Thursday, May 7, 2020
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.
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I totally agree with you Alexsa, Gene acts as if he is losing a part of himself. This also plays along with the fact that Gene has been slowly morphing into Finny. "I could not escape the feeling that this was my own funeral" (Knowles 194). Gene started to act and become Finny when he wore his clothes and did the same stuff Finny did. Now that Gene is feeling that he is at his own funeral further pushes the point that Gene is losing his identity and becoming Finny's instead.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Alexsa and Tyler, Gene does act like he is losing a part of himself. Someone he was trying to replace had died, so almost literally lost a part of himself. But still they both had an unbreakable friendship and seeing Finny go is like seeing a part of himself go. Like Tyler said Gene was turning into Finny with the things he was doing. He was trying sports and wearing his clothes for Finny. Him being Finny and doing all the things he was doing made it seem like a funeral for himself.
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