A Seperate Peace Extended Paragraph 1 
Childhood to Adulthood
In the novel A Separate Peace, by John Knowles, the story of Gene's painful growth into adulthood from childhood is told, as a journey of deepening his understanding about the world. Gene's innocence at the beginning of the book represents comfort in childhood. By following the rules and only rebelling through sarcasm, “the protest of people who are weak” (22), Gene maintains a comfortable life. Furthermore, this shows that growth can only come through conflict and struggle, and Gene's childlike behavior shields him from adulthood. Later in the book, Gene and Brinker decide to enlist together but Gene has second thoughts. His second thoughts come from the realization that, “my war ended before I ever put on a uniform; I was on active duty all my time at school; I killed my enemy there”(196). Gene steps into adulthood by admitting what he has done at Devon and how he feels about. Throughout the course of only one year Gene goes form a child to an adult. Gene stated “It seemed appropriate that my baptism there had taken place on the first day of the winter session, and that I had been thrown into it" (86). John Knowles uses powerful words in this passage to portray Gene's dramatic change from an oblivious child to the clarity of adulthood. Gene feels that he was “baptized” in the Naguamsett River implying that he has become something new and has stepped into adulthood. Gene’s growth into adulthood from childhood is shown throughout the course of the novel.
In the novel A Separate Peace, by John Knowles, the story of Gene's painful growth into adulthood from childhood is told, as a journey of deepening his understanding about the world. Gene's innocence at the beginning of the book represents comfort in childhood. By following the rules and only rebelling through sarcasm, “the protest of people who are weak” (22), Gene maintains a comfortable life. Furthermore, this shows that growth can only come through conflict and struggle, and Gene's childlike behavior shields him from adulthood. Later in the book, Gene and Brinker decide to enlist together but Gene has second thoughts. His second thoughts come from the realization that, “my war ended before I ever put on a uniform; I was on active duty all my time at school; I killed my enemy there”(196). Gene steps into adulthood by admitting what he has done at Devon and how he feels about. Throughout the course of only one year Gene goes form a child to an adult. Gene stated “It seemed appropriate that my baptism there had taken place on the first day of the winter session, and that I had been thrown into it" (86). John Knowles uses powerful words in this passage to portray Gene's dramatic change from an oblivious child to the clarity of adulthood. Gene feels that he was “baptized” in the Naguamsett River implying that he has become something new and has stepped into adulthood. Gene’s growth into adulthood from childhood is shown throughout the course of the novel.