Key Quotes and Analysis

-“I think we reminded them of what peace was like, we boys of sixteen.”

(Gene, Chapter – 2)

This quote is the observation made by Gene when Finny manages to escape punishment from Mr. Prud’homme for skipping dinner and playing in the river. Gene thinks that the leniency was because the childish behavior of the 16-year-old boys was reminiscent of the times of peace, which are cherished by the adults during this time of war. Yet, despite the boys’ innocence and playfulness seeming like an oasis during war times, what is ignored is that there is turbulence even within the oasis, for there is a separate war being fought in the minds and hearts of the boys at Devon. The ones that succeed and move on step into maturity and the ones that fail do not and are left behind.

– “Everyone has a moment in history which belongs particularly to him.”

(Gene, Chapter – 3)

This is another reflection by Gene. He recognizes there is a particular moment in life where a person’s emotions hold great sway and control over that person, and therefore affects several aspects associated to it. For Gene, this is war. War has controlled and affected several facets of his life. Not just World War II, but also the war within one’s soul and the war of relationships. War defines Gene’s reality, whether he wants to acknowledge it or not. Gene recognizes that spiritual and moral wars are expressed in the forms of passion and hate, fighting and fleeing from confrontation, and charity and envy.

– “But you can’t say anything for sure from just feelings.”

(Finny, Chapter – 5)

Finny says this at the infirmary after his fall from the tree. Gene visits Finny at the infirmary, and although Finny suspects Gene of jouncing the limb of the tree, he only has a feeling that Gene does so. Finny rational sense takes over and establishes that feelings are not reliable. Thus, instead of letting doubts and confusion simmer within him, Finny discards his feelings. This posits Finny on the contrary to Gene, who is controlled by his feelings throughout. Finny also, despite being the most childish of the group of boys at Devon, shows incredible maturity by way of rational thought, thus proving himself to be better than Gene.

– “Sure. There isn’t any war.”

(Finny, Chapter – 11)

Finny says this line of sarcasm after Gene describes his encounter with Leper. The irony is that Finny was the one to insist earlier that the war isn’t real, but while Gene struggles to accept the reality of war and Leper’s mental illness and trauma, Finny allows his rational mind to guide him once again. He does not pretend anymore and knows that, with visual proof of the brutality of war existing right before their eyes and within their own circle, the best course of action is to not run away from reality but to accept it. Finny also seems at peace after accepting this reality of war. Finny may have lost his athleticism and become only a pale reflection of himself after the fall, but he still proves to be better than Gene, who scampers for refuge within Finny’s fantastical world soon after meeting Leper.

– “You collect every f—ing fact there is in the world!”

(Finny, Chapter – 11)

Finny says this Brinker at the trial before rushing off. Finny is very uncomfortable with the trial held concerning his fall from the tree. He does not want to accept that Gene intentionally shook the limb of the tree, which would mean accepting that his friend harbored some hate toward him. Finny also disregards the purpose of facts in this particular scenario as he sees the outcome of using these facts as pointless. Finny, despite showing rationality several times in the book, recognizes that a moral stance is necessary in this situation. Finny also shows his affection for Gene, for he cannot bear to watch Gene be pronounced guilty, a burden that is not only Gene’s to carry. Deep within, he knows what he once suspected may be true, and he cannot bear to wait for the truth to become a reality. Thus, he denounces Brinker and escapes the trial. Running away from adversity is quite unlike Finny, but at this moment, Finny is controlled by his emotions, and is unable to let his rational mind take over.