Peace

In John Knowles’s A Separate Peace, the author focuses on the painful and sometimes difficult transition to adulthood in an adolescent character named Gene Forrester. Gene has a nonconformist friend called Phineas, or Finny, who is extremely physically talented, but does not do well in school. Gene, on the other hand, is very conventional, does well in school, and always follows the rules. He becomes intensely jealous of Finny’s athletic talent and makes him fall out of a tree and shatter his…

As with many novels, there are an extensive amount of ways that one could interpret the story A Separate Peace by John Knowles. In Gene Forrester's narration, his actions and thoughts, as well as his reflection of those times in his past, portray multiple meanings that are underlying in the plot. From the past to the present, it can be seen how Gene has changed, grown separate from who he was back then. There are also the many examples of good and especially evil which are seen throughout. The…

In the novel A Separate Peace, John Knowles writes about two best friends who went to a boarding school called Devon during the early years of the civil war. Knowles uses a variety of literary devices in order to convey that jealousy can lead to regretful decisions. Furthermore, Knowles reveals jealousy can lead to regretful decisions through characterization. For instance, Knowles writes, “Sure Finny wanted to share everything with me, especially his procession of D’s in every subject. That way…

World War II as a Symbol in A Separate Peace In A Separate Peace, John Knowles uses World War II to symbolize denial of conflict and feelings, the reality of impending adulthood, and internal conflict in the minds of Gene and Finny. The war and the question of whether or not to enlist are omnipresent worries in the minds of the boys at the Devon School in New Hampshire. Although World War II is a major conflict in the novel, the various forms of strife it symbolizes are much more significant in…

Throughout the novel A Separate Peace by John Knowles, the characters Gene, Finny, and Leper struggle against the effects of World War II on their final year of youth. Finny and Gene share the freedom of jumping out of a tree together daily, which eventually comes to an end when Gene shakes the branch and causes Finny to fall and shatter his leg. After this incident, Finny is restrained by his cast and Gene is restrained by guilt. Leper is restrained by the war, and he frees himself by…

Literary Analysis of A Separate Peace What do you think the most and the most meaningful theme or themes for you? In this book—A Separate Peace—it talks a lot about friendship between Finny and Gene, who are the main characters and have diverse personalities for each of them in the book. However, even though they have different personalities, they maintained a very positive friendship, which didn’t long too. Later in the book, they have some conflicts that lead to their end because one of the…

A foil in literature is someone that makes another character seem better by contrast. Since A Separate Peace is narrated from Gene's point of view, his insecurities are pitted against Finny's greatest talents. For example, Gene feels insecure because he compares his introverted self and academic achievement with Finny's extroverted personality and athletic abilities. This does not provide the satisfaction he is seeking because it is as if he is comparing the proverbial apples to oranges. As many…

“I always try to make the setting fit the story I have in mind.” - Author Tony Hillerman. A Separate Peace by John Knowles is about a group of boys at an all boys boarding school called Devon during WWII and their hardships as their easy going summer session ways change into the winter war-stricken ways. The setting of the book influences many of the boys to behave differently than they would if there was no war going on. The setting is a major factor in what kind of a person someone becomes,…

Friendship is the core of what bonds and makes new relationships between people. Throughout A Separate Peace, John Knowles displays both the struggles and the special moments of having a true friendship. The main characters, Gene and Finny grow up despite their differences in personalities and opinions. This leading to some mishaps and misunderstandings. Friendship is needed in everyday life, however, it can also cause chaos between friends. From the very beginning, Knowles shows how friendship…

This piece of artwork is based upon the book, A Separate Peace by John Knowles. A Separate Peace is a story of two best friends, Gene and Finny. The two friends differ in the way that Gene excels at academics, while Finny thrives in athletics. Although it seems that the contrasting fields of excellence would allow their to be harmony between the boys, Gene becomes envious of Finny and grows to resent him due to his athletic capabilities. Finny is oblivious to Gene’s hatred and still thinks of…