A Separate Peace

            
             Symbols are often used throughout the novel A Separate Peace, to help the reader .
             distinguish between who or what is moral and immoral. One of the main symbols would be the .
             Devon and Naguamsett Rivers. The second main symbol would be the Winter Carnival, which .
             represented the peace and freedom that were considered as qualities of Finny. The third main .
             symbol was the game of Blitzball. The symbols maintain and guide readers and help the readers .
             recognize what is moral and what is not in the novel.
             The crucial thing for the readers is to know how deeply the war has affected Devon. .
             Therfore, Gene, who was the narrator of the story, described the two rivers, the Devon and .
             Naguamsett. The Devon River symbolized peace because the war did not really affect the .
             people in Devon, but the Naguamsett River represented Europe where the war was taking .
             place with all the battles. Gene compares the two rivers; the Naguamsett River being the "ugly, .
             saline, fringed with marsh, mud and seaweed," and Devon being "fresh-water above the .
             dam."Also, when Gene fell into the Naguamsett River and had to take a shower, he said, " I had .
             taken a shower to wash off the sticky salt of the Naguamsett River -- going into the Devon .
             River was like taking a refreshing shower itself, you never had to clean up after it, but the .
             Naguamsett River was something else entirely." He was trying to make it seem like he was .
             infected with the filth, which represented the war and wanted to clean him so he could keep his .
             innocence and peace. Therefore, these two rivers helped readers get to know two things: .
             Gene's thoughts on the war and how the war touched Devon and Europe.
             .
             Secondly, The Winter Carnival was created as a celebration in the depressing weather; the .
             Winter Carnival becomes a simile for the know-how to create peace and freedom in an .
             environment that was exposed by rules and laws. During the Carnival, the students and staff .