“I [Gene] had no idea why this gave me such intense relief, but it seemed, standing there in Finny’s triumphant shirt, that I would never stumble through the confusions of my character again.” (62)

It is in human nature to want to be confident in who we are. A person wants their own identity that defines who they are. Gene struggles with his identity and he admires his roommate’s confidence. Gene longs to discover himself and establish his own identity.

“… the proper person is your best pal. Which is what you are.” (48)

People have always wanted to be accepted and loved by other people. We are happy when we are told that we are loved by other people. There is undeniable hunger companionship in humans. That is why we have marriages, friends, and roommates. Humans long to be wanted by others and become depressed when they are not wanted. Finny declares that Gene is his best friend. Gene is happy to hear it and admires Finny for saying something so brave.

“Other people experienced this fearful shock… and so began an obsessive labor of defense.” (204)

It is in our nature to never wanting to admit that we are afraid of something. Maybe it is our instinct to survive. We always would rather be the hunter than the hunted. People come up with ways to hide their fear. For example, my dad always lashes out in anger when he is afraid. On the other hand, my mom will shut down her emotions and look for the quickest route for escape.