A Separate Peace, Chapters 3-4

Finney broke the school's swimming record. This implies that Finney achieved a better time or distance in swimming than any previous student at the school.

Phineous admitted to Gene at the beach that Gene was his best friend. This suggests that Phineous values their friendship and considers Gene to be an important person in his life.

The narrator, Gene, says that Finney often created rules without notice. This suggests that Finney had a tendency to establish arbitrary rules or expectations without informing others, which could create confusion or frustration among those around him. This behavior implies a certain level of unpredictability and a lack of consideration for the feelings or needs of others. It also suggests that Finney may have enjoyed exerting control or power over his peers by imposing rules on them without warning.

Finney is surprised that Gene wants to study because he believes that Gene is naturally smart and shouldn't have to put in extra effort. Finney, being naturally athletic, assumes that intelligence comes as easily to Gene as athleticism does to him. Thus, he finds it unexpected and surprising that Gene would feel the need to study.

Finney feels that "nothing bad happens in sports" because he believes that sports are so enjoyable that even losing does not have a negative impact. He sees sports as a source of fun and excitement, where the joy of participating outweighs any negative outcomes. This perspective may stem from Finney's personal experiences of having had many bad things happen to him, and he wants to share his positive outlook with Gene to help him feel better. Additionally, Finney's enjoyment of sports may not be solely dependent on his athletic abilities, as he finds pleasure in the challenge they present.

Gene didn't want Finney to control him, which is why he changed his mind about going with Finney to watch Leper jump. This suggests that Gene values his independence and autonomy, and does not want to be influenced or manipulated by others. He wants to make his own decisions and not be controlled by Finney. This change of mind indicates that Gene is asserting his own agency and resisting any attempts to dominate or control him.

In "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles, Gene thinks that Phineas (Finny) is trying to sabotage his good grades because Finny makes him so late for his Trigonometry test that he doesn't have time to study.

Gene participated in the Super Suicide Society of Summer Session for multiple reasons. Firstly, he wanted Finney to like him, as their friendship was important to him. Secondly, being included in the "cool" group made him feel good and boosted his self-esteem. Therefore, both the options of wanting Finney to like him and feeling included in the "cool" group are valid reasons for Gene's participation.

Gene "jousting" the limb suggests that he was engaging in a playful and teasing manner with Finney. Jousting typically refers to a friendly competition or mock fight, indicating that Gene's actions were not meant to harm or make Finney fall. Instead, Gene was likely engaging in playful banter and enjoying the interaction with his friend.