John Knowles uses the literary device symbolism in his book A Separate Peace. John uses the tree, the marble staircase, and the Assembly Hall to symbolize Gene’s mixed emotions towards Phineas. The tree is symbolic because that’s when Gene basically changes Phineas’ life permanently. Why this was symbolic was because that’s when Gene pushed Phineas of the tree causing him to break his leg. When Brinker takes them to the Assembly Hall he basically puts Gene and Phineas on trial; trying to get Gene to confess. Phineas nicknamed “Finny” finally realizes that Gene did push him off the tree. At the ending of the trial Finny says, “I just don’t care. Nevermind.” (168). Finny then bursts out the Assembly Hall you could hear his cane; then he falls
