Finny, and this is what began Gene's incredible envy and resentment towards Finny. Finny was able to get away with anything, and he persuades Gene into making a dangerous jump out of a tree which soon becomes a constant ritual. Although Gene never wanted to go he never told Finny how he felt " I just didn't feel like it tonight" (Pg 26) he never protested and always went along. Gradually, Gene also starts to envy Finny's astonishing athletic abilities. For example when Finny breaks the school swimming record on his first try. In turn, Gene thinks that Finny envies his superior academic achievements, and he suspects that his friend has been taking steps to distract him from his studies. Gene's suspicions turn into jealousy and hatred, but he still carefully maintains his usual behavior. .
Gene begins to realize that he has made a terrible mistake about the rivalry between him and Finny, when Finny expresses a desire to see Gene succeed. " I didn't know you needed to study, I didn't think you ever did, I thought it just came to you" (Pg 50) Gene was completely shocked and now understood that there had never been any rivalry between them, and that there never would be any. Finny was too good of a person and didn't believe in enemies. This one quality that Gene did not posses. Gene still in a state of shock, followed Finny to the tree for their ritual. Finny declared that they would do a double jump, and that's when the terrible accident happened. Although, Finny did not envy Gene in any way, Gene still felt that powerful envy and resentment against his friend. He jounced the limb causing Finny to fall to the bank and break his leg. When Finny is still in the infirmary Gene puts on Finny's clothing and sees himself looking exactly like Finny. From this point on Gene slowly begins to grow and mature, leaving his childhood behind, and taking responsibility for his actions. Before the accident both Gene and Finny had not experienced any real problems in life.
Many people have trouble with this lesson. ... Soon, however, underlying emotions and growing rivalry began to eat at the friendship of Gene and Finny like bacteria. Gene began to feel shadowed by Finny's popularity. ... However, Finny was soon forced to acknowledge what really happened. ... Gene and Finny reconciled. ...
This angered Gene, but couldn't build himself up to say no. ... Finny and Gene didn't believe in war so much that Finny began to train Gene for the Olympics of 1944. ... Gene was irresponsible because his reaction to Finny's constant pressure of forcing Gene to hang with the guys; ignited him to jolt the tree, I believe this behavior is a sign of irresponsibility, not being able to control his own emotions. ... He was completely against war, saying such things like, "That's what this whole story is. ... What really took me by surprise was the death of Finny. ...
The book began in the summer and continued through the winter. ... One major example of this is when Gene decides Finny is trying to undermine him. ... What the hell, it's only a game"(50). ... Gene makes Finny fall from the tree. ... This shows Gene doing something evil. ...
As this rivalry began and grew, Gene entered into the new unknown world. ... At first, Gene felt he had nothing to do with Finny's fall and at one time even asked Finny, "Do you remember what made you fall" (57)? But this denial began to grow and causes Gene to live a harsh summer "spent in an atmosphere of reverie and unreality..." (59). ... This began to show Gene's guilt, confusion, and guilt towards Finny's fall. ... What was done to Finny is done to him. ...
The protagonist, Gene Forrester, faces this exact war in the novel. ... "Finny had deliberately set out to wreck my studies. ... You'd make a mass, a terrible mess, Finny, out of the war.... He yearned beyond what his life offered him, and was blinded by his negativity to see what he already possessed. ... As he began to fall deeper into his discontent, his inner self became fully exposed. ...
