Gene, who is recanting the story, is an insecure follower, no matter how much he’d like to think he was independent. In reality, he needs Finny to contrast him, motivate him, and supply him with his reputation of being an upper-dog. Gene is somewhat pathetic and becomes very much a paranoid individual is that constantly flipping between the overwhelming need to impress Finny, and the need to kill him for his “treachery.”
Finny is extremely charismatic and a irresistible leader with an unshakable hold on all of his peers. He can even use his pursuasiveness over his superiors in order to avoid any reprimands that are surely deserved since he is an impulsive rule-breaker. However, I do not believe that he is cold-natured and evily manipulative like he could be, he simply know he can so he does, merely to break some rules and have fun.
Leper is a quiet and meditative individual who is usually barely noticeable in the scene and is always set off to the side, never one to steal attention. He is the type to separate himself from the crowd, especially towards the time of his departure. His out-there demure makes him the easiest to look down on but this same thing also makes him numb to anything that may be hurtful like his nickname Leper that so acurately describes his social-outcast situation. Also, although he is the most unexpected candidate for the war, he is the first to actually partake in it. This is a huge shock for the entire school but only furthers Leper’s uniqueness.
Michelle:
I think this is a very strong post. Nicely done. Which character did you like the best?
-kbozeman
I’m not sure- they’re all pretty menatly disturbed… but Leper seemed to be the only one with a hopeful future in the beginnig, even though he too eventually succumbed to maddness.
So he’d probably be my favorite since he wasnt crazy the whole time.
Did you ever get the sense that Gene would become stable and more confident after enlisting in the war, if Finny would have stayed at home longer during the end of the sumer session?
perhaps he might have, but i think it might have shattered his world even harder if Finny were to return later. also Gene is very much a follower, and he might not have been able to last much loger with out Finny. (this is also probably why he fell back into Finny’s antics so easily.)
Great question though, i hadn’t though of it.