Through the course of the novel, the boys gain insights into their own personalities but they do not become, and cannot be, friends because honesty is missing from their relationship.
Both Gene and Finny grow as individuals as a result of Gene's reckless action. While the boys seem temporarily to grow closer after Finny falls, as Gene makes a massive effort at redeeming himself, the fact that he was responsible for Finny's injury renders him unable to be a true friend. Guilt comes to occupy a central place in his life, and he proves unable to get past the knowledge that he showed himself to be a shallow, vicious person.
For Finny, the fall and injury force him to reevaluate his view of life, but he ultimately returns to his core values. A gifted, winsome boy, he rarely engaged in self-reflection and took many things for granted, including his physical prowess. After Gene confesses to his evil action, Finny is angry at first and then refuses to believe him. Because Finny's subsequent...
(The entire section contains 3 answers and 862 words.)
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