A Separate Peace Final Essay
The portrayal of friendship in A Separate Peace by John Knowles remains significant and [a]relevant to present day. Persistently and tenaciously, the war controls the Devon school’s atmosphere, leaving students solemn and teachers austere. Desperate and afraid, students attempt to cope individually with the decision to enlist, while Finny and Gene manage together with the foundations of their strong comradeship. However, with just as much assertion, internal conflicts infiltrate both in and between Finny and Gene; but yet, they still ignore them, ultimately causing the problems to dissipate. Because of the overbearing weight of the internal and external wars of life, Finny and Gene seek an escape found in one another …show more content…
After Finny admits to Gene that he is his best friend, Gene reacts speechlessly, thinking, “[i]t was a courageous thing to say, Exposing a sincere emotion nakedly like that at the Devon school was the next thing to suicide” (41). Selfless and bold, Finny completely ignores the risks of his noble act because he understands that in order to display his appreciation for Gene, he must express his emotions; a disapproved task for men. To live in such a war-driven society and emotionally detached school as these two do, Finny’s blatant confession stands out alone in the open, which further depicts that the strength of their friendship surpasses all possible consequences and boundaries. When Gene finds Finny in the dorm unexpectedly after multiple rough encounters, “Everything that had happened throughout the day faded like that first false snow of winter. Phineas was back” (93). Effortlessly, the impenetrability of their friendship outshines all of the gloom from isolation that Gene undergoes. Moreover, not only does Finny’s return erase Gene’s futile day, but it also overrides Finny’s tragic mishap; the bane to Gene’s overwhelming and irrational guilt, allowing Gene to instantaneously disregard all remorse and misery at the sight of his best friend. Despite one’s inescapable personal situations, Finny and Gene take refuge in each
The portrayal of friendship in A Separate Peace by John Knowles remains significant and [a]relevant to present day. Persistently and tenaciously, the war controls the Devon school’s atmosphere, leaving students solemn and teachers austere. Desperate and afraid, students attempt to cope individually with the decision to enlist, while Finny and Gene manage together with the foundations of their strong comradeship. However, with just as much assertion, internal conflicts infiltrate both in and between Finny and Gene; but yet, they still ignore them, ultimately causing the problems to dissipate. Because of the overbearing weight of the internal and external wars of life, Finny and Gene seek an escape found in one another …show more content…
After Finny admits to Gene that he is his best friend, Gene reacts speechlessly, thinking, “[i]t was a courageous thing to say, Exposing a sincere emotion nakedly like that at the Devon school was the next thing to suicide” (41). Selfless and bold, Finny completely ignores the risks of his noble act because he understands that in order to display his appreciation for Gene, he must express his emotions; a disapproved task for men. To live in such a war-driven society and emotionally detached school as these two do, Finny’s blatant confession stands out alone in the open, which further depicts that the strength of their friendship surpasses all possible consequences and boundaries. When Gene finds Finny in the dorm unexpectedly after multiple rough encounters, “Everything that had happened throughout the day faded like that first false snow of winter. Phineas was back” (93). Effortlessly, the impenetrability of their friendship outshines all of the gloom from isolation that Gene undergoes. Moreover, not only does Finny’s return erase Gene’s futile day, but it also overrides Finny’s tragic mishap; the bane to Gene’s overwhelming and irrational guilt, allowing Gene to instantaneously disregard all remorse and misery at the sight of his best friend. Despite one’s inescapable personal situations, Finny and Gene take refuge in each