A Separate Peace Perception Vs Reality Analysis

In A Separate Peace by John Knowles, perception versus reality is a recurring conflict for Gene, Leper and Finny in the novel. Perception is defined as “an interpretation or impression of something or an opinion or belief” while reality is defined as “the quality or state of being actual, true and unchangeable.” In the novel, the characters don’t understand each other which cause their perceptions of each other to be inaccurate. Despite their friendship, Gene and Finny don’t know the true essence of each other's being. Finny doesn’t understand how Gene is “ a savage underneath”(145), and until it is too late Gene does not grasp the genuine lack of hostility in Finny. As a result, Finny and Gene’s preconceptions of each other and their friends alter their- perception and realities. Throughout the novel, Gene’s idolatry of Finny inhibits Gene from seeing reality. It is also the cause of Gene’s distorted perception of everything Finny says and does.Whenever Finny says or does something, Gene is quick to assume that there is a deeper meaning; Gene even admits to this by saying “I was groping for what lay behind his [Finny] words”(58). When Finny asks Gene to keep his record-breaking a secret, Gene thinks, “Was he trying to impress me?”(44), which is a ridiculous assumption that everything that Finny does is with Gene in …show more content…
Finny believes that “there isn’t any war,” (115) as an attempt to protect himself. Finny acknowledges his deviation from reality and even admits to it. Finny explains that he used the fantasy of no war as a coping mechanism that would help him endure the tough truth. Finny needs to believe that if he can’t be in the war then there isn’t war and he is not letting anyone down. Gene takes Finny literally when he says there isn’t a war and which further illustrates how Gene did not know Finny well enough to see the pain he was