Shattered Dreams: Finny's Denial and Gene's Guilt

1. Finny – Chapter 5 • -Finny’s leg is “shattered” like his dreams as an athlete p.61 • -He physically seems less impressive than he did before p. 64. He has changed. • -Is drugged when Gene visits, still a little hazy about whathappenedp.65 “What are you looking so sick about”? • -He mentions the expression on Gene’s face before he fell,implyingthat may know the truth p.65 • -At home, Finny is still bedridden and to Gene “looks like an invalid, house bound”. P.68 • -Is in denial about the truth. Acts like a child when Gene confesses. P.70

2. Dr. Stanpole • Breaks the news to Gene about Finny’s condition p.63 • Shows kindness and compassion which startles Gene. • His purpose as a character is to: • act as a catalyst for Gene’s recognition about himself (his self-hatred after receiving the news; his inner demons) • To give the news about Finny’s condition and the permanancy of Gene’s selfish actions • Helps to build atmosphere and suspense as Gene enters Phineas’ room • Serves to develop Gene’s character further through dramatic irony A visit from “a pal or two would do him good” p. 63

3. The School Masters – Ch. 5 • The school masters are deeply affected by Finny’s fall. They see it as a great loss of opportunity for a young man to be “free and happy” in the months leading up to being drafted into war. P. 61

4. Internal Conflict • - Gene tries to “forget who he is” by trying on Finny’sclothes and becoming him. P. 62 • -Gene is no nervous about seeing Finny that he almost faints. P.64 • -***FINNY is conflicted about what he remembers fromthe incident. Thinks he had a feeling that Gene wasat fault, but it doesn’t make sense to him p. 66 • -Gene wants to start talking about the incident, but is conflicted about how he should bring it up p.69 • ***Finny’s denial causes Gene to question his own memory of what happened p.70

5. Interpersonal Conflict • Gene tells Finny he jounced the limb on purpose, andFinny argues with him and denies the truth p.70 • For different reasons, both boys have difficulty coping with the “truth” of this situation and what it would imply.

6. Theme -- Friendship • -Finny feels crazy for thinking Gene was at fault, because in his mind a best friend wouldn’t do sucha thing. P. 66 • -Gene does not bring Finny any gifts when he goes to visit, which is what one usually does for a sick friend (p.69), likely demonstrating his guilt. • “It struck me then that I was injuring him again…this could be an even deeper injury than what I had done before (p. 70)

7. Theme -- Friendship • Consider this…in Chapter 2 when Gene is falling from the tree, Finny grabs his arm and saves him. In Chapter 5, when they are discussing Finny’s fall, Finny says he “reached out to get a hold of you” • Gene’s reaction: “To drag me down too!” • Finny’s response: To get a hold of you, so I wouldn’t fall off” (p. 65)

8. Theme -- Loyalty • Finny does not believe Gene would ever hurt him and actually apologizes for “that feeling I had” (p. 66) about how he fell • -Finny says “that’s loyalty for you” when Gene says he thought about him on vacation p.69. Chooses to think of Gene as a friend and trusts him, even though it appears he may have doubts

9. Theme -- Guilt • -Gene is confronted with what he has done to Finnyp. 62 • -Gene realizes that Finny will never play sports againand becomes upset p.63 • -Before he sees Finny, Gene bursts into tears p. 64 • -Gene says he is sitting there in a “pool of guilt” p.66 • -Gene is shocked to see Finny still in bed when he visits him at home. (p. 68) • -Gene feels like “a wild man.” Losing his identity because of what he has done p.69 - When trying to confess to Finny he realizes that he was “injuring him again…an even deeper injury than what I had done before (p. 70).

10. Theme – Darkness of Man’s Heart • “I cried for Phineas and for myself and for this doctor who believed in facing things. Most of all, I cried because of kindness, which I had not expected.” p. 64 • When Finny discusses trying to save himself, Gene instinctively accuses him “I flinched violently away from him. ‘To drag me down too!’” (p. 65) • Finny notes Gene’s expression “Awfully funny expression you had. Very shocked, like you have right now. (p. 65)

11. Theme -- Deception • Gene lies on several occasions before he can acknowledge the truth: “How could you fall off like that”/ “I reached out but you were gone” / “What happened there at the tree?” (p. 65) • Believes that Phineas would have “told me the truth” – shows a growing recognition of his own nature (p. 66) • When Finny asks him if he’s going to “live by the rules”, Gene says he will not, then acknowledges it was “the most false thing, the biggest lie of all.” (p. 71)

12. Atmosphere (change) – Ch. 5/6 • -Atmosphere on the way back to school from vacation is less idyllic, more industrial. p. 67 • The class leaders in the winter session were more “in charge”… “if you broke the rules, they broke you” at the sermon on p. 74 • A “leaderless, (free) band in the summer with the exception of the eccentric notions of Phineas” (p. 74)

13. Symbol – The Summer Season • The Summer Session at Devon: Rules are relaxed. The weather is nice. Students like Finny excel. It is symbolic of childhood innocence.The summer session symbolically ends with Finny's fall from the Suicide Tree.

14. Symbol – The Winter Season • Rules are enforced. The weather is depressing. Students like Brinker Hadley excel. The winter symbolizes the end of childhood and innocence and the encroachment of the war. • We see this change as Ch. 5 ends and 6 begins

15. Gene – Chapter 6 • -Remembers Phineas like a glowing “river god” p.75. Is he missing him?-Wants to be an “automaton” p. 78 so he canjust go through the motions of life without feeling p. 78-His attempt at ignoring what has happened is disrupted when Finny phones him. P.82-feels like he has a purpose again: to “become a part of Phineas” p. 85

16. Finny – Chapter 6 • Seemingly has no malice towards Gene when he learns that Gene does not have a new dorm-mate in his room “Saving my place for me! Good old Devon. But anyway, you wouldn’t have let them put anyone else in there…” (p. 83)

17. Leper – Chapter 6 • -Likes nature-collected snails during the summer p.75 • He’s a naturalist, a “gentle soul” • His room is taken in the winter term by Brinker

18. Brinker Hadley – Chapter 6 • -Sort of replaces Finny as the leader of the pack p.74 • Gene notes he establishes his “headquarters” at Devon (p. 74) -- Note he’s also right across from Gene’s dorm room • -Has a “steady wit” and “ceaseless plans” p. 75

19. Cliff Quackenbush • Cliff Quackenbush, is portrayed as a mature and rude student (76-77). He is the leader of the ship crew • Quackenbush is not popular among the students at the Devon school, and these students make their hatred towards Quackenbush known, “For Quackenbush had been systematically disliked since he first set foot in Devon, with careless, disinterested insults coming at him from the beginning, voting for and applauding the class leaders through years of attaining nothing he wanted for himself” (78). • Quackenbush considers himself inferior to the other students at Devon merely because they have told him so, and thus he agrees with the leaders of the school all in an effort to be liked by the students.

20. Mr. Ludsbury • -A master who was away for the summer.-More strict. Is disapproving of how the boys behaved during the summer p.81

21. Internal Conflict • Notes that when Quackenbush was sizing him up for physical disability that he would “never detect my trouble”…his emotions/guilt/etc… • Is deeply troubled by what happened over the summer and fuels his anger onto Quackenbush once he is bullied (p. 79) • Believes that he fought that battle “for Finny” (p. 79)

22. Interpersonal Conflict • Finny and Quackenbush are very contrasting characters…and as such Quackenbush starts pushing Gene around because he sees Gene as inferior (senior, picking a “lower” job asst. crew manager, he’s never really rowed, etc…He mis-understands that Gene has selected this job really to become an ‘automaton’ so he can just “go through the motions” (p. 78/9) • -Gene and Quack argue, and then physically fight p.79

23. Theme – Innocence • In referring to the summer months, Gene states “The traditions had been broken, the standards let down, all rules forgotten. (p. 73)” • Also symbolic of their childhood, of Finny, of a carefree, fun life, which all ended for Gene with Finny’s (literal) and his own (metaphorical) fall. • Finny has no malice towards Gene when he learns that Gene does not have a new dorm-mate in his room “Saving my place for me! Good old Devon. But anyway, you wouldn’t have let them put anyone else in there…” (p. 83)

24. Theme -- Innocence • Finny’s naiveity over both Gene’s character/intentions and the events at the tree: • “I did have a trace of doubt, that was because you talked so crazy here….I’m sorry about that Gene. Naturally, I was completely wrong.” (p. 83)

25. Theme – Loss of Innocence • “Still it (the summer/his innocence) had come to an end, in the last long rays of daylight at the tree, when Phineas fell” (p. 74) • His guilt and fear when he goes to see the long-distance call it “seemed to interrupt the beating of my heart” (p. 82)

26. Theme -- Competition • “The crew waits for no man…This crew is going to win the New England scholastics…(p. 77) • -Cliff is competitive and looks down on Gene for not being involved in sports p.78

27. Theme -- Friendship • -Finny tells Gene on the phone that “roommates are roommates. Even if they do have an occasional fight.” This is his way of letting Gene know they need to move on. P. 83 • Finny to Gene – “if I cant play sports, you’re going to play them for me”, and I lost a part of myself to him then…my purpose from the first: to become a part of Phineas” (p. 85)

28. Theme -- Loyalty • -Finny is described as being genuinely loyal but when Gene tries to be loyal and defend Finny, he feels like he did it for himself. Not genuine. P. 79 • -Finny tells Gene he knew he would never let anyone take his place in their room (their friendship) and Gene implies he never would p. 83

29. Theme – Guilt (and regret) • -Gene projects his anger and guilt about what has happened onto Cliff p.79 • -Gene says he is “fighting to endure” his loss. P. 79. This could be the loss of a friend, of the freedom of summeror the loss of himself. • Gene regrets that he had not “seized and held the…multitudes of advantages the summer offered me; if only I had” (p. 82)

30. Theme -- Fear • When he goes to see the long-distance call it “seemed to interrupt the beating of my heart” (p. 82)

31. Theme – Identity/Growing Up • Finny to Gene – “if I cant play sports, you’re going to play them for me”, and I lost a part of myself to him then…my purpose from the first: to become a part of Phineas” (p. 85)

32. Irony • When Mr. Ludsbury tells Gene that the boys did not not help Mr. Prud’homme and “simply took advantage of the situation” (p. 82 • Relating to Finny’s fall, Gene’s actions, the fulfilling of his internal conflict/jealousy/darkness • Finny to Gene – “if I cant play sports, you’re going to play them for me”, and I lost a part of myself to him then…my purpose from the first: to become a part of Phineas” (p. 85)

33. Symbol – The Devon River • Symbolic of moments of peace, goodness, Phineas, joy (p. 75) • “Phineas in exaltation….like a river god” (p. 75) • “the glory of the summer and offering it to the sky” (p. 75) • The river like the tree is unpredictable, safety is fragile “…and Finny would tumble into the water, roaring with rage” (p. 76)

34. Gene – Chapter 7 • -When Brinker calls him out in the Butt Room, he plays along with the “joke” p. 88-When a boy is interested in the story of what happened, Gene finds his interest to be perverse. P.90-confesses an elaborate web of lies to deflect the boys’ suspicions p.90-tries to stop the boys from teasing Leper after his ski trip—feels bad for him p. 98-99-As soon as Gene sees Finny all his stress about enlisting is lifted. P. 102

35. Leper – Chapter 7 • -unfocused, distant from the boys p.93-interested in nature: likes to sketch birds in his notebook .93 and curious about a beaver dam p.95-Taken an interest in “touring,” or, cross country skiing p.94-5. He prefers this to downhill skiing because it is safer. He doesn’t like too much excitement. • When asked where he’s touring, he he states he isn’t going anywhere. He seems to have no purpose, no goal, no future, a sharp contrast to Gene • Does not help the war effort like the other boys (i.e. digging out the trains after the snowfall) (p. 93). Instead he could be found sketching pictures of birds and trees.

36. Brinker – Chapter 7 • -described as preppy and proper p.87-animated and lively like Finny p.87-First implies that he thinks Gene is responsible for Finny’s fall “the truth will come out” p.88-Jokes with everyone in the Butt Room about Gene committing “fratricide” p.89-Snaps and decides to enlist.. Is tired of all the “draft dodgers” and “naturalists” at Devon p.100

37. Other – Chapter 7 • -During the summer the war was not really on their mind but now may of the boys feel that staying at Devon is keeping them from having glamorous war stories p.97. Very romanticized view of it. • “They seemed to be having a wonderful time” • “…while the whole world was converging elsewhere, we seemed to be nothing but children playing among heroic men” (p. 97)

38. Internal Conflict • Gene’s growing guilt is apparent when Brinker ironically teases that Gene was behind Finny’s fall • “my own blood-pounded ears” • “The truth will out” – almost a self-confession, also foreshadowing • He decides to play along with the mock trial to hide his guilt • After seeing the train troops, sees enlisting in the war as a chance to “slam the door impulsively on the past” • “I yearned to take giant military shears to it” (p. 100) – the past • The decision to go to war or stay at Devon (p. 101)

39. Internal Conflict • -Gene describes what he loved most about the summer was the “measureless, careless peace” p. 101. The boys were lucky to have had their own peace, separate from what was going on in the world. P.101

40. Irony • Brinker accusing Gene of responsibility for Finny’s fall (p. 88, p. 89-91) • “ ‘Liar’ Brinker glowered…Trying to weasel out of it with a false confession, eh?” (p. 91)

41. Atmosphere – Chapter 7 • -Butt Room is given a very grimy and dank description p.89. Turns into his first “court” of judgment by the boys, this time in jest. • -During the night Gene thinks about enlisting, the stars are described as piercing. Clear. P. 101

42. Theme -- Deception • When Gene plays along with the boys in the butt room to mask his guilt • “I had to take part in this, or risk losing control….” • “..all I did was drop…a little pinch of arsenic in his morning coffee” (p. 89)

43. Theme -- Guilt • Gene’s growing guilt is apparent when Brinker ironically teases that Gene was behind Finny’s fall • “my own blood-pounded ears” • “The truth will out” – almost a self-confession, also foreshadowing • In part of his deception at the mock trial, cannot mouth the words “pushed him out of the tree” (p. 90) • The boys note that its “Funny, he came all the way down here and didn’t even have a smoke” (p. 91) • Gene is defensive and leaves as soon as he can. The boys note this.

44. Theme -- Competition • -Gene notes that in a competitive school like theirs people like Leper often get laughed at but Gene doesn’t (p.96) • The boys are relentless in their teasing of Quackenbush (p. 98) – “I thought they interned all the Quackenbushes the day after Pearl Harbor” • They also make fun of Leper, but Gene is protective of him (p. 99)

45. Theme – Loss of Innocence/Growing Up/Self-Knowledge • “…I was used to finding something deadly in things that attracted me; there was always something deadly lurking in anything I wanted, anything I loved. And if it wasn’t there, as for example with Phineas, then I put it there myself.” (p. 101) • I owed it to myself to meet this crisis in my life when I chose, and I chose now (p. 102)

46. Finny – Chapter 7 • -Gene arrives home at the end of Ch. 7 and Finny is back! He greets Gene with a “provocative grin,” a sign that he is feeling like himself again, though in a cast. P. 102

47. Theme – Friendship • Brinker describes the tree as “funereal,” which can symbolize death. At that tree there was the death of Finny in the sense that he will never be the same, and the death of a friendship. P.90 • When Finny arrives back at Devon at the very end of Ch. 7, it is Gene’s salvation. He will no longer (leading into Ch. 8) feel the need to enlist.

48. Symbol -- Tree • Brinker describes the tree as “funereal,” which can symbolize death. At that tree there was the death of Finny in the sense that he will never be the same, and the death of a friendship. P.90

49. Gene – Chapter 8 • -Tries to explain to Finny that he hadalmost enlisted, but fumbles because heknows Finny would disapprove p. 107-Is “saved” by Finny once again, because hedidn’t want Gene to enlist. P. 109-Doesn’t get sucked into Finny’s storieslike he used to. Ex: the fake war. P. 116-One day while running Gene achieves the physicalprowess Finny once had, feeling stronger than ever p.120

50. Finny – Chapter 8 • -Back to normal, teasing Gene, and is healthy and glowing again even on crutches p. 103-104-Gets defensive when Brinker asks how he can shower alone with his cast. He doesn’t want to be considered a cripple p. 108-Walks differently from how he used to walk, and it’s not just because of the crutches, but because he has changed. P.111-Needs Gene now to help him catch up with schoolwork.He didn’t seem to need anybody before. P. 112