Gene Forrester
John Knowles describes Gene as being a "lonely, introverted intellectual" (back cover).
Gene is a dynamic character because over the course of the novel Gene undergoes internal changes that transpire as a result of events that take place during the novel. Gene is also very insecure and unsure of himself. He wants to lose hold of his own identity in order to be like Finny.
Gene struggles with various conflicts throughout the novel. One internal conflict Gene deals with is his jealously for Finny. Gene and Finny are very good friends, but at times during the novel, Gene yearns to see Finny fail, and is desperate to beat Finny. Gene's jealously causes him to think things and do things impulsively which he later regrets. For example, because Gene was so jealous of Finny, he often contemplates whether or not he truly was the reason Finny lost his balance and fell of the tree branch, and why he did nothing to save him.
Character Traits
Smart
-"It was the first test I had ever flunked" (42). Through this example it is implied that Gene is a smart individual because he explained that he has only flunked one test during his life.
-"'He hated you for getting an A in every course but one last term'"(45). Through this quote it is evident that Gene is smart because it is very difficult to achieve all A's. Also, in this quote Finny explains that someone was very jealous of Gene for receiving such good grades and this also implies that Finny is smart.
-"'It's different for you, you're good. You really are. If I had a brain like that I'd- I'd have my head cut open so people could look at it'" (50). Finny explains that he would never be able to have grades as high as Gene's, and if he had a brain as extravagant as Gene's he would want people examining it. Finny's admiration of Gene's brain as well as his grades implies that Gene is smart.
Competitive
-"I was more and more certainly becoming the best student at the school… but while he was a very poor student I was a pretty good athlete, and when everything was thrown into the scales they would in the end tilt definitely toward me" (47). Gene's desire and need to be better than Finny illustrates his competitiveness.
-"I didn't want to let him excel me in this… he was no better than I was" (48). Through this example, Gene exhibits his competitive nature because he makes it clear that Finny is no better than he is, and he needs to beat Finny. Even the fact that Gene considers everything in his life as a competition or game where there is a winner, or someone who beats everyone else shows he is competitive
Overly Analytical
-"I couldn't see. My brain exploded… There was a swift chain of explosions in my brain, one certainly after another blasted-up like a detonation" (44). Gene tends to over think situations and cause himself a lot more stress than what is necessary. Through this example it is evident that Gene is overly analytical because he took one piece of information Finny gave it and interpreted it in many different ways and it caused his brain to experience various "explosions."
-"It had nothing to do with sports. For I wanted no more with sports. They were barred from me, as though when Dr. Stanpole said, 'sports are finished' he had been speaking of me… It was as though football players were really bent on crushing the life out of each other, as though boxers were in combat to the death, as though even though a tennis ball might turn into a bullet" (76). Through this example it is evident that Gene is overly-analytical because his brain took a situation and analyzed it in a ton of different ways. Additionally, Gene began making very many unrealistic, exaggerated connections.
Relation With Other Characters
-For the most part, Gene's relationship with Finny is a love-hate relationship. At times, Gene is extremely fond of Finny and cares about him a lot. However, sometimes Gene becomes so jealous of Finny to a point where he doesn't care about anything that happens to Finny. Gene both adores and envies Finny simultaneously.
-Gene is short-tempered, and once someone does something to make him angry, he wants nothing to do with them anymore. For example, at the beginning of the novel, Gene and Leper were friends. However, when Gene visited Leper following Leper's escape from war, Gene grew impatient and wanting nothing to do with Leper anymore. Leper had a mental disorder, and Gene realized this and still didn't care. "'Shut up!' Softer, more timidly, '-when any minute-' 'Do you think I want to hear every gory detail? Shut up! I don't care! I don't care what happened to you, Leper. I don't give a damn! Do you understand that? This has nothing to do with me! Nothing at all! I don't care!'" (143). Through this quote it is evident that Gene has little patience and this ultimately causes him to blow up and scream at Leper. Also, Gene was so angry that he left Leper outside, alone, even though he knew that Leper had mental issues.
-After Finny fell out of the tree, many characters, including Brinker, believed Gene pushed Finny. This belief affected Gene's relationship with other characters in negative ways. Over the course of the novel, Gene is constantly questioned and asked where he was at the time Finny fell, and if Gene pushed him. This belief also causes people to be suspicious of Gene, and feel unable to trust him.
Picture of Gene from: http://data2.whicdn.com/images/11725465/thumb.jpgPicture of Gene and Finny: http://sheimagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/a-separate-peace-movie-still-1nrcqt7.jpg
John Knowles describes Gene as being a "lonely, introverted intellectual" (back cover).
Gene is a dynamic character because over the course of the novel Gene undergoes internal changes that transpire as a result of events that take place during the novel. Gene is also very insecure and unsure of himself. He wants to lose hold of his own identity in order to be like Finny.
Gene struggles with various conflicts throughout the novel. One internal conflict Gene deals with is his jealously for Finny. Gene and Finny are very good friends, but at times during the novel, Gene yearns to see Finny fail, and is desperate to beat Finny. Gene's jealously causes him to think things and do things impulsively which he later regrets. For example, because Gene was so jealous of Finny, he often contemplates whether or not he truly was the reason Finny lost his balance and fell of the tree branch, and why he did nothing to save him.
Character Traits
Smart
-"It was the first test I had ever flunked" (42). Through this example it is implied that Gene is a smart individual because he explained that he has only flunked one test during his life.
-"'He hated you for getting an A in every course but one last term'"(45). Through this quote it is evident that Gene is smart because it is very difficult to achieve all A's. Also, in this quote Finny explains that someone was very jealous of Gene for receiving such good grades and this also implies that Finny is smart.
-"'It's different for you, you're good. You really are. If I had a brain like that I'd- I'd have my head cut open so people could look at it'" (50). Finny explains that he would never be able to have grades as high as Gene's, and if he had a brain as extravagant as Gene's he would want people examining it. Finny's admiration of Gene's brain as well as his grades implies that Gene is smart.
Competitive
-"I was more and more certainly becoming the best student at the school… but while he was a very poor student I was a pretty good athlete, and when everything was thrown into the scales they would in the end tilt definitely toward me" (47). Gene's desire and need to be better than Finny illustrates his competitiveness.
-"I didn't want to let him excel me in this… he was no better than I was" (48). Through this example, Gene exhibits his competitive nature because he makes it clear that Finny is no better than he is, and he needs to beat Finny. Even the fact that Gene considers everything in his life as a competition or game where there is a winner, or someone who beats everyone else shows he is competitive
Overly Analytical
-"I couldn't see. My brain exploded… There was a swift chain of explosions in my brain, one certainly after another blasted-up like a detonation" (44). Gene tends to over think situations and cause himself a lot more stress than what is necessary. Through this example it is evident that Gene is overly analytical because he took one piece of information Finny gave it and interpreted it in many different ways and it caused his brain to experience various "explosions."
-"It had nothing to do with sports. For I wanted no more with sports. They were barred from me, as though when Dr. Stanpole said, 'sports are finished' he had been speaking of me… It was as though football players were really bent on crushing the life out of each other, as though boxers were in combat to the death, as though even though a tennis ball might turn into a bullet" (76). Through this example it is evident that Gene is overly-analytical because his brain took a situation and analyzed it in a ton of different ways. Additionally, Gene began making very many unrealistic, exaggerated connections.
Relation With Other Characters
-For the most part, Gene's relationship with Finny is a love-hate relationship. At times, Gene is extremely fond of Finny and cares about him a lot. However, sometimes Gene becomes so jealous of Finny to a point where he doesn't care about anything that happens to Finny. Gene both adores and envies Finny simultaneously.
-Gene is short-tempered, and once someone does something to make him angry, he wants nothing to do with them anymore. For example, at the beginning of the novel, Gene and Leper were friends. However, when Gene visited Leper following Leper's escape from war, Gene grew impatient and wanting nothing to do with Leper anymore. Leper had a mental disorder, and Gene realized this and still didn't care. "'Shut up!' Softer, more timidly, '-when any minute-' 'Do you think I want to hear every gory detail? Shut up! I don't care! I don't care what happened to you, Leper. I don't give a damn! Do you understand that? This has nothing to do with me! Nothing at all! I don't care!'" (143). Through this quote it is evident that Gene has little patience and this ultimately causes him to blow up and scream at Leper. Also, Gene was so angry that he left Leper outside, alone, even though he knew that Leper had mental issues.
-After Finny fell out of the tree, many characters, including Brinker, believed Gene pushed Finny. This belief affected Gene's relationship with other characters in negative ways. Over the course of the novel, Gene is constantly questioned and asked where he was at the time Finny fell, and if Gene pushed him. This belief also causes people to be suspicious of Gene, and feel unable to trust him.
Picture of Gene from: http://data2.whicdn.com/images/11725465/thumb.jpgPicture of Gene and Finny: http://sheimagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/a-separate-peace-movie-still-1nrcqt7.jpg