Chapter #3-4. What exactly happened in the tree and who do you think was responsible? Why do you say this?

What happened in the tree was the result of the tensions building up inside Gene's head in the beginning of chapter four. Earlier in the chapter, Gene, while trying to catch up with the trigonometry test that he failed, begins to suspect that Finny is trying to stop him from being head of the class. As they chat while studying, he interprets every casual remark that Finny makes as further evidence of Finny trying to hinder him, and drives himself paranoid trying to become Finny's "Equal". Gene comes to the conclusion that "Finny had deliberately set out to wreck [Gene's] studies," (p. 53) and decides that Blitzball and the Super Suicide Society were all just distractions to keep him from studying. In order to foil any more of Finny's sinister attempts at his grades, Gene redoubles his effort in studying, and sees Finny's subsequent increase in studying effort as final proof of his theory.

Through all this conflict, Gene continues to attend all S.S.S.S.S. meetings, in order to not let on that he has figured out Finny's "secret". This conflict comes to a head one day as Gene is trying to study for an upcoming french exam. Finny asks him to proceed to the tree for the next meeting, and Gene finally says no, he has to study. To Gene's total shock, Finny tells him to continue studying as long as he needs to. This is a huge moment for Gene, because all of a sudden he realizes that he has been wrong all along, and Finny only wants what's best for Gene. Instead of considering himself Finny's equal now, he suddenly sees himself as "not of the same quality as [Finny]" (p. 59). As he realizes that Finny has been virtuous all along in his games and activities, and it was him who actually had the evil thoughts, a huge wave of jealousy rolls over him. Caught up in the moment, Gene makes the decision to shake the branch, causing Finny to fall to the river-bank below. At the last second, Finny turns his head to look at Gene, realizing that he is responsible, and that at that moment their entire friendship had changed forever. Why do you think Gene went with Finny to the tree, even after Finny said he shouldn't? Do you think that their friendship could have carried on as before if Gene hadn't gone to the tree that time?