A Separate Peace Quote Analysis

A quote from Shakespeare says, “Suspicion always haunts the guilty.” Shakespeare’s quote perfectly exemplifies the position Gene Forrester finds himself in chapter seven of the book A Separate Peace, by John Knowles. Gene is accused both in public and private, by Brinker Hadley, of arranging the accident that Finny had just so he could room alone. Although Brinker only meant this as a joke, he was surprised at Gene’s unusual defensive response. Gene starts to realize, after he laughs at the joke uneasily, that his bottled up guilt is changing him and making him look suspicious.
Gene’s reaction was different when accused in his room verses in the butt room. When first accused in his room, Gene got defensive and a little nervous, which is