In the story of a Separate Peace most characters are extremely dynamic. One of the characters that goes through major change is Gene Forrester.  In the beginning of the story, after the flashback begins, Gene is the studious kid, very reserved and very quiet. When he met Finny, slowly transformed into Finny himself, taking on his attitude. At one point, even putting on his clothes  and stating that he was Finny. His attitude towards academics wasn’t at such a level where he prioritized them. He becomes a lot more relaxed, but at the same time depressed because of what he did to Finny. And it’s exactly because of that, Finny’s accident, that he changed. After seeing him in the hospital bed, and Finny says that Gene will play sports of him is when he changes. He states “my purpose from the first: to become a part of Phineas.” So that’s what he does, the spirit of Phineas lives on with him. Not only did he owe it to Finny, but he owed it to himself. That was how he was to achieve peace, to rid of the guilt that haunts him. When Finny dies, he died with him, and he begins to understand why Finny was there. He was there to teach him to be free, to not let the rules tie him down. He also taught him to not hate.