Preview

Suicide Tree In A Separate Peace

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
744 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Suicide Tree In A Separate Peace
Religion has played a large part in society. Civilizations rose and fell under religious reasons. Humans are singular in their ability to believe that there is some kind of a higher being. They are bonded together under these beliefs and traditions were created for the different groups. I am a Methodist, and in the Methodist church when a child becomes an adolescent they undergo a course to fully develop their understanding of the teachings of God. A year ago I went through Confirmation and became a full member of my church, First United Methodist Church in Portage, Indiana. A confirmation in a Methodist church is rather uncomplicated. It is unlike the Catholic first communion in that Methodists invite everyone to communion. However, the …show more content…
Just as the Suicide Tree in A Separate Peace by John Knowles symbolizes Gene coming of age. Although they appear to be completely different things they are abstractly the same meaning to me. The meaning of the Suicide Tree is about coming of age, taking the first step into adulthood. Becoming a member of my church was the first official adult thing I did.
My symbol and the Suicide Tree have more parallels than just meaning. As a child being a member of the church was something that seemed out of reach and not something that I wanted. Just as the Suicide Tree is thought as a giant of Gene’s childhood (Knowles 3). However, that fear was soon dissipated once I understood what it meant. Gene’s fear of jumping out of the Suicide Tree was completely gone when he jumped after Finny fell (Knowles 28). Originally, Gene did not want to jump out of the Suicide Tree, but he was convinced to do so by Finny. I did not want to take a confirmation class originally. I did not even want to attend church, but my parents had wanted me to complete the task. Eventually, the class grew on me and what really encouraged me to continue was my mentor, Wendy. Gene had Finny to cajole him into jumping out of the Suicide Tree. I had Wendy to push me of my metaphorical
…show more content…
My confirmation experience allowed me to take flight in my faith. An angel is a bringer of light, hope, and faith to God’s people. Through my confirmation class, I received light, hope, and a revitalizing dose of faith. I did not think that I would have anything to do with religion in my adult life. Now that my faith has been restored on the backs of angel wings. I know that I will be keeping religion in my life for a long time. I actually wear a symbol of this nearly every day. A few Christmases ago my parents gifted my sisters and me with angel wing necklaces. At the time it was a symbolic connection between my sisters and I. Now it is incredibly important to me and I feel incomplete when I am not wearing

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the novel, A Separate Peace by John Knowles, Gene Forrester and Phineas, also known as Finny, are best friends who have a very deep friendship. However, as the story progresses, Gene began to develop feelings of jealousy for Finny when he saw how perfect Finny’s character is. Finny has always been able to talk his way out of trouble and is naturally a good athlete who is earnest, confident, & pure. On the other hand, Gene cannot be pure like Finny and feels insecure. Seeing how good Finny is, caused Gene to become jealous, “I was beginning to see that Phineas could get away with anything, I couldn’t help envying him…” (ch2.20) Soon, Gene thinks that a rivalry is happening between them. Because Gene envies Finny’s character, he thinks that Finny is also jealous of him for his good academic performance, “I felt better. Yes, I sensed it like the sweat of relief …We were even after all… The deadly rivalry was on both sides after all.”(ch4.34). By thinking there is a competition between them, Gene feels at ease, because none of them is better than the other. One night, Finny announced that Leper will jump off the tree, in order to become a full member of their secret society. Gene didn’t want to go because he feared his grade would slip if he didn’t study and also thinks that Leper wouldn’t dare to jump off the tree. After hearing from Gene that he wanted to study, Finny was surprise because he thought that Gene was naturally intelligent, who doesn’t need to review for a test. With sincerity, Finny lets Gene study, but Gene changed his mind and would come along with Finny. On the way to the tree,Gene realizes that a competition never happened and it was just Gene that was envious of Finny. Because Gene saw Finny's goodness and innocence, Gene realizes a rivalry with Finny will never occur. Gene began…

    • 460 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Strory of Tom Brennan Essay

    • 2345 Words
    • 10 Pages

    The image by Image Zoo reflects the idea that moving into the world involves different pathways. This image uses the rule of thirds and symbolism to bring attention to the four different pathways to the centre tree trunk. The rule of thirds draws central focus to the light coming from the tree. This light symbolises the light that is present through different pathways and journeys. Light symbolises the hope, possibilities that come with moving into the world. Even though each pathway comes to the same centre of light, it branches upwards into different pathways shown at the top of the tree trunk. The tree symbolises the “Tree of life” as the tree that brings possibility to the world, it gives life and experiences to everyone. This brings to the main point that moving into the world, shown metaphorically as the tree through the four different pathways to new experiences.…

    • 2345 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Before his incident at the tree, Finny was a sports all star. He was gifted with superior sports skills; this was shown when he beat the school swimming record without ever having practiced at all. Once the fall occurred, Finny’s life was changed forever. “Sports are finished for him [Finny], after an accident like that. Of course. . . . If I [Stanpole] had the slightest hope that he could do more than walk I’d be all for trying for everything. There is no such hope” (55). Finny’s life revolved around sports, and once the accident occurred, his life was over. To Finny, the tree represented loss, sadness, and eventually death. As shown in the book, A Separate Peace, the tree plays a very important role in the lives of both Gene and Finny, the two main characters. The tree symbolizes the tree of the knowledge of good and evil from the Bible, it represents fear, hatred, and jealousy to Gene, and it also represents loss and sadness to…

    • 1158 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    These symbols either show a characteristic,opinion,or what his actions have created in this novel. Nathan uses religion as a weapon he thinks that only his beliefs are right and imposes them upon others which shows the destructive side of religion. Leah states in the novel the difference between her father and other Christians “He wears his faith like the bronze breastplate of God’s foot soldiers while our mother is more like a good cloth with a secondhand fit.”(Leah pg.68). She is saying that her father sees faith and religion as a battle, a source of struggle and strife that he has to achieve but also strive farther than other Christians. As for, the poisonwood bible it applies to all the characters in the novel but it is mainly targeting Nathan because he is the one which got the poisons effects. The poisonwood tree in Congolese language has a certain way to pronounce and also tone and everyone knew Nathan was pronouncing it wrong at the church meeting but he was to stubborn to learn the culture around him. Which lead him saying that the meaning of poisonwood tree as that it can cause intense pain and even death because of the way he pronounced and tone he said it in. But this mistaken phrase becomes a great description for Jesus in the hands men like Nathan. This mistaken phrase, a great description of Jesus meaning that it is a very…

    • 928 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    A separate peace

    • 478 Words
    • 2 Pages

    A very important use of symbolism in this novel is Finny. Finny is Gene's best friend. Finny symbolizes Jesus Christ in the story. Finny acts as a perfect person. Finny never lies. Finny also is a very forgiving person. He forgives Gene for pushing him off the tree branch and breaking his leg. He also betrays Gene. The sentence Finny quotes: "you want to break something else in me! Is that why you are here!"…

    • 478 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Religious behaviors developed to what they are today beginning in the pre-historic times of the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and the Neolithic. There is evidence of these behaviors in the archaeological artifacts as well as mythological evidence. Religious behaviors evolved as humans evolved.…

    • 1101 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    "Speak" Essay

    • 859 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In art class, Melinda learns how to express her emotions. Her art teacher, Mr. Freeman explains, “Art without emotion is like chocolate cake without sugar. It makes you gag.” He helps her to communicate her emotions through art instead of keeping them inside of herself. The tree is symbolic of Melinda’s personality and life and is one of the main things that helps Melinda…

    • 859 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hard To Find Symbolism

    • 875 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Symbolism was found many times throughout the story. The first time I came around symbolism was when the family was talking about Toomsboro. Toomsboro sounds a lot like tomb so that symbolizes the eventual fate the family will soon meet. The next symbolism I found was when The Misfit’s car was going down the road towards the disoriented family. The car was described as “big black battered hearse-like automobile (145).” The reason that this is symbolism is because a hearse is what carries coffins to funerals. The Misfit’s car represents the intimate death that the family will soon meet. Lastly, the final symbolism is the cloudless, sunless sky. Most people would think that a day with no clouds would be a beautiful, happy day filled with fun; however, this family in the story thought that but it turned out to be their worst day. Usually when a murder takes place it happens at night when it is dark and no one is around. This murder happened on a beautiful day, but the main reason I brought up this is because when The Misfit shot the Grandmother, she feel back looking up towards the beautiful sky with a smile on her face. This symbol represents that the Grandmother found inner peace with herself.…

    • 875 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The butterfly represents change, hope, and new life. The Sun represents energy, power, and provides heat necessary for life. The tree symbolizes eternal life and strength. All beautiful and important parts of nature. This particular themes background is red. The color red representing the power and strength of simply one life and the impact and lasting effect it has on others.…

    • 558 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    I was the prodigal daughter. Moreover, He continued to lead me towards Him. It was like I’d flown back into a cage of sin that had once held me with the false presumption that it would keep me safe, and God was leading me back out of the cage and into the freedom of His love. He lead me to drop out of college during my first year, and I did. Then He lead me to start attending another church, and I did - it was probably the most nerve-wracking of my journey, but I did. At this point, I was able to look back at the past He’d saved me from and see the destruction, hurt, and rubble that He’d pulled me out of. I didn’t want to go back, and now I know that I won’t. He has something bigger than planned for…

    • 597 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Lee reveals the iconic symbol of the Oak Tree near the Radley house through imagery and diction. Lee’s use of the tree as a symbol illustrates the forgotten soul of Boo Radley who attempts to expose himself to the world who tried to cement him down. One example of Lee’s use of the tree is when Boo Radley uses the hole in the tree to communicate with the children. This is shown when Jem and Scout are just trotting around the town when they notice the knot hole in the tree, “Jem let me do the honors: I pulled out two small images carved into soap. One was a figure of a boy, the other wore a crude dress” (59). This is a key factor in the book because this indicates to Jem and Scout that Boo Radley…

    • 460 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Confirmation is a rite of initiation in Christian churches, normally carried out throughanointing, the laying on of hands, and prayer, for the purpose of bestowing the Gift of the Holy Spirit.…

    • 2793 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The conditions of Society itself evolved the human mind to readily except religious beliefs and experience strong religious feelings and ideals-- a result of natural selection a process which favored those who made the…

    • 640 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Why Religion Matters

    • 903 Words
    • 3 Pages

    I was raised Catholic all my youth, having been baptized 3 months into my life for the forgiveness of sins that I had yet to commit; I did as I was told and I didn’t question my church or any other authority figure. As I reached my early years of high school I began to do as all teenagers do: Question authority and ask questions when given any commands. Having dealt with an abusive step father, an unaware working mother, and non existing father, God seemed as though he was a fairy tale in the Bible. I can proudly say that since my age of reasoning I am a proud Christian and thank God for that. Religion has not only helped me in life, but gives me a hope that nothing else will ever give. Religion does not hinder society but instead it is needed to survive in such a harsh world.…

    • 903 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Mr. Know All

    • 799 Words
    • 4 Pages

    * Symbolism. The path, time and day, yellow woods – either dawn (new beginning) or the seasons (fall) – a time of change. Metamorphosis.…

    • 799 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays