What does Gene mean when he says “I never killed anybody and I never developed an intense level of hatred for the enemy. Because my war end before I ever put on a uniform; I was on active duty all my time at school; I killed my enemy there” (204). Who/what is his enemy? Why does he contradict himself there? What was his war? (Aya )

At the end of the book, Gene says “I never killed anybody and I never developed an intense level of hatred for the enemy. Because my war ended before I ever put on a uniform; I was on active duty all my time at school; I killed my enemy there” (204). When he said that, he meant that he never ended up killing anyone in the war or hating his opponents. His reason behind that was that he was on “duty” while he was at devon and ended up killing his enemy there. The enemy he was referring to is Phineas. Right before the incident at the tree, Gene thought, “You and Phineas are even already. You are even in enmity” (Knowles 53). Although Finny saw Gene as his best friend and was never out to get him, Gene felt as he was. His jealousy and clouded mind caused him to push Finny off the tree, causing him to later die. In his quote, Gene doesn’t contradict himself. The way I see it, Gene was talking about the war vs Devon and how his time at Devon was more of war then the war itself, making it his war. His war was basically a war with himself because even though he thought everyone was against him, including the person who cared about him most, Finny, nobody was. The war he created in his head caused him to kill Finny, which is pretty ironic. 

Explore the implications and subtleties of the conversation with Mr. Hadley. What does he say about “manhood” (see what he says about the G.I.’s) and how does he feel about Brinker and Gene’s involvement in the war effort? (198-200) (Thomas)

Mr. Hadley is talking about the sewing machines, and he is saying how men use them now. Mr. Hadley really seems against men sewing, and he finds it to be something not very manlike. He thinks of the people who sew as less of him in a way, and by what he says makes it seem shameful to sew. "I can't imagine ant man in my time settling for duty on a sewing machine. I can't picture that at all,"(198). Mr. Hadley obviously doesn't find sewing manly in anyway. What he does is war. He describes war almost like a game. He says he would want to be a kid again to be in the war. Mr. Hadley also seems to feel good about Brinker and Gene going to war. He finds it as a great thing and he is happy and proud that they are going to be in war. "It's your greatest moment, greatest privilege, to serve your country,"(200). Mr. Hadley here says how it is a privilege to serve your country almost like the boys are lucky. He thinks of them going to war as a way they earn respect for the rest of their lives. He finds going to war as this great thing everyone should do and he is glad to see these two boys go.

(Assignment #12) At this point in the novel, the main action has wrapped up now that Finny is dead and the boys are graduating, but now the war has quite literally invaded the insular peace on the campus. Summarize and explore the significance of the transformation of the campus (description occurs throughout the chapter, so provide at least two examples in your answer). (Kate)

For most of the book, the boys at Devon were living in their own separate bubble of peace. But by the end of the novel, the Devon campus has transformed from a school into practically a base for war operations. And the war has literally invaded the school, "The jeeps, troops, and sewing machines were now drawn up next to the Far Common quadrangle" (Knowles, 197). The troops are using any space that they can to prepare for the war and without Finny to deny it, the war is seeping into their everyday lives. Gene then describes the day as, "The reprieve, New Hampshire's response to all the cogitation and sadness of winter... perhaps that was only true for me now" (Knowles, 197). The war had changed everyone at Devon except for Gene, and the campus was the last thing that was untouched by the war that Gene could relate to. I think that the transformation of the campus signifies the complete resolution to the war and all that it has changed.

Do you agree?

If Finny had survived his operation, do you think Gene and Finny could remain friends? Or do you think the friendship at this point is too broken? Make sure to include support from the text in your answer.

If Finny had survived his operation I think he and Gene could have remained friends. Finny forgave Gene when Gene visited him in the infirmary: “I believe you. It’s okay because I understand and I believe you. You’ve already shown me and I believe you” (191). The scene is tear-filled and emotional, so Finny definitely meant what he said. Though their friendship was, admittedly, broken, Finny had forgiven Gene and Gene wasn’t as burdened by his guilt, so the friendship was not beyond repair. Their friendship had always been very complex, and nowhere near ideal, though Finny never noticed it. They seemed to be the best of pals, but under that facade, Gene envied Finny and thought Finny was trying to compete with him, and Finny never really understood Gene. After that heart-to-heart in the infirmary, they could have devolped scarred, but even more meaningful friendship.

Do you agree?

Explain the significance of the last paragraph: "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." (Alexsa)

The significance of the last paragraph is that Gene felt as if it was his own funeral, that he lost a part of him. Although Finny and Gene weren't on great terms when Gene found out Finny had died, it still hit him hard. "Phineas had thought of me as an extension of himself" (Knowles 180). Although Gene is talking in this quote, this is what he was thinking as Finny was getting lowered into the ground and when he first found out he was dead. "And you do not cry in that case" (Knowles 194). Gene lost a part of him. The boys had there on and off at times, but never stopped being best friends. Gene thought of Finny's death as his own and knew that because Finny was truly a big part of him, that he thought of Finny as his own body and you can't cry when you're dead. Also, before Gene had his first class as Finny surgery, Finny told him that he believed him. "I believe you. It's okay because I understand and I believe you. You've already shown me and I believe you" (Knowles 191). There was a big meaning to these lines because although Finny vaguely remembers what happened when he fell, he still believes his best friend over anything or anyone. As you can see Gene and Finny were best friends and even though half of one of them is dead, the other one feels like he is too.

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? (Spiros)

Gene is indirectly the cause of Finny’s death, because he was responsible for the suffering that led up to it. In the opening of the book, Gene causes Finny to fall out of the infamous tree and break his leg. Although Finny is in denial the first time Gene tells him this, he accepts the truth after the trial. When he hears that he was betrayed by his best friend, he is deeply hurt and runs away, tripping on the marble stairs. Had his leg not been broken by Gene, he would have been less likely to fall and break his leg on the stairs. When Gene goes to visit Finny in the infirmary, Finny shouts at Gene the moment he sees him. Finny yells, “‘You want to break something else in me! Is that why you’re here!’” (Knowles, 184). Gene has not only been the cause of Finny’s leg-breaking twice, but he has also betrayed his trust and broken his heart. He has caused Finny to suffer a lot over the past year and Finny finally snapped out of his denial and showed his suffering to Gene. Although Gene didn’t mean to destroy Finny’s life this much, he was the original cause of Finny’s suffering, that eventually lead up to his death.

How do you think that Gene will be able to cope with Finny dying? Do you think that his friends will blame him? How will he be able to live with the fact that he was the cause of his best friend’s death?

(Assignment #10): Discuss the irony of the dialogue between Finny and Gene on the second half of page 155. (Tyler)

In this passage, there is a lot of irony between Gene and Finny. When they return to the dorm they begin to talk about the snowball fight that occurred previously that day. Gene asks “Do you think you ought to get into fights like that? After all, there's your leg-” (Knowles 155). This is ironic that Gene is coming back and wondering if Finny should have participated after he led most of the snowballs against Finny. This scene is characterizing Gene, even more, showing that he often does not think before he acts which causes him to get into bad situations. Another example of irony goes on later in the page when Finny wonders if his bone will grow back stronger. Finny asks "Isn't the bone supposed to be stronger when it grows together in a place where it's been broken once?" and Gene answers "Yes, I think it is" (Knowles 155). This is ironic because earlier in the book the doctor said that Finny would never play sports again and might not be able to walk again. Now Gene believes that Finny’s leg will be stronger which is not true. This shows that Gene is still in denial of what he did to Finny. He tries to believe that he didn’t cripple Finny but at some point that will have to change.