Finny and Gene both envy each other's success. Finny envy's Gene's intelligence and Gene envy's Finny's athletic ability. When finny finds out Gene wants to be valedictorian, Finny jokingly says "I'd kill myself out of jealous envy" (Knowles 44) that's when Gene realizes the envy is mutual.
When bad things happen, true friends will be there for you to catch your fall. Finny and Gene went back to the tree at Devon, and Finny wanted to do a double jump with Gene. Gene and Finny climbed up to branch. Gene lost his balance and it moved the branch, causing Finny to come tumbling down to the ground. Unlike when Gene fell out of the tree and Finny caught him, Gene had no choice. Suddenly fearless, he dived off the branch into the lake. Finny now with a broken leg and in the hospital, not allowed any visitors. To alleviate his guilt, Gene tried to get his mind off of Finny's shattered leg and at home he put on Finny's clothes and started mimicking him in the mirror. This act shows that Gene wants to be like Finny, and he likes it. "I had no idea why this gave me such an intense relief, but it seemed standing there in Finny's triumphant shirt, that I would never stumble through the confusions of my own character again." (Knowles 54). Gene doesn't really know where he stands. He later finds out by the doctor that Finny won't be able to play spots. Gene cry's and feels guilty for what he had done; but isn't this what he wanted? When Gene goes to visit Finny, he asked what happened in the tree. Finny says he just lost his balance and he doesn't accuse Gene at all. Gene feels he needs to tell Finny the truth, and that he will hate him for what he is about to say, which makes us think Gene meant to make Finny fall, "This will be the worst thing in the world, and I'm sorry and I hate to tell you this but I've got to tell you." (Knowles 59) before he could tell him, the doctor walked in and Gene was sent away.