All the Bright Places: 3. Finch: Day 6 (still) of being awake Summary & Analysis

By lunchtime, everyone knows that Violet saved Finch from jumping off the belltower. Finch heads for class and follows a group of girls discussing him, unaware that he’s behind them. They talk about him like he’s “tragic and dangerous,” which Finch enjoys. He feels “not just awake, but Awake.” He takes his seat in U.S. Geography with Mr. Black. Though Finch has lived in Indiana all his life, it’s news to him when Mr. Black says that they all live about 11 miles away from the highest point in the state, Hoosier Hill. As Mr. Black drones on, Finch raises his hand. He wonders if things would look different from Hoosier Hill, 1,257 feet up.

Mr. Black finally calls on Finch, and Finch suggests they take a field trip to see Hoosier Hill before they graduate. Annoyed, Mr. Black continues on. He’s interrupted when Violet comes to class late and accidentally drops all of her books. Everyone laughs, and Violet looks ready to die or cry. Finch knows this feeling well, so he knocks a book to the floor and then purposefully tips his chair over and sends his other books flying when he reaches to get it. This successfully distracts the class. Finch smiles at Violet, and she smiles back genuinely.

Mr. Black glares at the class and then introduces a project: the students must report on two or three “wonders of Indiana.” They can choose any sites, but they have to document their visits to these places and explain why these sites make them “proud to be a Hoosier.” Finch raises his hand again and asks if they get to choose their partners—he wants to work with Violet. Violet blushes and asks if she could do something else, since she’s “not ready.” Mr. Black refuses her request and says it’s “time to get back on the camel.” She’s clearly upset. Finch remembers that Violet and her sister were in an accident last year. The sister didn’t survive.

When class ends, Roamer—surrounded by Amanda and Ryan—blocks Finch’s way. He accuses Finch of looking at him (they’ve been “sworn enemies” since middle school). Roamer knocks Finch’s books out of his hands, and Finch feels his anger build. He felt this way last year when he hurled the desk into the chalkboard. Roamer walks past, tells Finch to pick up the books, and slams his shoulder into Finch’s chest. Finch wants to rip Roamer’s heart out, but instead he counts to 60 and gives Mr. Black a nod to show him that everything is under control. Finch has promised himself that this year will be different: he’s going to “stay awake and here” and not just be “semi-here.”

Later, out in the parking lot, Finch and his friend Brenda listen to Charlie talk about sex. Charlie spent his winter break working at the movie theater, where he let “hot” girls sneak in for free. Most of them were then willing to have sex with him. Charlie asks where Finch has been, and Finch replies that he went on a road trip since he didn’t feel like coming to school. He can’t explain “the Asleep” to his friends, but fortunately, Charlie and Brenda don’t usually ask for explanations. If he disappears, that’s just what he does. Charlie nods and says Finch needs to have sex. Finch usually has bad luck with women, since he goes for “bitchy ones” or “crazy ones.” He spots Violet across the parking lot and feels himself falling for her.

When Finch get home, Finch’s mom is defrosting a casserole while she talks on the phone. Finch’s older sister, Kate, grabs keys and heads out the door. Finch has an eight-year-old sister too, Decca—they all know “she was a mistake,” but Finch think that he’s the actual mistake in the family. He heads upstairs, puts on a record without looking at it, and puts a cigarette in his mouth. But then he remembers that he’s trying out being an 80s kid, and this version of Finch doesn’t smoke. Annoyed with his current persona, Finch chews on his cigarette instead of lighting it and plays along on his guitar.

Finch puts his guitar down and opens up his computer. He types into a document about how he almost killed himself today by jumping off the belltower at school, and about other men who have committed suicide by jumping. Then, he turns to the internet and finds that only 5-10 percent of suicides are committed by jumping. Finch returns to his document and writes that he didn’t jump because it would’ve been too messy, public, and crowded.

Then, Finch gets onto Facebook and finds Amanda Monk’s page. He searches her friend list for Violet and finds Violet Markey. Violet’s page is only visible to her friends, so Finch searches her name on Google, desperate for more information. He finds EleanorandViolet.com and a news article about the accident that killed Eleanor. Then, he decides to make a Facebook account and send Violet a friend request. This, he thinks, will make himself look normal to her. After sending the request, Finch plays guitar, does homework, and heads downstairs for dinner.

Finch’s family has been eating dinner together since the divorce last year. Finch enjoys it because, though he doesn’t really like eating, he likes being able to “turn [his] brain off.” Finch’s mom asks Decca what she learned today. Decca tells the table about how a boy at school glued his hands to the desk, and his skin came off when they finally freed him. She says that the boy deserved it. Finch’s mom says Decca’s name in a disapproving tone, but this is as much as she ever does as a parent. Finch knows she’s still upset about the divorce; Finch’s dad left her for a younger woman named Rosemarie. Since then, Finch has tried to be pleasant and unobtrusive, which is why he pretends to go to school when he’s in “the Asleep.”

Finch’s mom asks how Finch’s day was, and Finch says it was good. He doesn’t eat—eating, like sleeping, is a waste of time. He thinks about a Chinese man who died when he stayed awake for 11 days in a row. Finch notices his mom is looking at him funny and gives her a slightly more involved answer about his day. After dinner, his mom asks Decca if it’s nice to have Finch back. Finch feels terrible: his mom thinks he was in school for the last five weeks, but he missed a lot of family dinners during that time.

That night, Finch checks Facebook and finds that Violet accepted his friend request. He’s elated. He scrolls through her pictures and finds one of her with Eleanor. Finch realizes that the glasses Violet was wearing today were Eleanor’s. Suddenly, Violet messages Finch, accusing him of “ambushing” her. Finch says that their “mountain is waiting.” He insists that it’s important to see Indiana, appreciate the state’s sights, and make this project mean something. Violet doesn’t respond, but Finch imagines her smiling. He picks up his guitar and starts to play. He’s grateful to be awake—he’d miss this otherwise.