could not accept the fact that Gene was superior than him in such a small manner that he had to put him down. Finny also pressures Gene into doing things that he does not want to do, such as jumping off the tree into the river. “I hated it.” (Knowles 34) stated Gene about the daily ritual of the Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session. However, if he did not jump, he would lose Finny as a friend. This would in turn make Gene an outcast at the Devon School. Can Gene find the courage to stand-up to Finny?
-Joey O'Brien
I agree with Anthony, Reina, and Joey. Gene is very uncomfortable around Finny due to his insecuritires, and because he is submisive. One example is a the beginning of the book, when Finny forcefully persuades Gene into jumping in the river. Although Gene feels good after jumping into the river, he is forced to some extent showing his willingnes to follow peer preasure. Gene is forced to follow his peer group and is not given a chance to voice his opinions.
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