Brief Summary Of A Separate Peace By John Knowles

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The narrator returns to his old school, in which he attended with his friend Phineas 15 years ago. (World War 2 began). The narrator shifts back 15 years when “Finny”, being a daredevil, jumped off a tree into a river in which the narrator, Gene, followed behind him. Gene stating that he tends to feel more comfortable around Finny and also tends to break the rules around him.
Finny is a rule breaker, a good thing for him is that he is a good student and a charming athlete. Being a likable rule breaker the substitute headmaster, Mr.Dash Withers, gives tea to everyone in the class; however, Mrs. Dash Withers notices he was wearing the school tie as a belt and finny in response makes up a nonsense excuse in which he makes Mr. Dash Withers laugh
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When he goes in the room he is ready to tell him the truth, but dosen’t get a chance. Finny is sent home to recuperate, when Gene is all done for the summer session he goes and visits him to see him weak and invalid. Gene then confesses he caused the accident, Finny denies the confession.
Gene goes back to school without finny and gets the same room, which brings back many memories, with no roommate. He enters crew practice runned by Quackenbush, who challenges him and they fight, Gene falls into the water and quits. Finny calls gene because he was afraid that he was going to replace him, Gene reassures him that he won’t. He also tells Finny that he is not doing any sports, Finny then tells him that he has to do them for him and moves Gene greatly.
Brinker begins to accuse Gene of arranging Finny 's accident to get a dorm to himself, his words trouble Gene. Snow begins to fall and the boys have to shovel it out. After a long day, he goes back to his dorm and finds Finny there, he suddenly has a reason to stay in school
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Someone calls Dr.Stanpole who takes him to the infirmary. Gene goes to see how he is and Finny is angry at him and falls out of his bed trying to come at him, Gene tells him that he is sorry and reassures him that it wasn 't because the hated him that it was a feeling of mixed emotions. Finny believes him and Gene then leaves. Gene returns to check on Finny only to find out that he didn 't make it through the operation.
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 . He is glad that he was his friend for all that he was and make peace with

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