In the final sentence of the sixth chapter, Gene explores his relationship with
Finny. On page eighty-four and eighty-five Gene talks on the phone to Finny about what he is doing for Fall sports. When Gene tells Finny that he wants to be the assistant crew manager Phineas acts surprised and disappointed in Gene. Finally, Finny conveys his thoughts and says, “Listen, pal, if I can’t play sports, you’re going to play them for me” (Knowles 85). Since Gene knew that taking sports away from Finny was his fault and that he had caused so much damage to a person who had such a promising future he knew that he couldn’t be selfish. Finny views sports as an “absolute good” and Finny was an all-around talent in the athletics department. Over the past chapters, readers have learned what Finny is especially good at being an amazing athlete and being a good friend. Now that sports are done for Finny he has to be a good friend, and Gene is trying to match Finny and be equally as good a friend in this moment. One of the main themes that are displayed in this book is guilt especially with Gene, and in this instant, Gene is feeling so much guilt as well as wanting to be a good friend that he knows he has to play sports for Finny. When Gene says, “I lost part of myself to him then, and a soaring sense of freedom revealed that this must have been my purpose from the first: to become part of Phineas” (Knowles 85). When Gene says, “my purpose from the first: to become part of Phineas” it means that he wants to fill the roles that Finn can’t anymore, and that he wants to make an even bigger impact in Finny’s life. A way to visualize this quote is to imagine that Finny has an amputated leg, and what Gene is doing is filling its place by becoming Finny’s leg and doing his job for him. In conclusion when Gene says, “my purpose from the first: to become part of Phineas” it means that he wants to fill the spot of everything Finny has lost.
No comments:
Post a Comment