Chapter Summary Of A Separate Peace

Improved Essays
As this chapter illustrates, Finny enjoys getting himself into tight (and sometimes dangerous) situations, and he relies on his natural charm and often illogical view of the world to extricate himself. While military service overtakes the older students, only the 16-year-old boys remain careless and happy in this peaceful world. For the masters of Devon — and Gene, too — Finny comes to represent the "essence of this careless peace."

While Finny likes to defy authority, play games, and jump out of trees — all of these essentially childish activities — Gene, by contrast, wants to become an adult and feels that he should learn how to live in the grown-up world. His basic nature points him in the direction of conventionality and conformity, and his instincts make him fear Finny's youthful spontaneity as dangerous — and yet also dangerously attractive. As the chapter unfolds, Gene feels more and more caught in the irresistible pull of Finny's spontaneous nature, as well as his charismatic power to inspire people by creating his own imaginative world out of nothing more than his own whims. But Finny's ease at convincing others of his ideas also secretly galls Gene, who finds himself "unexpectedly" wishing to see his friend punished for his easy, winning ways of escaping trouble. Finny's pink shirt stands as the central symbol of the chapter, the expression of his unique gift for making things mean what he wants them to mean. He chooses the pink shirt carelessly, as he does all his clothes, but once he puts it on, his inventive mind conjures up a reality for it that defies challenge, even when Gene offers his own typically conventional interpretation that people will think Finny is a "fairy." Finny calmly rejects Gene's objection and proposes instead his own eccentric idea, bridging the gap between reality and his whim with effortless grace. The pink shirt, he declares, is an "emblem" to celebrate the beginning of the Allied bombing of Central Europe. At Mr. Patch-Withers' tea party, Finny's pink shirt — with the emblematic nature he ascribes to it — becomes his passport into the formal adult
…show more content…
When Finny, in an imaginative reversal, declares his belief that there is no bombing in Europe, Gene comes to share in Finny's vision of a world set apart from conflict. As the two boys cross the forested campus on their way to the river, Gene gazes up at the sheltering elm trees, which seem to him to extend endlessly into the heavens and northward almost indefinitely. For Gene, at this moment, Devon — the "tame fringe of the last and greatest wilderness" — becomes a kind of Eden, where the thought of war seems impossible, even absurd.

But in the midst of this Eden, there already lurks deep in Gene's heart a type of original sin — his growing envy and resentment of Finny. Finny, though, remains unaware of his friend's true feelings and proposes that they climb the tree again and make the jump together. He means this double jump as a ritual act of friendship — a way of sealing the bond of their "partnership."

What happens next, on the limb before the boys jump, foreshadows the central dramatic event of the novel (in Chapter 4). Suddenly, Gene loses his balance — physically, of course, but symbolically, too — and Finny instinctively grasps his friend's hand to balance him and save him from

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    In the book it shows the relationship between these two absolute best friends. Finny believes, after not jumping out of the tree when they had earlier in the book, Leper will finally jump out of this tree. Finny approached the room where Gene was, when he rounded the corner he asked Gene if he would like to go watch. Gene then went on to tell him that he was studying. He then goes on to say “ If I need to study, then so do you.”.…

    • 563 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    During Gene’s time at Devon, he faced many internal conflicts. Most of which consisted in forms of raging envy for Finny’s unconditional talent for any sport, good looks, and popularity. Instead of accepting the fact that Finny was simply a better human and leaning his focus onto self-improvement, he concluded that Finny must be jealous too. Gene wanted to excel at something related to how Finny had exceeded. Wistfully Gene’s plan later resulted in Phineas’ death; therefore, he clearly did not deal with his conflict in an appropriate way, but Finny’s death did end Gene’s war.…

    • 382 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    John Knowles wrote a book called A Separate Peace that describes maturation and growth; challenges that Gene faces throughout the book. This book takes place in Devon Academy where Gene and his friend Finny go to school. Gene gradually loses the innocence he had once inside of him and tries to seek for peace within the environment that the story is taking place. The experience overwhelms him in his event of growth which forces not only Gene, but also his best friend Finny to either evolve or perish. “Everything must evolve or else it perishes” (Knowles 117).…

    • 692 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The idea that Finny is the enemy is rooted in Gene’s belief that Phineas is simply superior to him. He sees all the accomplishments that Phineas achieves and his jealousy distorts the friendship the boys once possessed. The lack of understanding within the friendship between Gene and Phineas is the ultimate cause of this war that has manifested between them. The false reality of the enmity within the friendship that Gene creates is similar to the false reality that Finny will later create in regard to the war. Dealing with these false realities are the battles that Gene and Phineas are really fighting.…

    • 1774 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In June, Devon gives use of the Far common to the the war effort. Troops are coming in with equipment. Gene tells him that no one blames him for what happened to Finny, although he blames himself. Gene then talks about Finny, on how he was the only sole that would not have been corrupted by the war, howa his friendship with him had developed him for the war, how he had adopted Finny 's rebelliousness, personality, and the way he looked at things. Finny means a lot to him and still influences him .…

    • 1208 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Finny on the other hand is someone who does care for Gene, and he vocalizes that Gene is his best pal. Finny said “ at this teen-age period in life the proper person is your best pal, which is what you are” (Knowles, 40). When Finny had saved Gene’s life from grabbing him from falling off the tree. Gene had realized that Finny was a good person to him. Gene said “ I could have fallen awkwardly enough I could have been killed.…

    • 935 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Finny does not believe him; thus, Gene decides to carry this guilt with him; without letting anyone know that he is responsible for Finny’s leg to…

    • 956 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Though Phineas and Gene were best friends, they couldn’t have been any more different. Throughout the novel “A Separate Peace”, these characters pushed through many trials and tribulations including death. Faced with the war and life on the battlefield, the boys were ready and able. However, not one of them was prepared for what would happen right at home. In a twist of events, Gene causes Finny to fall out of a tree and break his leg; a break that would ultimately kill him.…

    • 526 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    At the tree, Finny “shames” Gene to jump off the tree as a task for a course. Gene decides to jump off the tree while the rest of the boys sit back and watch. Finny was happy that Gene jumped and says this, “It’s you, pal...just you and me.” He and I started back across the fields, preceding the others like two seigneurs” (18). Finny has someone to talk to now, he sees that Gene was the only one brave enough to jump and they become friends.…

    • 955 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Other characters in the novel such as Leper are going through similar battles over the reality of the world. The concurrent war and other battles impact Gene’s own conflict. Gene thinks of Phineas [Finny], his best friend as his enemy until he realizes that his true enemy is himself because of his envy…

    • 1408 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    While Finny ultimately allows himself to believe what Gene did, it is too late. His careless actions brought about by his emotions cause him to re-break his leg, and he dies during the surgery. Finny’s struggle against the truth allows the reader to see the power of ignorance, the devastation of repudiation, and the coldness…

    • 131 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In spite of Devon trying to insulate the boys from the outside world and preserving their childhood, Gene is still exposed to the looming threats and witnesses the war and destruction occurring. He begins to realize the evilness of people and to further understand human behaviour. Loss of innocence is inevitable and a normal part of maturing but Gene lost his innocence before he was ready like his peers and many of children during war. They learned of the evil of man before they could really comprehend. Gene’s reflections are an attempt to explain his innocent adolescent world to the adult world he and his peers…

    • 1091 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Many people show their true character in their deepest of problems, such as fights or emotional situations. Gene and Finny both mature mentally throughout the novel. “I did not know everything there was to know about myself, and knew that I did not know it” (Knowles 127). Gene has troubles with his identity throughout the novel. He doesn’t know who he is and the hardest part of this is that he understands that he doesn’t.…

    • 965 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Finny cannot accept the fact that his best friend would purposefully cause him harm (Rowe 3). Both of the boys are resolute in their denial of Gene’s misdeed, which causes tension and distrust…

    • 1222 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Peace may be achieved in many different ways, one is by breaking down an enemy. The only way for Gene to find peace is to break down his enemy who is thought to be his best friend, Finny. Jealousy is a feeling resentment against someone because of that person's rivalry, success, or advantages. Gene slowly becomes jealous of his roommate Finny because of his charisma and his ability to be liked by everyone and get away with anything. Not only is Gene jealous of Finnys personality, but he also envy’s that he is a top athlete at Devon.…

    • 771 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays

Related Topics