Gene had a best friend, his name was Finny, and they were roommates and did many activities together. Finny was never the source, but the core of most of Gene's feelings, both good and bad. One of the biggest problems that Gene had was jealousy. Gene was jealous of Finny's confidence, openness, modesty, superb athletic abilities, his natural leadership skills, his ability to deal with stress easily, his care free attitude, his people skills, and of course, his good looks.

Early in the story Finny demonstrated his openness by when asked for his height, he said 5 foot, 81/2 inches, while Gene replies 5 foot, 9inches. Finny pointed out that they were the same height and you should not be ashamed to tell anybody your real height. Later that day, they skipped dinner to go swimm

Now ,well into the winter session, Brinker, a friend of Genes, comes into his room and Gene gets nervous thinking that he new Gene caused Finny's accident. Gene suggested they go to the butt room, a drab room where they were allowed to smoke. While there they were confronted by a bunch of the fellows jokingly, trying to get Gene to say that he caused the accident. Gene panicked, played along but could not bring himself to say that he actually did push Finny out of the tree.

Finny was very bold, as Gene many a times wished he was. On one occasion, Finny wore a bright pink shirt "symbolizing the first U.S. bombing in Europe,". Gene called him a "faerie" but really envied him. Later Finny wore the school tie as a belt and when questioned he claimed that it represented "Devon in the war." Gene was truly hoping Finny would get a scolding for those actions, but again, he got in no trouble. Another day the two came across a plaque near the pool that claimed A Hopkins Parker held the record for swimming across the pool the fastest. Finny took one look at it and thought he could beat it. So without any practice at all, he plunged into the pool. Gene timed him and he beat it, just like that. Gene wanted to get an official scorekeeper so Finny could get a plaque but Finny said "no, in my head I know that I did it, that's all that matters," thus demonstrating that Finny is very modest and secure.

Another problem I could detect in Gene was his anger. Gene was angry about Finny's ability not to get in trouble, and Gene's unwillingness to say "no" to Finny.. Gene believed that Finny was trying to wreak his studies with games and an organization they had formed called "The Secret Suicide Society".

Gene did enter the war, but he never saw any action. He was never in any fighting, but he realizes, as Brinker pointed out, that when Finny said the war is just a joke made up by old men, he was right. It is a game, and their sons are playing in that game and they are dyeing not for their country, but for the sins of others. He realized it but did not want to believe it. Gene feels that wars were made by "something ignorant in the human heart." Gene was ready for the war now. He was ready to face new problems and new enemies. Finny took problems a little at a time, and that is how Gene has changed. He is taking that same approach also. Hate, anger, fear, jealousy, and the enemies in the human heart are gone from Gene now; Finny has taken them with him to his grave.

One day, Finny wanted Gene to come jump off a high limb into the river with him, as they have been doing for several weeks now, and he claimed that Leper, the school nerd, would be jumping today as well. Gene burst out angrily at the idea because he was studying, and thought Finny was trying to wreak his studies, so he said no. Finny took no offense and went along as if nothing happened, but Gene could not stand

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1955
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)