Gene and Finny: Opposites Who Connect.
In the novel, A Separate Peace, the central characters Gene and Finny are.
best friends. However, they are completely different and at first they do not seem.
like they would be compatible. Circumstances caused by Gene draw them apart for.
a good portion of the novel, but in spite of this, they become true best friends.
Ironically, their differences become responsible for bringing them closer together.
Gene is the quiet type and extremely introverted . Merely average at sports,.
he chooses to concentrate on his grades and being number one in his class. Gene is.
not willingly open with his emotions and has trouble finding the voice to express.
that Finny is his best friend. He truly believes Finny is his soul mate. However, his.
actions and thoughts are not evidence to this feeling. Somewhere in his mind he.
comes up with the bogus theory that he and Finny are rivals. Gene analyzes the.
thought enough to concoct the belief that Finny is sabotaging his grades by.
convincing him to participate in fun activities. Because of this misconstrued idea,.
Gene pushes Finny out of a tree and ends his career in sports. Amazingly, after the.
fall Gene feels not even an inkling of remorse. In fact, he is relieved because the.
rivalry is finally over and he is on top. These are not actions of a true best friend.
Gene is even bold enough to try to blame the whole incident on Finny because it.
was Finny who made him slack off on his grades. In reality, Gene is weak and.
chooses not to stand up to Finny. Instead he uses sarcasm to attack Finny and his.
beliefs. Later in the novel, however, Gene visibly matures . He lets go of his guilt.
and accepts the responsibility for his actions. Humbly, Gene apologizes to Finny and.
tries to make up for his mistake by looking out for Finny's well-being. It is evident.
that the evil in his heart has diminished. Also, Gene becomes stronger in his.
character; when he returns to Devon, he makes the comment that sarcasm is the.