How Does Gene Cause The War In A Separate Peace

Gene is talking with his friends about the war. They discuss that they want to be a part of the war, and enlist. At the beginning of the novel, Gene seemed like a peaceful and studious kid that only got into trouble because of the daring child Phineas. Now since the incident of Finny breaking his leg, Gene has changed. Gene seems more like Finny now, stating that the war attracted him. Gene also says that he loves the war. Gene also seems to have a sense of hatred still inside him. He says that there wasn’t anything deadly in Phineas, but Gene put it there. Does that mean that Gene made Finny bad, and intentionally cause his accident? I think that there was some rivalry and hatred before the accident, but since, I think that has gone away. …show more content…
They decide to skip class and look around the campus after his long absence. They start talking about the war, but Finny states that it is a conspiracy. This leads to Finny shouting, in a outrage, that he know this because he had suffered. Both of them are stunned at what just happened, but they continues to look around. Gene tries to forget the whole thing because it hurts his that much thinking about the accident. I think that Gene still holds the burden for that happening. I think that both of them know the truth, but Finny doesn’t really want to accept it yet. This is a symbol that shows up throughout the novel. One act that caused Finny to break his leg had such a big consequence., not physically, but mentally and emotionally. Them still being friends after that shows the friendship that they had before this. Was this all a misunderstanding? Yes, Gene accused Finny of the wrong things, and physically hurt him, but Gene got hurt …show more content…
Separated from his other friends, Gene spends his time training with Finny for the Olympics. This conversation happens one evening. Gene says that Phineas does see what is depressing in the war. In Gene’s mind, Finny doesn’t care about the war, because he thinks there is no war happening. Gene still thinks of Finny as a very good friend, but I think that he knows deep down that Finny is a special friends that has a different perspective on the world. As a reader, I would feel how different Finny actually is compared to everyone else. There is a war going on, and there are many signs of it; many deaths and casualties, but Phineas saying there isn't a war going on. Why does he have such a different opinion on that? It might be how he was born, or it might have something to do with the incident, but only he knows. Finny doesn't care about the war, and he says that they should just organize the Winter Carnival in their free time. I think that the mixed feeling that both of the friends had during the accident has to do with this right now. Finny doesn’t want to lose Gene again, and so he drives Gene away from all of his other friends, secluding him. To pass the time, I think that might be why Finny raised this idea. The setting during this conversation is also important. It is dreary and wet outside, and the friends are inside talking. This heightens the mood in the room, because they