A Separate Peace Book Essay Example

In many relationships, there is an extrovert and an introvert; the extrovert being the more likeable and outgoing person, while the introvert being the quiet and less noticed person. This relationship many times causes tension between the two friends, but many times the tension is only felt by one person; usually the introvert, thus jealousy becomes prominent. In A Separate Peace, by John Knowles, this is the case between best friends Finny (the extrovert), and Gene (the introvert). Both boys attend The Devon School, an upscale boys boarding school in the Northeast part of the United States. This jealousy exists between both boys, but only affects Gene, because he thinks about it constantly, and Finny doesn’t realize it. Many journeys are constantly impacted by jealousy, and the potential for evil that humanity possesses is revealed. Many times, our jealousy is the source of unhappiness; it causes individuals to do things they might not normally do. This connects to Gene, a character whose jealousy constantly conflicts with his relationship with Finny, as well as himself. Gene has many responses to the different things that Finny accomplishes. One of the Gene’s responses includes Finny breaking the school swim record without a day of practice and not wanting him to tell anybody:
Was he trying to impress me or something? Not tell anybody? When he had broken the school record without a day of practice? I knew he was serious about it, so I didn’t tell anybody. Perhaps for that reason his accomplishment took root in my mind and grew rapidly in the darkness where I was forced to hide it (36).
This quote shows how simple little things like keeping a secret affects Gene in ways that contribute to his jealousy and his somewhat enmity for Finny. Actions like this show Gene that Finny is better person than him as a whole. Their relationship is constantly being affected by this jealousy, and does not help either person. In any human’s mind, many ideas can sound good at