What function does Finny's talent for sports serve beyond competition?

• A. It shows Finny's superiority without affecting Gene.
• B. It undermines Gene's desire to fit in.
• C. It has no bearing on Gene's emotions.
• D. It inspires Gene yet intensifies Gene's insecurity and jealousy.

Answer: (D)

Finny’s athletic gift acts as a mirror and pressure point for Gene’s own insecurities. Gene admires Finny’s effortless skill and magnetism, but that admiration is ambushed by a painful comparison to himself. Finny’s prowess makes Gene feel inferior and drives envy—he wants the ease and acceptance Finny enjoys, yet he cannot measure up. This dynamic turns Finny’s talent into a force that both inspires Gene and heightens his insecurity and jealousy, shaping Gene’s emotions and the tension in their friendship at Devon. The other options miss this: Finny’s ability clearly affects Gene, it doesn’t just display superiority without consequence, and it does not fail to influence Gene’s feelings.