Chapter 5: Briefly explain Gene’s visit to the infirmary. How does Finny act? Why? Does this feel “realistic”? How does Gene’s visit impact Finny?

In the beginning of Chapter 5 Gene is told that Finny's leg has been shattered. When Gene learns this he starts to feel a tremendous amount of guilt on his shoulders since he was the one who caused Finny to break his leg. Gene starts to worry if Finny told others that it was Gene's fault and Gene becomes more paranoid and anxious. After a few days Dr. Stanpole tells Gene that Finny wanted to especially see him and Gene figures that Finny wanted to confront him face to face. This seems so realistic because Gene is about go face to face with Finny for real for the first time after the fall. But before Gene goes in to see Finny Dr. Stanpole tells him that Finny will not be ever able to play sports again and will take a long time just for Finny to be able to walk. The fact that Finny could not play sports ever again, the only one thing he was good at, Gene felt even more guilt for the fact that he was the one that made Finny lose his only ability.

When Gene enters Finny's room he sees that Finny is wired up to machines from his body and sees that Finny was not his usual glowing self, but rather weaker and less vibrant. Finny acts nice to Gene by saying jokes and seeming to care more about Gene's health than his own . Finny acts this way because he did not think that Gene had anything to do with him falling out of the tree and rather feels guilt that he had a feeling that Gene caused it. As soon as Gene sees how Finny is acting towards him he becomes more anxious and asks Finny what was the reason that he fell. When asked this Finny says, "I don't know, I must have just lost my balance. It must have been that. I did have this idea, this feeling that when you were standing beside me, y-I don't know, I had a kind of feeling. But you can't just say anything for sure from just feelings. And this feeling doesn't make any sense. It was a crazy idea, I must have been delirious. So I just have to forget it. just fell. "I'm sorry about the feeling I had."(pg. 66) When Gene hears Finny say this it shows how much a loyal and better friend Finny is than himself and that Finny was feeling guilt and was a apologizing to Gene for having feelings that were right on the truth. After Finny says this Gene is pushed over the edge with guilt and is about to tell Finny the truth when he is interrupted by Dr. Stanpole. In this visit it is ironic because instead of Gene confessing and apologizing to Finny, Finny is the one who is feeling guilty and is the one who is telling Gene that he should have never felt that way even though his feelings were right. Do you think this incident will permanently damage Gene's and Finny's friendship? Do you think Gene should have told Finny the truth in the beginning of the visit? Did you ever cause anyone harm and fell guilty about it?