A Separate Peace and The Fault in Our Stars

            "Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.
             This quote by Mark Twain' reveals the dark truth of human beings; we all have imperfections and there's a part of each of us that we choose to hide. This side of ours is where our negative emotions, faults and shortcomings reside. This dark side is also seen as an alias to our inner demons, which we constantly fight in different ways, lest it conquers us and lashes out. We all have this darker side as proof that we are humans and thus incapable of achieving perfection. Amongst the purest of people, their vile side exists if not near the brink of extinction. This darker side is a burden that all humans must carry; it is something in which we fight in every single moment of our life. By continually defeating this darker side of us, we grow stronger and more adept at surviving the challenge which we call life. Two literary sources that substantiate this quote are "A Separate Peace," by John Knowles, and "The Fault in Our Stars," by John Green. .
             In the coming of age novel, "A Separate Peace," one of the major themes is the battle against one's inner enemies.The setting of the novel is the campus of Devon School in New Hampshire, in the midst of WWII during the year 1942. On the campus, the students are surrounded by the news of the war and the inevitable enlistment that awaits them. Despite the incessant atmosphere that the war emanates towards the students and the fear of the enlistments, the story does not centralize on the war. Instead, it focuses on the war existent in one's self. This refers to a personal war, in which one is forced to tackle their inner demons and hope to become triumphant. The protagonist, Gene Forrester, faces this exact war in the novel. Throughout the course of the novel, there is much evidence of Gene's darker traits, such as his concealed resentment and envy of his best friend, Phineas.