Chapter 13 Summary and Analysis

After the boys graduate, the school is used by the military for the summer. Gene meets Mr. Hadley, Brinker’s father, who is disappointed in Gene’s and Brinker’s choice of military forces to enlist in. He says that memories of war stay forever and insists on the importance of enlisting in the right force. Brinker joins the Coast Guard and defends his choice. Gene enlists into the navy and hopes to never see a foxhole.

Once left alone, Brinker vents to Gene that the war is the doing of their parents’ generation, and he and Gene should not have to deal with that or fight in it.

The chapter ends with Gene admitting that his conflict with Finny is over. It ended when Finny forgave him and took the burden away from Gene. Gene also says how Finny is the best of men, the ideal one that people should aspire to be. Finny loved everyone, and hence had no enemies. Gene thinks everyone lives as though they are under attack, but are actually only having trouble facing reality, a reality that needn’t be fought, only accepted.