Insecurities and the lack of confidence are more destructive than they may seem at first glance; they both gradually rot away at individual’s sense of self, and poison their thoughts and emotions with negativity. However harmful and seemingly uncontrollable these states may be, constant perseverance can render them harmless. In A Separate Peace by John Knowles, Gene overcomes his overpowering insecurities, smallness of self, and jealousy in a deadly struggle against his own twisted human nature. Finny’s confidence and natural athletic success draws Gene to him. Wisps of jealousy for Finny soon invade Gene’s mind, causing him to think to himself about how Finny easily “attracts everyone he meets” (Knowles 40). Gene also “feels a sudden
…show more content…
This enlightenment causes him to wish he could completely cut off his broken identity and guilt with a pair of “giant military shears”, throw away his complicated past, and conform to the clone-like sameness of the military. He is soon whisked away from this mentality when Finny insists on Gene fulfilling his athletic dreams for him. Once again, Gene finds himself taking on Finny’s identity in place of his own identity. However, Gene’s final submersion into Finny’s identity does not last long. Gene’s carefully structured world falls apart when Finny dies, forcing Gene to finally begin to develop his own individuality. Gene uses Finny as a way to find security in himself and as a way to forget about his insecurities; but when Finny dies, Gene is left alone with an identity that he relied on his deceased friend for. He finally begins to not rely on others to provide him with purpose or security, but rather takes what Finny’s life had taught him and grows his own sense of self. Though Gene does develop his own sense of self, he carries a part of Finny within himself throughout the rest of his adolescence and into his adulthood. Gene no longer depended on the people around him for confidence and security, but rather became his own
This enlightenment causes him to wish he could completely cut off his broken identity and guilt with a pair of “giant military shears”, throw away his complicated past, and conform to the clone-like sameness of the military. He is soon whisked away from this mentality when Finny insists on Gene fulfilling his athletic dreams for him. Once again, Gene finds himself taking on Finny’s identity in place of his own identity. However, Gene’s final submersion into Finny’s identity does not last long. Gene’s carefully structured world falls apart when Finny dies, forcing Gene to finally begin to develop his own individuality. Gene uses Finny as a way to find security in himself and as a way to forget about his insecurities; but when Finny dies, Gene is left alone with an identity that he relied on his deceased friend for. He finally begins to not rely on others to provide him with purpose or security, but rather takes what Finny’s life had taught him and grows his own sense of self. Though Gene does develop his own sense of self, he carries a part of Finny within himself throughout the rest of his adolescence and into his adulthood. Gene no longer depended on the people around him for confidence and security, but rather became his own