Character Analysis: The Super Suicide Society

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Phineas has fallen of a branch and broke his leg after attempting a double jump into the river at Devon school. In the summer of 1942 Phineas broke his leg at a meeting for the Super Suicide Society. He and Gene Forester attempted to do a double jump to open up the ceremony for new members. He fell when the branch was jostled by Gene and completely shattered his leg. The Super Suicide Society was a group at Devon School that had members join by jumping off a tree into the river. One night at the school Leper Lepellier decides he wants to become a member of the Super Suicide Society. Each time the Super Suicide Society opens a meeting Gene and Phineas jump off the tree one at a time. Because they decided to do a double jump at this …show more content…

Phineas spent a couple of weeks in the infirmary before he was allowed to have visitors. When Phineas was finally accepting visitors the doctor requested Gene to go visit him. When Gene is able to go visit Phineas they talk about the fall and if Phineas remembers it. Phineas doesn’t remember Gene being the one to push him off and denies it being Gene’s fault. Of course, Gene feels very guilty about being the one to cause his best friend to break his leg. In the fall before Gene goes to start school be decided to go visit Phineas. He mentions the fall again. He and Phineas discuss how it happened once again and they get into a major argument. Phineas is upset and in denial about Gene blaming himself so he snaps at him. Phineas didn’t return back to school immediately that year, but when he does be finds out that Gene was thinking of enlisting in the war. Phineas is angry that Gene can enlist while he can't, so he comes up with a theory to keep him from enlisting. The theory is that the war is all a hoax and it is created by fat old men. Of course, Gene believes this and decides there isn't a point in enlisting now. Because Phineas also wanted to be a part of the Olympics he suggests that Gene should train to become an athlete in the 1944 Olympics.Mr Ludsbury tells the boys that there will be no 1944 Olympics due to the war, but Phineas still insists that Gene trains. Phineas even sets up a winter carnival with Olympic events for Gene to compete

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