Finny The Great Essay, Research Paper

Throughout the novel A Separate Peace by John Knowles, there were two dominant

characters. Gene who is the narrator and Finny who is Gene’s best friend have a

great relationship shown in A Separate Peace. Finny whose real name is Phineas

has three qualities, manipulation, athleticism, and is a strong leader.

Manipulation is shown all through the novel by Finny and is one of his best

assets that he has. We see his manipulation skills from getting out of trouble

when they skipped dinner to the time he made Gene first jump out of the tree.

“”The reason sir is that we just had to jump out of that tree. You know that

tree…because we’re all getting ready for the war…Mr. Prud’homme released his

breath with a sort of amazed laugh, stared at Finny for awhile, and that was all

there was to it’” (15,16). Finny, in this quote, gets Gene and himself out of

trouble after they skipped dinner the night before and every time they get in

trouble. In the Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session he persuades Gene

to go on the jump every night even though Gene does not want to and would rather

study.

Finny is an incredible athlete, modest, and is very brave, this is shown through

his breaking of the long-standing school swimming record and not wanting to show

off his talent. Another athletic move Finny makes is inventing a new game

called blitzball during the summer classes, which they play all the time. When

Finny breaks his leg and is never able to play sports again it devastates him.

“‘Listen, pal, if I cant play sports, you’re going to play them for me’” (77).

When Finny says this his anger is so high since he cannot play sports that he

want someone else to play for him to have that security of sports still around

him.

Throughout the novel Finny shows great leadership. Everything done by Finny and

his friends he is leading. When they made up Blitzball he was the one who made

up the rules and tells Gene and their friends how to play the game. “‘Now Leper

has just brought out a really important fine point of the game. The receiver

can refuse a pass if he happens to choose to. Sine we’re all enemies, we can

and will turn on each other all the time. We call that the Lepellier Refusal’”

(30). Finny has a knack for leading people and does this when they first start

the Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session.

Without Phineas using his charismatic attitude, athleticism and his leadership

skills the novel would be very boring. Finny `s charismatic attitude shown all

throughout the novel helps him get the things he wants and has excitement in the

novel. His athleticism makes him competitive and makes up the game of the

summer blitzball. Finny has great leadership skills so he can manipulate people

and get what he wants from his friends.