“Peace had deserted Devon”(72).
Gone was the pink shirt, the twinkling eyes of mischief, the
unregulated flow of fun
Just like the “flow of simple, unregulated friendliness
between [people], and such flows were one of Finny’s reasons for living”(22).
“I was not the same quality as he”(59).
Finny knew how to live in the moment, like watching water
flow down a mountain
after a spring thaw, full of life and vitality, untamed,
unavoidable, unstoppable.
Finny would never lie about his height, his poor grades or
his circumstances,
Until he had to, until he couldn’t bear to think of
anything, the war or otherwise,
continuing on without him.
“I was not the same quality as he”(59).
Finny would never accuse another, a friend, a roommate, of
offending or hurting
Because he didn’t understand that kind of rivalry, that kind
of ignorance
in the human heart that only he seemed to escape.
“He probably thought anything you were good at came without
effort.
He didn’t know yet that he
was unique”(58), unique at loving without envy.
“I was not the same quality as he”(59).
It was silly for me to ask for his forgiveness, for it had
already been given,
the err had already been erased, that darkness which exists
inside of us,
“Phineas alone had escaped this.
He possessed an extra vigor, a heightened confidence in
himself,
a serene capacity for affection which saved him”(203)
“I was not the same quality as he”(59).
I knew then, at his funeral, what I had known all along,
Next to his side at the Headmaster’s tea
As we tackled him in Blitzball, a ridiculous game of his own
design,
And standing there, first at the base of the limb
Then again at the top of those terrible, hard, marble
stairs.
That “I was not the same quality as he”(59).
When Gene says “I did not cry then or ever about Finny….I could not escape
a feeling that this was my own funeral, and you do not cry in that case”(194), is it because he knows he is responsible for the death of his best friend? Or was it simply a "burst of animosity, lasting only a second...something which came before I could recognize it and was gone before I knew it had possessed me"(188), a mere accident that ended in an unfortunate death? Post below with your reflections.
It is a great sadness that I stand in front of you today celebrate the life of my best friend, Finny.
ReplyDelete“Sixteen is the key and crucial and natural age for a human being to be” (41).
“Finny could shine with everyone, he attracted everyone he met” (40).
“He was my roommate and my best friend” (40).
Finny, today, lies in front of me,
He will be forever sixteen, and he will stay in the depth of my heart.
I was been jealous about Finny for so many times, but “he had never been jealous of me for a second” (59).
“Finny had practically saved my life” (32).
Without him I will not be able to stand here today and be alive.
Finny was the best athlete and I was the best student at school.
He had broken A. Hopkins Parker’s school swim record.
But unfortunately,
“Sports are finished for him” (63) says Dr. Stanpoled, “After an accident like that. Of course.” (63)
I felt so shamed, because I was the one who caused all those nightmares happened.
Finny trusted me, a lot, he was like my family.
Even when I told him that “I caused it” (69).
“If you broke the rules, then they broke you” (74).
Finny told me, “If I can’t play sports, you’re going to play them for me” (85).
Thank you for the trust, I will never forget you.
“Plus c’est la même chose, plus ça change.
Nothing endures, not a tree, not love, not even a death by violence” (14).
Love the ending, JingJing!
DeleteYou left me but all the memories that we have together will never be gone,
ReplyDelete"He was my roomate and my bestfriend" (40)
No one could of compared to him in sports he was an " extraurdinary athlete "(16)
Oh Phineas , " He always had a steady and fomidable flow of usuable energy " (40)
He was unique and different from everyone else he " could shine with everyone " (40)
Without him Iwouldn't be standing here " Finny had practilly saved my life "(32)
But, everything has changed since the day you left, I felt "dried up the source , withered and lifeles" (203)
During the surgery I lost him "and I lost part of myself to him then " (85)
Now that you are not here with me " I'm nothing " (204)
And like I've said before " Nothing endures not a tree, not love, not a death by violence" (14)
Lovely, Meliza:)
DeleteHe was a god friend tough and strong
ReplyDelete"Yes he had practically saved my life"(33)
Although not the brightest of them all
"He was everywhere, he enjoyed himself hugely"(47)
His voice was not the best
"But he loved listening to music, any music, and he liked to sing"(46)
He was a good friend tough and strong
"Phineas,...made me think of Lazarus...back to life...by God"(50)
"You want to study?"(57)
He always asked. Not knowing I wasn't a genius by nature
"You aren't going to start living by the rules, are you?"(71)
He would say not noticing my evil lying nature
"Never accuse a friend of a crime if you only a feeling he did it"(66)
Was one of his main rules along with other many commandments
Even when the accident came so clear he didn't accuse me
"My purpose from the first:to become a part of Phineas"(85)
He was a loyal and forgiving friend. He never judged me
And then one day he was gone, I went back at 5 and there
"Dr. Stanpole sat down next to me...'Your friend is dead'"(193)
Finny, my best friend. I will miss him 'till we meet again
When Gene notes " I did not cry then or ever about Finny….I could not escape a feeling that this was my own funeral, and you do not cry in that case”(194)is not insinuating that he killed his own friend it is, in my perspective,just him reflecting that now that his friend is dead it'll probably be the end for him too not only because he was his best friend but because Finny was like a superman he could get away with anything and everyone loved him. So now that he's gone that peace that Finny would bring to Devon school will no longer come back ever, leaving Gene alone and deserted.
DeleteSo thorough, Cindy! Nice job:)
DeleteI would not believe
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe
"I could not escape a feeling that this was my own funeral..."(194)
You are an extension of my life
"When you played a game you won"(35)
You believed in me when no one else did
"I myself took no action"(159)
"Im sorry"(185)
"Finny had a vitality which could not be quenched so suddenly..."(202)
I must say I have regret,
Regret for pushing you
I failed as a friend
The day at the beach
You confessed your feelings to me and yet I did not respond
I respond today:
"It's you, pal, just you and me"(17)
"We were careless and wild..."(24)
You were and always will be my best friend
Today I realize that there never was a percent of rivalry
"...rivalry between us"(59)
The evil thoughts roamed my mind
You, on the other hand, helped form responsibility, maturity, kindness and love
The factors that make up the man I will forever be
You are the only one to blame pal, thank you
Phineas was always a leader.
ReplyDelete“I couldn’t help but envying him, which was perfectly normal” (25).
Finny was good at most things he did, especially athletics.
He enjoyed his life, and was always optimistic.
That was a quality I didn’t have.
He might not have been the brightest in his academics; he still tried to be successful.
Phineas considered me his best friend.
One day I wanted to enlist, but I couldn’t.
“Phineas was shocked at my idea of leaving” (108).
“In some way he needed me” (108).
"Yes he had practically saved my life"(33)
He was someone I could never be.
“I was not the same quality as he”(59).
“Only Phineas never was afraid, only Phineas never hated anyone” (204).
I know this is late but I wanted to share my thoughts...
DeleteWhen Gene says “I did not cry then or ever about Finny….I could not escape a feeling that this was my own funeral, and you do not cry in that case”(194), I think Gene knows deep down inside that he is responsible for the death of Finny. He begins to realize this at that moment, and although he might not have wanted to cause this, he knows it was because of him. I don't think that this was a happy or "triumphant" moment for Gene, and I do feel like Gene regrets what he did at times. It does seem like Gene now feels deserted since Finny is gone from his life. He was jealous of Finny, but I don't think he wanted to lose him.
I thought I would have lasted forever.
ReplyDelete“We were careless and wild, and I suppose we could
Be thought of as a sign of the life that the war
Was being fought to preserve” (24).
Thinking he would have always been hanging on.
“I was beginning to see that Phineas could get
Away with anything” (25).
Just now it only seems but a lie.
A lie ever since those thoughts of mine began.
“Finny had practically saved my life” (32).
Yet I did not have the feeling anyone normal would have had.
I ended up doing the unthinkable, for that I died inside.
“Holding firmly to the trunk,...I jounced the limb” (59).
I don’t know why I did such thing. I myself am shocked.
Finny still wanted me as a friend after this, and even made a rule:
“Never accuse a friend of a crime if you only have a feeling he did it” (66).
He still didn’t want to believe me when I told him what I did.
One day he was here and the next he has changed.
“It was just some ignorance inside me…something blind, that’s all it was”(191).
Except that ignorant move destroyed me and took Finny forever.
It is clearly shown that Gene now fell apart with Finny's death as he said, "I could not escape a feeling that this was my own funeral, and you do not cry in that case"(194), which shows that not only is he full of remorse, but he has put upon himself the death not of Phineas, but himself and the peace that used to be around him. Finny now gone also shows a part of Gene is gone and now empty with only memories that will go back to the “accident”, keeping that part of Gene’s life recent and perhaps killing him inside many times.
-Janely Paramo
“Nothing endures, not a tree, not love, not even a death by violence.” (14).
ReplyDeleteFinny had taught me that.
He was a friend of such ease, with “a flow of simple, unregulated friendliness.” (22)
“And such flows were one of Finny's reasons for living.” (22)
He had forgiven me after I told him that “I caused it” (69)
“He was never going to accuse me.” (66)
“Naturally. He was my roommate and my best friend.” (40)
I was afraid.
On the day that he fell out of the tree, I felt anger and bitterness toward a rivalry that never existed.
“He had never been jealous of me for a second.” (59)
“Only Phineas was never afraid, only Phineas never hated anyone.” (204)
And “I was not of the same quality as he.” (59)
Even so, I feel that “my purpose from the first: to become a part of Phineas.” (85)
“I lost a part of myself then,” (85) on the day he died.
He was an extension of my life.
“It's you pal, just you and me.” (17)
"Phineas had been the best athlete in the school"(16)
ReplyDeleteI was his best pal, his best friend.
"Phineas could get away with anything"(25)
because of "the extraordinary kind of person he was"(28).
He trusted me, he believed me
"he had practically saved my life"(33)
I should have saved his.
"He was my roommate and my best friend"(40).
he created blitzball, he broke the school- he exceeded himself
"Finny could shine with everyone"(40)
"He needed me"(108)
but i didn't help him, and now it's too late
"'I'm sorry...I'm sorry, I'm sorry'"(185).
"'The marrow of his bone...'"(194)
he was an amazingly kind of person, who whishes no harm to anyone, ever
I can't escape the feeling" that this was my own funeral"(194).
-Janeth Bonilla
“No one but Phineas could think up such a crazy idea” (14)
ReplyDeleteHe was full of charisma and life,
“Finny’s life was ruled by inspiration” (34)
He had many commandments that he lived by, three of them being
“You always win at sports” (35)
“Never say you are five nine when you are five feet eight and a half” (35)
“Always say your prayers at night because it might turn out that there is a God” (35)
He followed these commandments devoutly
He was crazy, but he was my best friend,
He was athletic, he loved sports, he created blitzball, a crazy game, but sports loved him,
“I never saw him tired, never really winded, never overcharged and never restless” (39)
“Finny could shine with everyone, he attracted everyone he met” (40)
“He was my roommate and my best friend”
“Despite the steady musical undertone in his speaking voice Finny couldn’t carry a tune,
And he couldn’t remember the melody of the words to any song.
But he loved listening to music, any music, and he loved singing” (46)
“Only Phineas was never afraid, only Phineas never hated anyone.” (204)
Everyone else went to war,
“All of them, all except Phineas, constructed at infinite cost to themselves against this enemy that they thought they saw across the frontier.
This enemy who never attacked that way--- if he ever attacked at all; if he was indeed the enemy.” (204)
"This must have been my purpose" (85).
ReplyDelete"To become a part of Phineas" (85).
He always created distractions for us to focus on,
Even with a raging war around us.
"Phineas was the essence of this careless peace" (24).
"No one else in the school could have done so" (25).
"I couldn't help envying him a little" (25).
"It was hypnotism" (25).
He always had a way with words,
"He had gotten away with everything" (28).
He was my best friend.
He was the best man to ever exist.
Even throughout his dark times, he inspired me.
I saw the world in a different way because of him.
I feel emotionless thinking about his death,
All because of one reason;
"I lost part of myself to him" (85)
Maybe it was his voice,
ReplyDelete"He alone talked easily" (26).
Maybe it was his daring spirit,
"Finny pressed his advantage" (22).
Maybe it was his craziness,
"He sprang out...and smashed into the water" (16).
Maybe he was Houdini,
"He had gotten away with everything" (28).
Maybe it was his honesty,
"'I'm sorry about that feeling I had" (66).
Maybe it was his perfection,
“Only Phineas never was afraid, only Phineas never hated anyone” (204).
Or maybe, it was me,
“I was not the same quality as he”(59).
Whatever the case may be,
"I could not escape a feeling that this was my own funeral, and you do not cry in that case" (194).
"I think we reminded them of what peace was like, boys at sixteen." (24).
ReplyDeleteFinny knew how to do that to people, make them believe in peace.
"Why did I let Finny talk me into stupid things like this?" (17).
But I will always love him all the same.
He could make people open up to him, without even lifting a finger.
"It was hypnotism." (25).
What an innocent mind he had.
Always asking, asking, and asking questions.
"I don't really think we bombed Central Europe, do you?" (29).
I'll miss that.
"Finny had practically saved my life." (32).
It was something I could never forget.
How was he able to stay so humble, I don't know.
"But I don't want to do it in public." (44).
"Nonsense!" I thought.
But that was Finny, just being Finny.
To say I was his best friend,
"It was a courageous thing to say." (48).
Only he could do something like that.
Why didn't I say it back, why!?
"But something held me back." (48).
I couldn't find a bone in my body to forgive myself for that.
"You're too good to be true." (44).
Is what I always thought of him.
That's when I realized,
"Now I knew that there never was and never could have been any rivalry between us." (59).
"I couldn't stand this." (59).
Knowing deep inside of myself,
"I was not of the same quality as he." (59).
So when the time finally came for him to leave my world,
I saw with my own eyes,
"this was my own funeral" (194).
When he left, he took a part of me with him.
We were both bound inseperably
ReplyDelete"It's you pal. . . just you and me" (17)
He moved, I moved
"Moved like an engine" (175)
"Everything he said was true and sincere" (Knowles 23)
He was pure and good without one fiber of jealousy
"He. . . saved my life" (33)
Why didn't I return the favor?
"Finny could shine with everyone" (40)
Shined perheaps a little too bright for me
"I was not the same quality as he" (59)
"It was quite a compliment to me. . . to have such a good person choose me for his best friend" (28)
He told me I was his best friend, he loved me
"When you really love something, then it loves you back" (111)
Why couldn't I say it. . . and now it's too late
How did it come to this, to be stuck in a hole I can't get out of.
Finny, Well what can I say about him
ReplyDeleteAre there even words that describe him?
He was one of the strongest person I have ever met in my life,
"Nothing as he was growing up at home, nothing at Devon, nothing even about the war had broken his harmonious and natural unity" (203)
Without his existence in my life, where would I have been,
A question I ask myself everyday
"Phineas created an atmosphere in which I continued now to live" (202)
He was the perfect man
"Only Phineas never was afraid, only Phineas never hated anyone" (204)
And because of that "I couldn't help envying him that a little" (25)
He did abide by certain rules and was he was the most humble person I have ever known
When he broke the school swim record, all he said was "But I don't want to do it in public" (44)
He lives through us and his spirit is still alive in this school, one in the form if blitzball
It is a popular sport at Devon, but yet "nobody can be playing it as it was played by Phineas" (39)
He always be apart of me no matter what
because "I lost part of myself to him" (85)
"He was my roommate and my best friend" (40)
“Plus c’est la même chose, plus ça change.
ReplyDeleteNothing endures, not a tree, not love, not even a death by violence” (14).
The same could be said about Phineas, but it was how he lived is what makes him so unique.
He lived without malice, without hate and it seemed like he wasn’t even human,
Living without any sort of contempt for anyone.
"Everything he said was true and sincere" (23)
“He was my roommate and my best friend” (40).
He loved me and I too loved him, even though he said it first and I never said I love you back.
At least not verbally, but it was evident that I loved Phineas like he was my own family
“I was not the same quality as he”(59).
If I was I wouldn't have jostled the branch and caused his fall breaking his leg and perhaps, even him.
“Finny had practically saved my life” (32), and refused to believe I tried to take his.
It was against every fiber of who he was to think in such a way of a friend.
He trusted me, when his leg broke he only allowed me to give him support of any kind.
When I told him of what I had done, he simply just took it that I had committed an accident,
Not a crime against him.
He probably would have healed perfectly if I hadn't said anything about me wanting him to fall.
It was when I told him that I actually had jostled the branch on purpose, that is what broke him.
I believe, like a tumor, this may have been what slowly killed him as well.
“Finny could shine with everyone, he attracted everyone he met” (40).
He would “in those days almost always moves in groups the size of a hockey team” (15).
There was also no such thing as losing in a sport, at least in his eyes.
Finny would say things that no one else would ever think to say. For example, one day Finny said “’What I like best about this tree,’ he said in that voice of his, the equivalent in sound of a hypnotist’s eyes, ’what I like is that it’s such a cinch!’ He opened his green eyes wider and gave us his maniac look, and only the smirk on his wide mouth with its droll, slightly protruding upper lip reassured us that he wasn't completely goofy”(14).
“Finny’s life was ruled by inspiration and anarchy, and so he prized a set of rules. His own, not those imposed on him by other people” (34).
Phineas’ death “was my own funeral" (194).
The doctor said he died because, during the surgery, bone marrow went into his blood stream,
But I don’t think that is what killed him.
Phineas is too strong to die in that way.
He died because of a broken heart,
Finny died because of me…
“Plus c’est la même chose, plus ça change.
Nothing endures, not a tree, not love, not even a death by violence” (14).
Hardest part about doing this was the stupid "Please prove you are not a robot" thing when I tried to post this...
DeleteOMG SYRUS!!!!!!
Delete"At this teen-age period in life the proper person is your best pal," (48).
ReplyDeletePhineas said to me once, I didn't know it then but it was true.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," (185).
I pushed him away and it took a long time to get back.
"I thought I belonged here," (189).
Without Phineas, I didn't belong.
"I'll hate it everywhere," (190).
I was glad to reconcile because I was afraid.
"Now it might only be true for me," (198).
I feared he would be angry, that he would hate me.
"Only Phineas was never afraid, only Phineas never hated anyone," (204).
Once I finally realized this, my friend was gone, and I was numb inside.
"And you do not cry in that case," (194).
Phineas was different from anyone else I had ever known.
"He possessed an extra vigor, a heightened confidence in himself," (202).
I couldn't cry before, because I wasn't ready to let go.
"So at last I had," (203).
Phineas always had a steady and formidable flow of usable energy (40).
ReplyDeletePerhaps he was just interested in looking at it, as he was in everything (36).
It made Finny seem… too unusual for rivalry (45).
And there were few relationships among us at Devon not based on rivalry (45).
Phineas had moved in continuous flowing balance, so that he seemed to drift along with no effort at all (111).
He was the most extraordinary boy I had ever met.
He had gotten away with everything (28).
Phineas was the essence of… careless peace (24).
I couldn't help envying him that a little (25).
"I slipped,"(81)
ReplyDeleteBut did he really?,
"There's something unpleasant about that question, isn't there?"(31)
Gene was never honest with Finny,
"I know, I joined the club, i'm going. What else can i do.?"(57)
He could have been honest,
"Ah-h-h. The truth hurts eh?"(88)
Yes Indeed, Finny could not believe it,
"I can see I never should have left you alone,"(103)
Gene regrets betraying Finny,
"I can manage all right,"(108)
His words made Gene feel guilt,
"Then you just pushed him off, Ill bet."(91)
Pushed Finny to his doom,
"I can manage all right."(108)
Finny said in defiance,
"So I didn't argue,"(111)
Gene tried to ignore what he did,
"I'm terribly-it was a mistake,"
Gene soon realized,
"Im sorry, Im sorry."(185)
-Eduardo Llamas
"He was my roommate and my best friend" (40).
ReplyDeleteNow he is forever gone from my life.
"Finny always said what he happened to be thinking" (23).
"Finny pressed his advantage" (22).
"He might have rather enjoyed the punishment" (22).
Finny was brave.
"Phineas just walked serenely on, or rather flowed on, rolling forward" (18).
His life was "ruled by inspiration and anarchy, and so he prized a set of rules" (34).
One of his commandments were "Never say you are five feet nine when you are five feet right and a half" (35).
I could've died if I fell off of te tree branch we were on.
"Finny had practically saved my life" (32)
Finny was very humble.
He even broke the school swim record but didn't want me to tell anyone.
"I was not the same quality as he" (59).
I don't know what I was thinking when "I jounced the limb" (59).
He believed that he should "never accuse a friend of a crime if you only have a feeling he did it" (66).
Finny was the best athelete, but sports were finished for him because of me.
When I lost Finny during his surgery, "I lost part of myself to him" (85).
Without him "I'm nothing" (204).
Rest in peace my dear friend.
Eulogy: Who Else Like Phineas
ReplyDeleteWho else like Phineas, who left such an impression.
"It was hypnotism"(Knowles 9).
He was naturally a leader in the things he enjoyed doing, he was naturally that talented.
"I was beginning to see that Phineas could get away with anything"(Knowles 25).
His abilities were marvelous in my eyes.
"I couldn’t help in envying him that a little, which was perfectly normal"(Knowles 25).
Perfectly normal to any sensible human, but it was the opposite for him.
"Finny’s life was ruled by inspiration and anarchy, and so he prized a set of rules"(Knowles 34).
These rules were different and characterized him as truly independent from everyone else, almost completely detached and in his own world.
"His own, not imposed on him by other people"(Knowles 34).
Most people are followers and Phineas was unique, he was truly honest and pure, to me Phineas is still alive and im not crazy, because, it would be crazier to forget about him, for then I would lose my inspiration.
"Finny dies because of bone marrow escaping into his blood system and traveling to his heart"(Knowles 193).
Finny, had too big of a heart, nothing could stop his passion, he tried putting me above himself, if I ever do make the Olympics of 1944 I will dedicate the medal to Finny first and Devon second for being the place where I met him.
"I lost part of myself to him"(Knowles 85).
Phineas, you are now a part of me and when I die, then and only then you will also, because we are brothers and nothing will separate us and the memories that keep your silence surreal.
“The marble must be unusually hard” (11)
ReplyDeleteUnusual to still be hard after 15 years
“I turned away and went back outside” (12)
Seeing that the marble was the only thing that interested me
“The tree was tremendous” (14)
The tree that I remember from long ago
“Our absence from dinner had been noticed” (21)
All day outside creating the Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session
“I was beginning to see that Phineas could get away with anything” (25)
Saying why we had been absent for dinner
“I was not of the same quality as he” (59)
I could never come up with the extraordinary things he did, physical or mental
“I couldn’t stand this” (59)
Jealous of him, Finny and I climbed the tree to jump off together
“Holding firmly to the trunk, I took a step toward him, and then my knees bent and I jounced the limb” (59)
I was shocked myself and a bit confused about what made me do it
“Walking again!” (63)
Finny was ok but now sports are not an option for him with a shattered leg bone
“I kept quiet” (172)
After this accident, Brinker began to ask Finny questions
“I have never seen Finny crying” (177)
He wanted to protect me from being accused of his accident
“He plunged out the doors” (177)
He left in a hurry, not being careful
“Then these separate sounds collided into the general tumult of his body falling clumsily down the white marble stairs” (177)
I wish I could’ve helped him but I was afraid
“Dr. Stanpole had told me in the corridor that he was going to set the bone that afternoon” (191)
I went on with the rest of my day until 5 o’clock
“The marrow of his bone…” (194)
Finny had died because of escaped bone marrow that stopped his heart, he was gone