In John Knowles’ novel, A Separate Peace, characters learn the struggle of identity. The novel explains that identity is created by relationships and self worth and it is also difficult to establish in adolescence. At Devon, the boys establish parts of their identities through the relationships they make.
Gene and Finny struggle to hold on to the meaning and importance of their friendship. Gene bases their relationship on jealousy which leads to rivalry. Gene also comments on rivalry that he experienced at Devon when he says, “ But examinations were at hand. The Suicide Society continued to meet every evening, and I continued to attend, because I didn’t want Finny to understand me as I understood him,” ( Knowles 56). Gene is confused with …show more content…
This is evident when Finny tells him that he sees him as his best friend and Gene responds to himself, “ But something held me back. Perhaps I stopped by that level of feeling, deeper than thought, which contains the truth,” ( Knowles 48).
His ego is raised when Finny is distraught about him enlisting. Gene says, “ In someway he needed me. He needed me.” ( Knowles 108). He likes the fact that Finny relies on him after the
Custer 2 accident and then takes advantage of Finny’s weakness. Whereas before, he always felt he was trailing in Finny’s shadow. Gene is confused on how to keep hold of the friendship and be loyal.
This establishes his identity because, who he is friends with influences his place in social encounters and his emotions. It wasn 't until Finny’s death that he learned that Finny was apart of him. This novel shows the difficulty in establishing identity in adolescence. As Gene was looking back on his time at the preparatory school, he realizes why it was difficult when he says,
“I could see with great clarity the fear I had lived in, which must mean that in the interval I had succeeded in a very important undertaking: I must have made my escape from it.” ( Knowles …show more content…
Once Finny returns, he learns to escape his guilt caused by the accident, by becoming Finny. For Brinker, it is unclear on how to deal with continuing school and preparing for the war. He is in the middle of appeasing his dad by joining the army and doing what he really loves. “ ‘Dad keeps making that speech about serving the
Custer 3 country,’ Brinker said apologetically, ‘I wish to hell he wouldn’t’ ” ( Knowles 200). The boys are only beginning to establish themselves by the time they are old enough to fight in the war. At Devon, the students struggles to prove their self worth to others, and especially themselves. Genes explained, “ You had to be rude at least sometimes to be credited with
‘personality’, and without that accolade no one at Devon could be anyone,” ( Knowles 133).
Another thing that rattles their perception of themselves is the war. The boys define themselves and their peers by the actions they take at school and actions regarding the war. Gene struggles to feel self confident. He is aiming to be the best, but has a hard time balancing breaking the rules to fit in, and being a top student. He seems to not be confident in himself until he feels that
Gene and Finny struggle to hold on to the meaning and importance of their friendship. Gene bases their relationship on jealousy which leads to rivalry. Gene also comments on rivalry that he experienced at Devon when he says, “ But examinations were at hand. The Suicide Society continued to meet every evening, and I continued to attend, because I didn’t want Finny to understand me as I understood him,” ( Knowles 56). Gene is confused with …show more content…
This is evident when Finny tells him that he sees him as his best friend and Gene responds to himself, “ But something held me back. Perhaps I stopped by that level of feeling, deeper than thought, which contains the truth,” ( Knowles 48).
His ego is raised when Finny is distraught about him enlisting. Gene says, “ In someway he needed me. He needed me.” ( Knowles 108). He likes the fact that Finny relies on him after the
Custer 2 accident and then takes advantage of Finny’s weakness. Whereas before, he always felt he was trailing in Finny’s shadow. Gene is confused on how to keep hold of the friendship and be loyal.
This establishes his identity because, who he is friends with influences his place in social encounters and his emotions. It wasn 't until Finny’s death that he learned that Finny was apart of him. This novel shows the difficulty in establishing identity in adolescence. As Gene was looking back on his time at the preparatory school, he realizes why it was difficult when he says,
“I could see with great clarity the fear I had lived in, which must mean that in the interval I had succeeded in a very important undertaking: I must have made my escape from it.” ( Knowles …show more content…
Once Finny returns, he learns to escape his guilt caused by the accident, by becoming Finny. For Brinker, it is unclear on how to deal with continuing school and preparing for the war. He is in the middle of appeasing his dad by joining the army and doing what he really loves. “ ‘Dad keeps making that speech about serving the
Custer 3 country,’ Brinker said apologetically, ‘I wish to hell he wouldn’t’ ” ( Knowles 200). The boys are only beginning to establish themselves by the time they are old enough to fight in the war. At Devon, the students struggles to prove their self worth to others, and especially themselves. Genes explained, “ You had to be rude at least sometimes to be credited with
‘personality’, and without that accolade no one at Devon could be anyone,” ( Knowles 133).
Another thing that rattles their perception of themselves is the war. The boys define themselves and their peers by the actions they take at school and actions regarding the war. Gene struggles to feel self confident. He is aiming to be the best, but has a hard time balancing breaking the rules to fit in, and being a top student. He seems to not be confident in himself until he feels that