Archetypes Of A Christ Figure In 'A Separate Peace'

Superior Essays
Christ Figures are often used in many pieces of literature to depict the biblical character of Jesus into the works. Finny, from A Separate Peace, McMurphy from One Flew Over the Cuckoo 's Nest and luke from Cool Hand Luke are all classic examples of characters that portray the archetype of a Christ Figure. These Christ figures are all martyrs who have taken on an ultimate sacrifice for the betterment and greater good of others.

A Separate Peace is a novel that ventures through the lives of Finny and Gene, two friends at a boarding school, and their friendship, club and issues along the way. Finny, from A Separate Peace took over the role of a Christ Figure from the beginning. His prominent kindness towards Gene and others throughout
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During chapter 4, Finny proposes an overnight beach trip that would require sneaking out. After the boys have gone through with this completely illegal trip, Mr. Patchwithers finds out. Yet, Finny talks himself out of any consequences and manages to not get in trouble at all. This in itself is a miracle since students could get in trouble for being late to dinner, never mind sneaking out to sleep at the beach for a night. A second miracle performed by finny is when he smashes a swimming record and brushes it off like it was nothing. Gene was shocked and blown away while Finy did not even want it to be recognized as the new school record.

Lastly, Finny dies and resurrects indirectly as a Jesus Christ did. when Finny fell out of a tree and fractured his bone, he left the school for a while and no one had heard from him. He needed to heal and regain his strength before returning. However, Gene walks into their dorm one day to see finny sitting there. When he left with a broken leg, that served as his death, while his resurrection was his return to the boarding
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During his last few months at the ward when he really began to anger Nurse ratched, he was tortured with many rounds of electroshock and a lobotomy. However, McMurphy could have ended his suffering if he just admitted that he felt pain. But, since he did not, he was tortured with electroshock therapy until Nurse Ratched ordered a lobotomy which turned him into a lifeless chronic. The suffering he ordered on himself helped others in the long run though. Ever since Nurse ratched ordered his many electroshock and lobotomy, she has lost control of the hospital and many people escaped, including our narrator, chief. All this suffering left him scars on his cranium which Jesus Christ also had when he had to be nailed to the cross.

Lastly, McMurphy throws a big party nearing the end of the novel. This represents the last supper. At this party, McMurphy had everyone mix cough syrup and vodka which served as a metaphor of the drinking of the blood. Also, as this party is being broken up, the book shows a betrayal of Billy Bibbit claiming that McMurphy made him sleep with a prostitute that was at the party, which was false. This action represents the Judas who betrayed Jesus according to the new

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