Finny is the best athlete in the school. He gets away with everything, which is one reason why his best friend Gene envies him. He has a talent for engaging others and never strives to defeat others. He relishes pure achievement rather than competition. His fatal flaw is that he assumes that everyone is like him, for example he assumes that Gene's good grades come naturally like him being good at sports. He is independent, a great leader, and dislikes games with winners and losers. He thinks the best of people and the world, which is what makes him unique. He refuses to attribute dark motives to Gene and continues to believe that their friendship is real, never suspecting that Gene's feelings for him are different. He sometimes acts selfish when he assumes that everyone thinks like him and that Gene will do whatever he wants. Finny's natural athletic abilities, his care-free and self-absorbed attitude, and his ability to see everyone as equal causes Gene to envy him, resulting in Gene jouncing the limb. He never would have suspected that Gene wished to hurt him because he always believed that Gene loved him as much as he loved Gene. He never wanted there to be a rivalry between them, but because he is such a powerful person, he inspires in Gene not only loyalty but also jealously.
“Listen, pal, if I can’t play sports, you’re going to play them for me.”
This quotation is found at the end of chapter 6. It shows that despite Finny's condition, he can still find a way to do what he loves, just by training his best friend. He could have given up and mentally shut down, but instead he found a way to keep going. The friends' codependency arises as Finny trains Gene for the Olympics. Finny does this so that he can live out his dreams of athletic glory. Gene agrees to this because of his desire to escape his identity and to do it for Finny. Both of them becoming a part of one another protects them from reality. Gene allows Finny to live through him, but really Gene is living through Finny.
"I believe you. It's okay because I understand and I believe you. You've already shown me and I believe you."
This quotation is found at the end of chapter 12. It shows one of Finny's many strengths, which is the act of forgiveness. Despite what his best friend has done to him, Finny still finds a way to forgive Gene instead of shutting him out, which would have been the easier thing to do. This quote represents the true friendship between Finny and Gene. Although the truth is shocking, Finny finds a way to deal with it, which benefits both himself and Gene. Finny's reaction affects him positively because it develops his character and builds him up mentally. Finny could have easily reacted with anger, and the fact that he did not made him the better person. It shows that he needs Gene and is not ready to let go of the good times they have shared because after all, they are best friends.
"What I mean is, I love winter, and when you really love something, then it loves you back, in whatever way it has to love."
This quotation is found in chapter 8. It shows the optimistic attitude Finny has about life. Although he has suffered from a hard fall, he is still able to reflect on the great aspects of life. This quote shows that one of many of his character traits is self-confidence and courage. He is not afraid to say what he thinks and he truly believes that if you love something enough, it will love you back also. At first, this was not true with Finny and Gene because Gene did not have the same feelings for Finny as Finny did for him, suggesting that although Finny loved Gene as a friend, Gene did not feel the same way. As the novel progresses, however, Gene learns to appreciate Finny and love him back because of Finny's attitude towards life. Finny's idea of loving something with all your heart results in it loving you too helps both himself and Gene to grow as friends.
