Wednesday, April 7, 2010

The Winter Session At The Devon School- William Blake

The winter term at the Devon School is definitely different from the summer term. The students do not compete with each other in a friendly way, they compete in a more vile way. The freedoms of the summer session were not tolerated during the winter. During the winter term they are expected to be students and nothing more. Also Devon had lost its eccentric summer vibe where in some respects it felt like a summer camp. In terms of Gene's winter term experience, the memories of Finny haunt him constantly. He really doesn't have any friends at Devon other than Finny. Gene's life has become barren, he has lost his purpose without Finny. Now the only thing study and watch the days pass by. an example of this is shown on page 75,

"As I had to do whenever I glimpsed this river, thought of Phineas. Not of the tree and pain, but of one of his favorite tricks, Phineas in exaltation, balancing on one foot on the prow of the canoe like a river god, ".

This shows how during the winter session, Gene also has lost his vibe and humor without Finny. It also shows how Gene has nobody to look up to anymore. It also represents Gene's guilt for destroying Finny's life.

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