Assignment #11 (178-194) – 1) Is Finny's fall, and ultimately his death, something you can blame on Gene? Why or why not? If he is not to blame, then who is?

Gene, along with the war's affects on life at Devon, were the two factors responsible for Finny's fall and his death.  If Gene hadn't pushed Finny off the tree in the first place, there wouldn't have been a trial that resulted in Finny breaking his leg and ultimately dying.  With this said however, it is questionable if Finny's first injury would have happened if there was no war.  As their time before senior year, when they would become "draft-bait" or "practically soldiers" (Knowles 15), is dwindling, the two boys fully indulged in the atmosphere of a "careless peace" which surrounds the pre-military-trained students at Devon (Knowles 24).  They tried to make the most of their summer.   As a result of their innocence, the boys end up representing the "sign of the life the war was being fought to preserve" (Knowles 24).  Now seniors, the war seems far more real than it did in their carefree summer days as sixteen year olds.  It brings a cloud of dread and tension over Devon, and causes the boys to feel a sense of anxiety that they did not feel when they were younger.  Due to this sudden change in mood, the boys act differently than normal.  Brinker feels more of a thirst to be in control, and all of the boys feel apprehensive as the constant weight on their shoulders of enlisting gets heavier and heavier with the draft approaching.  Additionally, Gene feels unable to admit the truth that he was to blame for Finny’s first accident because he knows with the war happening, the consequences are so much worse.  Not only will Finny be unable to pursue his athletic career, he won’t be able to fulfill his responsibility of enlisting.  Because of his inability to tell Finny what really happened, power hungry Brinker feels the need to discover the truth.  Overall, the events leading up to both of Finny’s injuries were caused by the change in atmosphere because of the war.