A Spearate Peace Essay
Jenna Lachermeier
Blocher
Honors English 2
9 December 2014
A Separate Peace Essay
A Separate Peace, written by John Knowles, is a novel that takes place during the time of World War Two at a preparatory school in New Hampshire called Devon. The two biggest characters are Gene Forrester and his best friend Phineas and the differences between the two boys demonstrate how difficult friendship can be. Especially with the added struggle of finding personal identities while the war is present. But the envy Gene has for Finny complicated the boundaries between Gene’s personality and Phineas’. This question of identity is the center of the novel and created the theme of the creation of inner enemies as well as competition and the symbol the tree.
The relationship between Gene and Phineas changes throughout the novel and are influenced by the actions and consequences from Gene's insecurity and the constant self- rivalry. From the very beginning, Phineas confesses that Gene is a best friend to Phineas. This is considered courageous because the students at Devon rarely show any emotion. And rather than coming back with similar affection, Gene says nothing. Gene cannot handle the fact that Phineas is so compassionate, athletic, brave and inspiring to other students. In the confusion of understanding raw emotion and the seeming flawless personality of Phineas creates a silent rivalry with Phineas. Gene believes that he has “found it. I found a single sustaining thought. The thought was, You and Phineas are even already. You are even in enmity. You are both coldly driving ahead for yourselves alone. . . . I felt better. Yes, I sensed it like the sweat of relief when nausea passes away; I felt better. We were even after all, even in enmity. The deadly rivalry was on both sides after all” (53 Knowles) and is convinced that Phineas is deliberately attempting to ruin the one thing Gene excels in: school. Gene decides that Phineas and Gene have a mutual jealousy between each
Blocher
Honors English 2
9 December 2014
A Separate Peace Essay
A Separate Peace, written by John Knowles, is a novel that takes place during the time of World War Two at a preparatory school in New Hampshire called Devon. The two biggest characters are Gene Forrester and his best friend Phineas and the differences between the two boys demonstrate how difficult friendship can be. Especially with the added struggle of finding personal identities while the war is present. But the envy Gene has for Finny complicated the boundaries between Gene’s personality and Phineas’. This question of identity is the center of the novel and created the theme of the creation of inner enemies as well as competition and the symbol the tree.
The relationship between Gene and Phineas changes throughout the novel and are influenced by the actions and consequences from Gene's insecurity and the constant self- rivalry. From the very beginning, Phineas confesses that Gene is a best friend to Phineas. This is considered courageous because the students at Devon rarely show any emotion. And rather than coming back with similar affection, Gene says nothing. Gene cannot handle the fact that Phineas is so compassionate, athletic, brave and inspiring to other students. In the confusion of understanding raw emotion and the seeming flawless personality of Phineas creates a silent rivalry with Phineas. Gene believes that he has “found it. I found a single sustaining thought. The thought was, You and Phineas are even already. You are even in enmity. You are both coldly driving ahead for yourselves alone. . . . I felt better. Yes, I sensed it like the sweat of relief when nausea passes away; I felt better. We were even after all, even in enmity. The deadly rivalry was on both sides after all” (53 Knowles) and is convinced that Phineas is deliberately attempting to ruin the one thing Gene excels in: school. Gene decides that Phineas and Gene have a mutual jealousy between each