Phineas and Gene Forrester. The two names that almost haunt the story. They could be described as Ying and Yang, two complete opposites who manage to find each other and use each other. Phineas, the outgoing, handsome athlete who lives in a world without rules, and Gene, the geek at the school who is intelligent, nonathletic, and very reserved. They symbolize the two sides to human nature, and throughout the story they actually taught me something.

Gene, the studious kid who’s personality changed as he spent more time with Finny. He is really easily “shamed” into doing things, but he doesn’t like to admit it. He’s one that tends to roam with the crowd, just trying to fit in like any regular teenage kid. Gene is also a worrier. He’s one of those that if you stick a coal up his butt, it’ll come out a diamond in just a matter of minutes. He knows how to have fun, only when he’s shamed. Alone, he’d be nothing.  He also has an odd anger, which caused him to injure his so called best friend.

Phineas is quite the opposite. He has the “I don’t really care too much” philosophy about the things he does.  To him, the rules are meant to be bent, and aren’t something to set in stone. He, unlike Gene, is very “popular”, always has someone around him, traveling as a group. His smarts are not on par with Gene, him being one of the first to admit it, but his smarts come in different fashions, such as his slick  talking or things of that nature.

In my mind, these two young men are actually me. They are the two sides to me, a fairly intelligent kid with a reckless attitude. They both collectively taught me about myself, and my character flaws.