Explore the dynamics and undertones of Finny and Gene’s first conversations upon his return. Does it feel “realistic” to you? Why or why not?

Finny is back after the absence due to his 'shattered' leg, and suddenly everything changes- as written on page 102, "Everything that had happened throughout the day faded like that first false snowfall of the winter. Phineas was back." The minute after they share very brief greetings, the first thing that Finny tells Gene is how he should never have left him there to advertise how badly dressed he is.

I find that the first conversation between Finny and Gene rather ironic and unrealistic; instead of Gene asking Finny whether he is feeling all right or Finny asking Gene how he was doing, the first thing they discussed was how dreadful Gene's choice of clothing was. It's as if the two of them both are avoiding the topic of asking of each other's welfare. Finny's got a shattered leg and it's obviously not fine. Not only that, they both know that Gene purposely jounced the branch, which made Finny fall off the tree in the first place. It seems that neither of them want to face that guilt and unavoidable fact yet. They both know, however, that they must do that in the end, but they want to hold it off as soon as possible.

Soon after Phineas' return, Gene becomes a follower of Finny again, no matter how much pain, both physically and emotionally, Finny must be feeling with all of this. I think this shows how much influence Finny still has over Gene. Or, rather, how used to obeying Finny's words Gene is. He might realize later on that his popular best friend does not have as much power over him as he used to, but that Gene is so accustomed to listening to Finny that he just goes along with it.

Brinker intercepts the two friends' talk with the already-stated accusation that Gene got rid of Finny on purpose, which was partly true but put onto a very exaggerated scale. Instead of outright saying it, Brinker says as quoted from page 106, "'So,' Brinker curled his lip at me, 'your little plot didn't work so well after all.'" Gene, of course, goes into a right state of panic and passes it off as Brinker persuading him to enlist, which perhaps surprisingly, Finny reacts negatively to.

Eventually Gene realizes that Finny doesn't want him to enlist, and quickly reassures him that he wasn't even considering it (indirectly), which was most definitely not the truth. In doing so, he insults Brinker, effectively convincing Finny and humiliating Brinker at the same time. Later on, during one of their idle chats, Gene finds out that Finny doesn't believe that the war is really going on at all, and is really just a false idea that the high-class "fat old men" are putting into their minds while stuffing themselves with the best steaks.

This really shows how much Finny's view on the war has changed- first, he is encouraging it, relating his many games to the war and even wearing the pink shirt as an emblem for it. Now, it seems, he is in denial about it, and is trying to convince himself and everyone around him that it does not, and has never, exist(ed).

Why do you think that Finny has had such a sudden change of view? What's Gene's reaction to this? And, more importantly, what has the training that is triggered by the sudden disbelief symbolize in the plot?