From A Separate Peace by John Knowles, please describe the relationship between Phineas and Gene.

Phineas and Gene are roommates and friends at a preparatory school called Devon School in 1942--nothing more, nothing less. The book starts with Gene visiting the school 15 years after graduation during the summer semester before their senior year and he is reflecting on their friendship and life at school while World War II raged on around the world. During high school, Gene admired Finny's athleticism, charisma, and ability to get everyone involved in his games or ideas--but he also felt resentment and jealousy at times. Finny, on the other hand, seems to be a great friend who does not share any of Gene's feelings of competition or resentment. In fact, Finny is open with his feelings about his friendship with Gene on the beach one summer day as shown in the following passage:

"I hope you're having a pretty good time here. I know I kind of dragged you away at the point of a gun, but after all you can't come to the shore with just anybody and you can't come by yourself, and at this teen-age period in life, the proper person is your best pal. . . which is what you are" (48).

Gene is weirded out at the time, but he also feels guilty that he didn't tell Phineas that he considered him his best friend as well. 

Later on, all of the talents and wonderful qualities Phineas has take their toll on Gene and his insecurities get the better of him. Phineas and Gene have an argument where they discuss each other's talents and successes. During the argument, they decide to go to the tree to jump into the river, but because Gene is riled up, he jounces the tree limb that they are on and Phineas falls, breaking his leg.

Gene lives with the guilt for his lapse in self-control for most of their senior year. He went to Finny's home in the fall and confessed his role in the tree that day, but Phineas didn't believe him. Phineas forgives him and shows what a true friend would do. By the end of the year, a bunch of boys hold a mock trial to convict Gene of hurting Phineas, but Finny doesn't want to hear it. When Gene apologizes for breaking his leg again, he says the following:

"I don't know how to show you, how can I show you, Finny? Tell me how to show you. It was just some ignorance inside me, some crazy thing inside me, something blind, that's all it was" (191).

Phineas is now in a position to acknowledge that his best friend actually did hurt him on purpose, but again, he forgives him. Phineas is an example of a true friend and Gene has the privilege to learn such a great lesson at such a young age.