During the last sentence of chapter 6, Gene was talking to Finny for the first time since their fight and one of the first times since Finny's leg injury. While talking Finny says, "'Listen, pal, if I can't play sports, you're going to play them for me...' (Knowles 85)" After hearing this and thinking about what Finny means, Gene talks about a new freedom and his purpose from the start; to become part of Phineas. Gene has always been competing with Finny and trying make them "even" with each other, even if he didn't realize it at first. When Gene tells Finny, "'I was thinking about it (the accident)... because I caused it,' (Knowles 69)" he feels guilty for wanting to play sports without Finny in the running for the top player and team leader. Gene cares about Phineas and wants to be part of him because of how much he cares but he was also envious of the ease and carelessness Finny lived with and how Finny didn't have to try hard but was naturally talented. At Devon, competition is part of the students daily life, academically, socially and physically and in chapter 4, Gene thinks, "I found a single sustaining thought...You and Phineas are even already. (Knowles 53)"
Is it possible that Gene wanted to secure his spot at the top of the social, academic and physical ladder by making sure that Finny didn't stand a chance and breaking his leg?
How do you think Finny feels about Gene? Does Finny blame Gene for the break?
How has this affected their friendship?
Has Finny really forgiven Gene or does he want revenge?
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At first I thought that Finny was mad at Gene because he realized that Gene could've been the one to jounce the limb making him fall. Now I realize that Finny is not mad at Gene, but he is confused by Gene. Since Gene was the only one up there with Finny, and Finny has never fell out of the tree by himself before, he had a strange feeling that he could've been pushed on purpose. Then Finny realized Gene is his best pal and would never do that to him, but how could he really know? On page 66, it says, " I did have this idea, this feeling that when you were standing there beside me, y-- I don't know, I had a kind of feeling" (Knowles 66). This quote shows how for a moment, Finny believed that the person that he called his best friend had intentionally jounced the limb to make Finny fall.
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