If Finny had survived the surgery to repair his leg, his and Gene’s friendship would not survive. The two friends have been lying to themselves and each other for the sake of preserving their friendship, but there comes a point where it isn’t healthy anymore. Finny and Gene have become so used to lying that they have started to live their lives as a lie. When Gene went to drop off Finny’s things in his room, Gene said, “...I tried to tell you when I came to Boston that time-”(Knowles 189) to this, Finny replied, “I know, I remember that”(Knowles 189). For the majority of the novel, Finny had been acting like he didn’t know what happened in the tree, but this quote shows that in reality, he did. Finny had been lying to himself and everybody who would ask, just to keep his and Gene's friendship alive, but now that the truth has been told, the friendship is over.
I agree, but I think there is more to it. I think that Finny knew that their friendship was going to end(even if he didn't mean dying), and it needed to be on a good note. As Sophia mentioned, Finny finally confesses to knowing that Gene made him fall off the tree. However, Finny actually realizes without lying to himself, that Gene didn't make him fall out of hate. "'It was just some kind of blind impulse you had in the tree there, you didn't know what you were doing. Was that it?' 'Yes, yes, that was it'"(Knowles 191). That gives Finny some comfort that even though his friend did this horrible thing to him to absolutely mess up his life, he didn't do it to hurt him, it was just an impulse. I think that Finny dies to represent letting go, and now he can finally lay in peace knowing that his friend still cared about him.
ReplyDeleteI politely disagree with you on this topic. When Finny says, “I believe you. It’s
ReplyDeleteokay because I understand and I believe you. You’ve already shown me and I believe you" (Knowles 191). In this passage, you can clearly tell that Gene and Finny still have a bond. I believe that even if finny had survived the surgery that their friendship would still remain. Yes, there is some truth to what you are saying and I understand, but it seems like every time they have a dispute a few days or even hours later they are friends again. Their relationship has been bumpy, but I feel like that will make them stronger as people and as friends if Finny had lived.
R.I.P. Finny