Gene Forrester befriends the charismatic Finny at the Devon academy in New Hampshire during Word War II. Finny’s daredevel side persuades him to begin jumping off of a tree into the Devon River. He then creates the Super Suicide Society around this jumping ritual. Gene believes there is a secret rivalry going on between him and Finny. He claims Finny is taking him away from his studies when they go jump and do other activities. When Finny and Gene go to the beach, the next day Gene fails his math test. Gene secretly envies Finny. During one of their jumping rituals, Gene jounces the tree limb while Finny is in the tree with him. Finny falls and shatters his leg, ultimately ending his athletics. Gene battles the evil inside him. He goes to visit Finny after his fall. Gene tries to tell Finny that he caused the tree to shake and he caused Finny’s injury. Finny refused to believe him, being the naive friend that he is. When Finny returns to Devon after his recovery, there is “trial” lead by what appeared to be Brinker, since he was overly eager to blame Gene for Finny’s injury. Refusing yet again to believe the truth, Finny storms off and falls down marble stairs. He breaks his leg but it is a clean break which would be an easy fix. However, marrow escapes the bone and stops his heart. After he died, Gene believed a part of him died with Finny. When everyone is enlisting and joining the war, Gene decides to pick a safer branch in the war. His childhood is over and it’s time to face reality: to face life.