Chapter 6 Summary and Analysis

The reason behind the lightness that encapsulated the summer session was that it was the first time Devon had such a session. The end of the summer session brought an end to that very lightness and lax feeling, followed by the winter session that was defined by rigor, rigidity and impersonal atmosphere. Gene now lives alone in the room and Finny’s bed remains empty. The cold bitterness of winter seemed to overlap with Gene’s experience and mental situation as he no longer has a friend nearby and stops being himself. This is established in how Gene doesn’t greet Brinker Hadley in the room next door, thereby isolating himself from the rest of the school. He also turns up late for his duty as assistant crew manager at the boathouse, the tardiness rooted into no particular reason other than idleness and thoughts of Finny. The uncharacteristic tardiness of Gene shows that he is no longer himself.

Gene’s lateness prompts Cliff Quackenbush, the crew manager with a quick trigger for anger and a need to prove himself, to pick a fight with Gene, who soon punches the crew manager and both crash into the river. On his way back to the dorms, Gene meets Mr. Ludsbury, who says that order will be restored in the dorms of Devon and that Gene has a telephone call from someone.

Gene assumes that the call was from his hometown, but finds that it was Finny who had called him. Gene still has some reservation when it comes to dealing with Finny. Finny is quite friendly with Gene during the call and asks Gene if the bed in their room was still available. Finny enquires about the sports that Gene is engaged in, but Gene confesses that he hasn’t been playing any sports. He also informs Finny that he has tried out for the position of assistant manager. Finny is obviously unsatisfied with Gene’s answer. Ever since Gene was informed by Dr. Stanpole that Finny can no longer play sports, that aspect of life has been lost to Gene as well. Playing sports and Finny were so intricated connected to each other for Gene that he cannot fathom one without the other. This changes when Finny tells Gene over the phone that Gene must play sports and must do so for him. Gene is awash with relief and a sense of exaltation after hearing this, as now he can finally play sports without being burdened by guilt, and he can now also take over an aspect of school life that had belonged to Finny. Gene wanted to be Finny in many ways, and now one of those avenues opened up to him.

Gene shows detachment and disinterest toward most things in this chapter, including his dormmates and his job. Gene’s way of experiencing Devon was through Finny until now. Without Finny. The channel is cut off, making Gene isolated. The atmosphere of the winter session did not help either. But after Finny’s call, Gene finds a way to access that part of school life that he had lost. The close ties between sports and Finny in Gene’s mind stopped him from playing earlier, but those very same ties made him feel that a new way had opened up.