Although Gene isn't a thief, he has some slight doubt in his mind that he has shook the branch intentionally, so that Finny would fall. It's not clear whether Gene advertantly shook the branch, or if he is overwhelmed by guilt. However he did admit to it when he says "I deliberately jounced the limb so you would fall off". Finny overcome with shock responds "Of course you didn't do it. You damn fool. Sit down, you damn fool". (Knowles 70)
Finny is convinced that Gene would never do such a thing, however Gene doesn't know if he did it or if he is lying to himself. It is impossible to live guilt free. Gene thinks that telling Finny the "truth" will help. However the "truth" that Gene says is only what Gene wants to hear to help rid the guilt from his mind. If gene admits to jouncing the branch then he is one step closer to being guilt free.
Guilt can eat a person from the inside out; it starts as a small thought, a doubt in a persons clear conscious, but as time passes and more thought is put into the incident, guilt consumes its victim with no remorse. As Gene tries to move on or come to terms with what happened, he starts to feel bad about all the bad things that have gone through his mind about Finny. Over time and thinking, he convinces himself he was so jealous and envious of Finny, the guilt he placed upon himself creates him to speak out and tell Finny what he believes is the truth. "-I was thinking about you and the accident because I caused it. (Knowles 69)" Gene has no proof and isn't even sure that he caused the accident but after resting on the idea there was the slightest possibility he was to blame, he would rather come clean straight away.
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