Comparing Finny's And Gene

Finny’s and Gene’s Similarities, Differences, and Change Over Time Phineas and Gene have many qualities that compliment each other, but both individuals also have some large differences which become clear throughout the novel. To begin, Finny and Gene both posses individual strengths that influence the other boy. To begin, both boys are very passionate about a certain subject. Finny is passionate in sports and athletics, as demonstrated through his many sports and activities. Before Phineas jumps off the tree, Gene points out: “Even as a Lower Middler Phineas had been the best athlete in the school” (16). Finny wasn’t particularly well built, but he excelled in everything athletic, from swimming to jumping to running. On the other hand Gene is passionate about his education. While talking to finny in their

You work to hard" (51). Gene is much smarter than everyone else in his class, and therefore refers to himself as the head of the class. To continue, both boys also posses chaste rustics of denial under stress and both take on alternate personalities when stressed. Gene when under harsh conditions takes on a violent and disturbing actions that hurt himself and the ones around him. For example when he was on the branch with finny, he subconsciously gets a "fear" of walking out on the branch, so Gene hesitantly "took a step towards him (finny), and then my knees bent and I jounced the limb. Finny, his balance gone, swung his head around to look at me for an instant with extreme interest, and then he tumbled side-ways, broke through the little branches below and hit the bank with a sickening, unnatural thud" (60). Later in the novel we find out that Gene had done this out of jealousy for finny, so he felt the need to ruin him in order to be on top. Finny on the other hand, takes on a state of