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TwiceSaved
Feb 03, 2017
Wow what an incredible coming of age story! Phineas, an incredibly vibrant character in the book, was a great inspiration in my life. From the story Knowles paints, he has a vibrant, effervescent spirit to him which automatically draws the reader to him. However, I do not think his death, was a malicious act by Gene. I really do feel for Gene throughout this story. Phineas was always pushing him, egging him on and it seemed Gene was bothered by that. Believe me, I know what it means to have friends like that. People who dare you into semi-dangerous situations just to satisfy their own desires. And I still don't know if Phineas was like that, or whether he genuinely cared for Gene and just wanted him to break out of his shell. But in the end, Gene finally turned the situation back on Phineas. He made Phineas adapt to his musings, and in the end, eventually killed him. That last conversation between Phineas and Gene is one of the more poignant conversations in literature I believe. Was Gene trying to apologize, was Phineas telling him he was already forgiven? Did the two realize their ultimate mistake and come to terms with themselves. John Knowles never draws any conclusions. Was Gene a murderer returning to the scene of a crime? Or was he just a grown man trying to make sense of one the most perplexing relationships he has had with one the more perplexing people he has ever known? Again, I have been in Gene's situation. Being dared or belittled into doing something I did not want to. And there are times I wish I had the guts to do what Gene did, and turn the tables on my antagonistic frenemy. I did not, Gene did. Who is right? Some people view what Gene did as murder, or at least manslaughter. I view Gene's actions as justified. Just doing to him what he did, and was trying to do to me.