A Separate Peace is a mind riveting novel dealing with adolescent development and one boy's struggle to understand himself and the world in times of turmoil. Through flashbacks, Gene, the main character, recollects his experiences at Devon School where he was a student some fifteen years prior. .
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I feel that the novel A Separate Peace is truly focused on two wars. One war is the internal struggle that Gene faces daily, the battle within himself in his mind. The other war is more obviously World War II which rages on in Europe.
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Through many examples one may see that Gene is fighting his own war within himself to achieve self understanding and acceptance. I feel that although Gene is a strong character in the story, he lacks self assurance. This is shown by his need for his friend Finny. Finny happens not only to be very popular, but also a standout athlete. I feel that Gene finds his own pride in his best friend, Finny, because he is struggling to accept himself and his abilities. As Gene's internal struggle rages on, his envy turns to jealousy towards his friend and this jealously turns to rage ultimately ending in Finny becoming crippled when Gene causes him to fall from a tree. Guilt and shame now rule Gene's life. From this, I believe one may be cautioned to be one's self rather than trying to become someone else. There is much to be learned from the pain experienced by Gene as he battles an internal war and travels down the path to adulthood.
World War II functions as a background of the novel. I think it is interesting that John Knowles named his novel A Separate Peace. "A separate peace" refers to the Devon School that Gene attends. Although in a secluded New England atmosphere, it is obvious that even the Devon students do not escape the war and there is truly no peace in their minds. This is vividly shown through Gene's struggle to decide whether to live in safety at Devon School or to enter the adult world by enlisting in the war.
So they created a separate peace. ... Finny found his separate peace within his denial. ... This is where Gene and Finny find a separate peace. ... He wished to clear his separate peace. ... Given these facts, Gene received his separate peace through Finny. ...
Separate Peace In John Knowles book A Separate Peace he communicates how the war in him was taking its toll on him. ... (Knowles, 32) This is what Gene stands for in the book A Separate Peace. ... This is the start of a separate peace. ... This is like Finny's world of a separate peace. ... Finny has created a separate peace at Devon that he substitutes for the real war. ...
A Separate Peace was written by active author John Knowles from his real experiences and personal struggles. ... The primary setting of A Separate Peace is at the Devon School. ... A Separate Peace considers two conflicts: man against man and man against himself. ... The style of A Separate Peace is realistic. ... I would recommend A Separate Peace to everyone who has eyes to read it or someone to read it to them. ...
A Separate Peace was written by active author John Knowles from his real experiences and personal struggles. ... The primary setting of A Separate Peace is at the Devon School. ... A Separate Peace considers two conflicts: man against man and man against himself. ... The style of A Separate Peace is realistic. ... I would recommend A Separate Peace to everyone who has eyes to read it or someone to read it to them. ...
John Knowles's A Separate Peace was a wonderful story about friendship and life. ... I didn't really have a "favorite part" of A Separate Peace, nor did I have a favorite character. ... John Knowles A Separate Peace is a wonderful book that teaches a lot about friendship and trust. ...
A "Separate Peace" (published in 1960) takes place during the Second World War in a New England Prep School called Devon (based on Phillips Exeter Academy). ... The main characters Gene and Finny are always struggling between the "separate peace" and the real war. ... The war in Europe took away the peace from the boys, affected them, and influenced them to be ready for what was coming to them. ... Even thought he tried to hide it by making the Separate Peace, in which he and Gene practiced for Olympics. ... Even Finny who was thought to be in a "Separate Peace" admitted the reality of th...
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. ... The second main symbol would be the Winter Carnival, which represented the peace and freedom that were considered as qualities of Finny. ... 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. ... He was trying to make it seem like he was infected with the filth, which represente...
A Separate Peace A Separate Peace true relates to a person going through adolescence. ... He seems to be at peace with him self when things around him are at peace as well. ... Him seeing the women's face on men's bodies and human parts on chairs and tables shows that he was not at peace anymore. He needs to be in the woods or oust side to be a peace. ...
In general the setting is its own separate peace. ... The winter carnival is an example that shows the students at the school creating their own separate peace. ... Finny successfully creates his own separate peace by creating a fantasy world. ... In this novel, A Separate Peace is shown through different examples. ... A separate peace for some is what resolves a problem that can have an effect on someone's life. ...
