At the Devon Academy in New Hampshire, a quiet, academic student named Gene Forrester develops a close bond with his adventurous dormmate, Finny, who frequently challenges Gene beyond his familiar territory with his mischievous antics. The two establish a covert society focused on a bold dive from a tree into a creek. Despite their friendship, Gene begins to feel envious of Finny’s outstanding physical abilities and suspects that Finny is scheming to obstruct his academic progress. This perceived rivalry triggers animosity in Gene, and during one tree-jumping episode, he unintentionally causes Finny to plummet from the tree, resulting in a leg fracture. This incident is interpreted as an accident, and nobody, including Finny, suspects Gene’s involvement.
Nevertheless, Gene is burdened with remorse upon discovering the irrevocable halt to Finny’s athletic career because of his injury. After the summer term, Gene briefly returns to his native town in the Southern region before coming back to school. En route, he pays a visit to Finny and confesses his part in the mishap, which Finny rejects, prompting Gene to retract his admission. Back at school, Gene endeavors to dodge sports by aiding the rowing team, but after a dispute with the team manager, he quits. Amidst the backdrop of World War II, Gene and his comrade, Brinker Hadley, contemplate enlisting, only to abandon the notion upon Finny’s return to school. Believing the war to be a sham, Finny wishes for Gene to take on his mantle as the school’s athletic standout.
To realize Finny’s unfulfilled Olympic aspirations, Gene begins training for the 1944 Olympics. A fellow student named Leper Lepellier becomes the first to enlist, surprising everyone due to his gentle, nature-embracing demeanor. A message from a mentally distressed Leper, who witnessed Finny’s accident, discloses that he knows the truth about the incident, causing Gene to fret over his potential adjustment to military life. An impromptu inquiry orchestrated by Brinker to delve into Finny’s mishap results in a distraught Finny, unable to bear the accusations, falling down the stairs and re-injuring his leg. Gene reconciles with Finny by acknowledging his culpability in the mishap and convinces him that his actions were not prompted by malice. However, following a surgery, Finny succumbs to a detached bone marrow entering his bloodstream. Despite the tragedy, Gene receives the news serenely, convinced that a part of Finny will always remain with him. The narrative concludes with the students graduating and joining the military, leaving Gene to ponder the inherent hostility harbored in the human heart, a trait he believes only Finny was impervious to.
Chapter 1
Fifteen years post his schooling, Gene Forrester revisits his alma mater, Devon Academy in New Hampshire. While wandering, he notices the campus preserved just as during his student days. Recollecting his anxieties from the early 1940s amid World War II, he is drawn to two specific sites entwined with his past fears. Initially, he visits a marble staircase in a school edifice. Despite extensive use, student footprints are barely discernible. He then ventures outside, maneuvering across rain-drenched sports fields, ruining his footwear in the process, toward a river where a particular tree stands. Identifiable by scars on its trunk and a projecting branch over the river, the tree appears diminished compared to his youth, prompting a French saying to cross his mind: the more things change, the more they stay the same. Seeking refuge from the rain, he retraces his steps inside. Gene recollects the summer of 1942, aged sixteen. He reminisces standing near the same tree, resembling a “steely black steeple.” Accompanied by his dormmate Phineas (Finny) and three peers: Elwin “Leper” Lepellier, Chet Douglass, and Bobby Zane, they yield to Finny’s persuasion to leap from a tree limb into the river, a feat uncommon for boys their age, usually undertaken by older boys as part of their military training. Finny takes the initial plunge, encouraging Gene to follow suit. Overcoming initial apprehension, Gene jumps, while the others decline. Returning to school, Finny praises Gene for his courage. Despite refuting being coerced into jumping, Gene silently aligns with Finny’s perspective. The dinner bell rings, but Finny trips Gene, resulting in a playful scuffle. Missing dinner due to their delay, they head to their room, affably concluding the day.
Chapter 2
Temporary summer teacher Mr. Prud’homme pays a call on Gene and Finny to rebuke their dinner truancy but is charmed by Finny’s engaging conversation and departs without reprimand. Finny dons a striking pink shirt commemorating the first allied bombing of central Europe, provoking a twinge of envy in Gene. Finny’s adeptness at carrying off the bold color and anything else he attempts leaves an imprint on Gene. Later, an awkward tea event is hosted by interim headmaster Mr. Patch-Withers. Most attendees struggle with small talk, yet Finny stands out as a natural conversationalist. During a conversation about European bombings with Mr. Patch-Withers, his spouse notes Finny using the school tie as a belt. Anticipating a rebuke, Gene is surprised as Finny skillfully defuses the situation with humor, even eliciting a chuckle from the stern Mr. Patch-Withers. Though momentarily disillusioned by Finny’s talent at evading trouble, Gene brushes off the feeling as both depart the tea with fits of laughter. Finny proposes a daring leap from the tree, coaxing Gene towards the river. Denying the reality of the Allies bombing central Europe, he persuades Gene to acquiesce, and they venture into the water. Inquiring if Gene remains fearful of the tree, to which he denies, establishes their clandestine society, the “Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session”. Gene slips on the limb but is promptly rescued by Finny, leading Gene to realize that Finny potentially saved his life.
Chapter 3
Reflecting on the tree-jumping episode, Gene determines he owes Finny no debt of gratitude, deeming himself in jeopardy solely due to Finny’s challenge. That evening, the Super Suicide Society kicks off successfully, with six other boys joining due to Finny’s persuasion. The regulations, mostly arbitrary, incorporate one demanding Gene and Finny to leap from the tree at every assembly. Despite his aversion and apprehension toward this rule, Gene never questions it, unfailingly attending all gatherings. Finny, a sports aficionado, devises a new sport, “blitzball”, dissatisfied with the summer session’s sports program. The game, involving a medicine ball and the holder becoming the target for tackles, lacks fixed teams and a clear victor. “Blitzball” swiftly gains popularity, with Finny displaying the most prowess. One day, when Gene and Finny are alone at the pool, Finny challenges and breaks a school record. Gene, the sole witness, witnesses Finny’s incontrovertible prowess, solidifying the bond between them.to replicate the accomplishment publicly, demands Gene keep it under wraps. After that, Finny proposes they ride bicycles for hours to the shore, a journey strictly prohibited by the school. Despite his hesitation, Gene agrees. They relish the sea, dine at a hot dog cart, and procure beer using forged draft cards. They conclude the day resting amidst the dunes. Finny expresses his delight that Gene accompanied him, confirming they are bosom buddies. Gene, however, refrains from reciprocating the same emotion.
Chapter 4
Following a night spent at the shore, Gene and Finny come back to school just in time for Gene’s trigonometry examination, which he flunks. Distracted by Finny’s insistence on playing blitzball and attending the Super Suicide Society gathering, he doesn’t get a chance to dwell on it. Later, Gene’s study session is disrupted by Finny, who jests about his aspiration to be valedictorian. This causes Gene to realize that he indeed harbors that ambition, to measure up to Finny’s athletic accomplishments. He even starts believing there’s a competition between them, with Finny’s amiable gestures seen as a tactic to undermine his academic progress. As Gene surpasses his academic rival, Chet Douglass, Finny intensifies his efforts in studies, which Gene perceives as a maneuver to sustain their imagined rivalry. Despite this suspicion, their bond remains unscathed. Discipline at school slackens, and Gene divulges to Mr. Prud’homme about their beach excursion without facing any repercussions. In addition, Gene attends the Suicide Society meetings consistently to evade giving Finny an inkling of a waning friendship. One evening, while Gene is preparing for a French test, Finny announces that Leper Lepellier is poised to leap from the tree for the Society initiation. Distrusting Leper’s valor, Gene suspects Finny of orchestrating this to disrupt his study time. After objecting, he hesitantly agrees to witness Leper’s jump. En route to the tree, he concludes that the competition was a creation of his mind. He also acknowledges Finny’s incapacity to harbor envy, making him morally superior. Upon reaching the tree, Finny proposes a joint leap. As they ascend, Gene’s quivering legs shake the branch, leading Finny to lose balance and tumble with a jolting thud. Undeterred, Gene plunges into the river, fearlessly.
Chapter 5
After the calamitous fall of Finny, his leg suffers severe damage. Everyone discusses his injury with Gene, yet no one holds him accountable. Finny is sequestered in the infirmary, while Gene spends more time in solitude, grappling with his remorse. One day, he dons Finny’s attire and experiences an odd sense of solace, envisioning himself as Finny in the mirror. However, this solace vanishes by morning, leaving him to wrestle with the role he might have played in Finny’s mishap. Following a chapel service, Dr. Stanpole informs Gene that Finny’s condition has improved and he would welcome a visitor. He discloses that Finny’s leg will recuperate enough for him to walk, but his sports days are over. This news brings Gene to tears. The doctor consoles him, urging him to remain steadfast for Finny’s sake. Apprehensively, Gene visits Finny, promptly inquiring about Finny’s memory of the fall. Finny recalls losing his equilibrium and striving to reach for Gene. This leads to a heated exchange, but eventually, Finny clarifies that he wasn’t attempting to drag Gene down, merely to avert his fall. As they continue their dialogue, Gene probes about the reason behind Finny’s imbalance. Finny hints at a suspicion of Gene’s involvement but promptly disregards it, expressing regret for entertaining the thought. Gene feels the urge to admit his role in the fall, but is interrupted by Dr. Stanpole’s entrance. The next day, the doctor declares Finny unsuitable for visitors. Shortly after, Finny departs for home in an ambulance. The summer term concludes, and Gene heads home to the South for a respite. In September, Gene’s return journey to Devon is delayed. He uses this delay to visit Finny at his residence in Boston. He discovers Finny recuperating by a fireplace and narrates a tale about a fire back home, confessing he spent his vacation contemplating Finny’s accident. He finally divulges deliberately shaking the branch that led to Finny’s fall. This revelation incites Finny, who refuses to believe him. Despite the harsh reaction, Gene comprehends he must retract his confession, though he cannot do it immediately. Finny then divulges his intent to return to Devon by Thanksgiving.
Chapter 6
While attending the initial chapel service of the academic year, Gene observes the return of the school’s customary austere ambiance. Residing in the same room he and Finny occupied during the summer, the opposite room is now occupied by Brinker Hadley, a prominent campus figure, after Leper departed. Post-lunch, Gene opts against visiting Brinker as he heads for his afternoon duty at the Crew House. He pauses at the footbridge, envisioning Finny’s talent for balancing on a canoe’s bow on the river. In an ungrateful role as assistant senior crew manager, Gene toils under Cliff Quackenbush, a disgruntled bully. Quackenbush ridicules Gene for taking up the position, typically reserved for boys aiming to be next year’s manager, despite Gene being a senior already. The provocation leads to Gene punching Quackenbush, sparking a scuffle that culminates in both of them tumbling into the river. Quackenbush instructs Gene not to return after they emerge from the water. As Gene departs, he encounters Mr. Ludsbury, the dorm master, who rebukes him for misusing the leniency of summer by engaging in illicit activities. Mr. Ludsbury informs Gene about a long-distance call awaiting him. Gene calls back the number and hears Finny’s voice. Finny’s relief is palpable upon Gene confirming he has no roommate. Finny inquires if Gene’s “mad” phase has ceased, alluding to Gene’s admission about shaking the tree branch. Learning that Gene is striving to become the assistant crew manager, Finny insists that Gene must partake in sports, for him. This directive fills Gene with an uncommon joy as he feels destined to be associated with Finny.
Chapter 7
Brinker pays Gene a visit, commenting on his spacious solitary room, and jests that Gene might have “disposed of” Finny for it. When they head to the basement “Butt Room” for a smoke, Brinker jests about taking a prisoner there, accused of murdering his roommate. Gene initially responds with a mock confession but falters when he reaches the part about pushing Finny off the tree. Trying to divert attention, he coerces a younger boy to reenact the scene, but the boy simply remarks that Gene must have nudged Finny. After deflecting and earning the boy’s disdain, Gene claims he has to study French and departs without smoking. To aid in the war effort, the boys are compensated for removing snow from the railroad. Gene encounters Leper while en route to the station, who is skiing in pursuit of a beaver dam on the Devon River. Gene, along with Brinker and Chet Douglass, finds the shoveling labor monotonous. When a train filled with soldiers passes by, the boys cheer it on. During their return journey, the discussion revolves around the war and their eagerness to participate. Quackenbush unveils his strategy to finish school before enrolling in the military, drawing accusations of being a spy. Upon returning to Devon, they find Leper back from his beaver dam expedition. Brinker taunts Leper and confides in Gene his intention to enlist on the following day. The notion thrills Gene, and he ponders about enrolling himself after spending the night admiring the stars. On entering his quarters, he discovers Finny awaiting him.
Chapter 8
Finny amusingly critiques Gene’s attire and laments the lack of a cleaning service, to which Gene remarks it’s a trivial loss given the circumstances of the conflict. He assists Finny in arranging his bed. The subsequent day, Brinker arrives, prepared to interrogate Gene regarding enlistment. He pauses upon seeing Finny and playfully starts accusing Gene of scheming to have Finny eliminated for full control of their room. Gene promptly deflects the quip and introduces the idea of enlistment to Finny. Observing Finny’s lack of enthusiasm, Gene comprehends Finny doesn’t desire his departure and informs Brinker that he has altered his mind about enlisting. They engage in banter about abstaining from enlistment even if Brinker had connections to influential individuals, during which Finny nicknames Brinker as “Yellow Peril” Hadley. On the way to their initial class, Finny expresses his fondness for winter and suggests the idea of skipping class to reacquaint with the school following his prolonged absence. They proceed to the gym, where Finny questions Gene about his athletic affiliations for the year. When Gene confesses he refrained from joining any teams due to the war, Finny dismisses the war as a scheme concocted by the elders to manage the younger generation. He contends that his tribulations have unveiled this conspiracy. This disclosure leaves them shocked and culminates in an uncomfortable silence, which Gene interrupts by performing chin-ups as instructed by Finny. Finny discloses his unattained athletic ambitions and persuades Gene to train for the Olympics in his place. Despite Gene’s apprehensions about wartime disruptions, they commence their training and tutoring regimen, astonished by their progress. During a morning jog, Gene has a breakthrough in his performance. Mr. Ludsbury, the headmaster, intrudes upon their session and emphasizes the war-centric emphasis of all athletic training. Finny disputes this notion, leaving Ludsbury unsettled. Finny speculates that Ludsbury is too credulous to perceive the conspiracy, evoking a sense of pity in Gene for his “credulous side.”
Chapter 9
As Gene and Finny persist in their training, Gene experiences a profound sense of calm, struggling to grasp the tumult of the war fully. Unexpectedly, Leper Lepellier enlists in the army after being stirred by a documentary on ski troops, rendering the war even more surreal for Gene. Brinker humorously suggests Leper is responsible for any victorious Allied actions, a jest Finny declines to engage in. As this becomes the focal point in the Butt Room, Finny and Gene gradually drift away, dedicating more time to training for the Olympics. Finny orchestrates a winter festival, delegating tasks among the boys. Brinker oversees the transport of equipment from the dormitory to a riverside park, while Brownie Perkins is entrusted with safeguarding jugs of hard cider concealed in the snow. The boys erect a small ski jump, and snow sculptures, and organize prizes, with Chet Douglass playing his trumpet. The carnival kicks off with the boys seizing the cider from Brinker, incited by Finny, and the revelry turns chaotic. All appear to be inebriated on cider and life, notably Finny, who dances on the prize table with his solitary functional leg. Finny introduces the carnival’s decathlon, with Gene displaying his athletic prowess to the elated crowd. The merriment is interrupted when Brownie returns from the dormitory with a telegram from Leper stating that he has “fled” and requires Gene to visit his “Christmas location” for his safety.
Chapter 10
Gene embarks towards Leper’s residence in Vermont, traveling via train and bus, then trudging through the snow on foot. Despite the evidence, Gene struggles to believe that Leper has deserted the army, interpreting his “flight” as a withdrawal from delusional spies. Upon arrival, Leper ushers Gene into the dining room, confirming his desertion. Leper had fled to evade a Section Eight discharge for insanity, believing it would mar his future prospects. As Gene grapples with a response, Leper lashes out, accusing him of causing Finny’s mishap. The accusation incites an irate reaction from Gene, leading him to knock over Leper’s chair. Leper’s mother intervenes, defending her ailing son, but Leper then extends an invitation for lunch which a guilt-ridden Gene accepts. After the meal and at the insistence of his mother, Leper takes a stroll with Gene, during which he breaks down emotionally. He recounts his unsettling hallucinations from the training camp, including visions of officers transforming into women and soldiers bearing severed limbs. Overwhelmed by Leper’s breakdown, Gene flees into the snowy fields.
Chapter 11
Upon returning to Devon from Leper’s abode, Gene encounters Finny leading a snowball battle. Despite initial hesitation, Gene engages in the skirmish, initiated by Finny’s invitation. Worried about Finny’s well-being, Gene questions whether his friend should be involved in such pursuits with his walking cast. Finny remains hopeful about his recuperation. Brinker pays a visit to their room and inquires about Leper, to which Gene divulges Leper’s drastic change and desertion. Brinker laments the loss of two classmates, including Finny, to the war endeavor. In an attempt to divert Finny, Gene asserts there is no war, only to be met with Finny’s ironically concurring response. This, for Gene, signals the conclusion of Finny’s fantastical perspective, which encompassed the 1944 Olympics. As time progresses, all the boys except Gene take steps to enlist in the military. Brinker confronts Gene about his hesitance to enlist due to his sympathy for Finny. He proposes that they should subtly broach the topic of Finny’s accident to make him acknowledge it and suggests that Gene might gain from the situation. Later, Gene reads to Finny from a Latin translation, and Finny finally acknowledges the existence of World War II because of its impact on Leper. In a startling revelation, Finny discloses that he saw Leper back at Devon, leading to jests about Gene’s achievements in the fictional 1944 Olympics. However, their laughter is short-lived as Brinker orchestrates an investigation into the cause of Finny’s mishap that night. Reluctantly, Finny recounts his version, stating he lost his balance and tumbled from the tree. Queries arise regarding Gene’s whereabouts during the incident, and an inconsistency surfaces between their narratives. Leper’s absence is noted as he could clarify the situation. Finny reveals he spotted Leper earlier that day, prompting two boys to fetch him. Despite pondering Leper’s mental fragility, Gene fears his testimony may implicate him. Upon return, Leper describes witnessing a figure shaking another off a tree branch but refuses to identify them. Overwhelmed, Finny declares his indifference to the truth before darting out and tragically tumbling down the marble staircase.
Chapter 12
Following Finny’s stairwell mishap, the boys swiftly seek assistance from a nearby wrestling coach and Dr. Stanpole. The doctor affirms that Finny’s leg is broken again, but it’s a cleaner break than before. Once the throng scatters, Gene endeavors to peek into the infirmary. He envisions Finny bantering with the physicians, but when he gazes into Finny’s chamber, Finny accuses him of aiming to inflict more harm. Despite his urge to assist, Gene restrains himself and departs after expressing regret to Finny. Throughout the evening, Gene wanders the grounds, sensing like a disconnected spirit. He slumbers under the stadium, picturing the walls murmuring potent words he can’t grasp. Come morning, he uncovers a message from Dr. Stanpole asking him to fetch Finny’s belongings. He observes Finny’s quivering hands as he unpacks his luggage and listens to him voice his sorrow over not being able to enlist in the war due to his leg injury. Gene proposes that Finny was not suited for the war as he would probably befriend the adversary and sow confusion, prompting Finny to break down in tears. Finny questions if Gene’s action on the tree months ago was a blind impulse or stemmed from resentment. Gene attributes it to a moment of unawareness and reassures Finny there’s no malice. Finny accepts Gene’s explanation. Later, Dr. Stanpole informs Gene he will mend Finny’s bone that afternoon. Gene spends the day in a haze and returns to the infirmary at the appointed hour. To his astonishment, Dr. Stanpole informs him that Finny has passed away due to a complication during the procedure. Even at Finny’s funeral, Gene does not shed a tear, feeling as though he is lamenting his own demise.
Chapter 13
As the scholastic term concludes, Gene and his peers graduate. The academy offers its Far Common quadrangle to the military to be utilized as a parachute riggers’ school. Gene observes from his quarters as the military assumes control of the area at the commencement of the summer. Brinker escorts Gene to meet his father in the Butt Room. Brinker’s father wishes he was still youthful enough to engage in the war and endeavors to conceal his dismay upon hearing Gene’s intention to join the Navy and Brinker’s decision to enlist in the Coast Guard. He underscores the importance of honorable duty to their nation, asserting that their actions in the war will profoundly influence their lives. Post their departure, Brinker apologizes for his father’s conduct and condemns the older generation for provoking the war and then anticipating the youth to battle it. Brinker departs to continue packing while Gene heads to the gym to clear out his locker. There, he encounters a platoon of parachute riggers in the locker space and observes them preparing for calisthenics on the playing fields. Gene is cognizant that he’ll shortly be part of such regimentation, but he is pleased it won’t transpire at Devon. Now, Gene revisits these recollections in his advanced years. He confesses he never took a life during his military tenure—his true war was at Devon where he symbolically vanquished his foe. He contends that everyone at some point encounters formidable opposition, recognizing the presence of enmity in the world; this awareness alters them. According to Gene, his comrades—Brinker, Leper, and Quackenbush—encountered this awakening during the war, each selecting varying defense mechanisms, whether through apathy, insanity, or hostility. Finny, Gene observes, was the anomaly. Finny never acknowledged a foe, hence he never dreaded or detested anyone. Gene believes only Finny comprehended that the perceived enemy might not actually be an adversary at all.
