Quotes from A Separate Peace "I think we reminded them of what peace was like‚ we boys of sixteen....We were careless and wild‚ and I suppose we could be thought of as a sign of the life the war was being fought to preserve....We reminded them of what peace was like‚ of lives which were not bound up with destruction. Phineas was the essence of this careless peace." Chapter 2‚ pp. 16-17 Context: Gene says this after he and Finny were in Mr. Prud’homme’s office explaining why they were late to dinner
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Finny easily convinced him to do rebellious things he’d rather not do. Although Gene didn’t tend to show it‚ he was very jealous of his friend Finny- especially when his athletic abilities and strengths shone through. In a twisted way‚ the ongoing envy he developed for his friend drove Gene to want to be a part of Finny‚ to be more like him. Beneath his optimistic disguise‚ Gene had his own personal struggles that he kept to himself. Along with his continuous feelings of jealousy and anxiety‚ he
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A Separate Peace by John Knowles is a coming of age novel surrounding the experiences of a young boy from the South and his roommate while at boarding school. Gene Forrester is new to the boarding school culture‚ so when he arrives in his dorm room on the first day of summer term‚ he is shocked and in awe by his roommate‚ Phineas. Gene’s lack of self confidence is only made more obvious beside Finny‚ but this does not stop them from growing to be best friends. However‚ at boarding school the environment
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In John Knowles’ novel A Separate Peace‚ which chronicles the maturity of a group of prep-school friends‚ Gene Forrester‚ Quackenbush and Brinker‚ three prep-school students‚ often are subject to their emotions and personalities so as to harm others. They can be pushed to harm in both physical and emotional ways. Each of these boys has something—Gene’s jealousy‚ Quackenbush’s frustration‚ or Brinker’s pride—that drives them to hurt and brings out the worst in their characters. Gene Forrester
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A Separate Peace “It seemed clear that wars were not made by generations and their stupidities‚ but that wars were made instead by something ignorant in the human heart” (Chapter 13‚ 201) This quote is very important because it is talking about war‚ which is the main theme of the novel since it takes place during WWII. It is also important because it revels the growth in the main character Gene. At the beginning of the story Gene wasn’t very comfortable being himself‚ and he wished he was his
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Patrick Rothfuss states‚ “When we are children we seldom think of the future. This innocence leaves us free to enjoy ourselves as few adults can. The day we fret about the future is the day we leave our childhood behind.” In A Separate Peace‚ by John Knowles‚ the boys at Devon are confronted with a decision that will affect their future‚ whether they should enlist into the military‚ or wait to get drafted. Unrelated to the war‚ Gene is also faced with choices that will not only have an impact on
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In the book‚ A Separate Peace‚ the author‚ John Knowles‚ writes to us a novel about war‚ but happens to focus more on the war within the human heart. This novel tells a story of two boys’ co-dependency during World War Two‚ and explores the difficulties with understanding the self during adolescence. Identity is complicated enough as the narrator‚ Gene Forrester‚ enters adulthood in a time of war‚ but a difficult friendship with a fellow student and rival leads to a further confusion of identity
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was most comfortable in the truant’s corner” (Knowles 23). Finny was the type of kid teachers got a kick out of. He was the essence of the feeling of peace even with the world war. The pink shirt. Boys wearing pink in the 1940s was unheard of‚ unmanly. Though he didn’t take any mind to it. He wore it as an “emblem” to celebrate the war. Gene felt envy towards this. Finny was the only person who could wear something like that with full confidence. “There was no harm in envying your best friend a little”
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Outside Reading Assignment (A Separate Peace) Gene and Finny are the main characters of A Separate Peace and Gene also serves as the narrator and protagonist of this book. In the beginning of the novel Gene and Finny appear to have a perfect friendship‚ although Gene has many mixed emotions regarding Finny. It is clear from Gene’s praiseworthy description of Finny’s athleticism‚ charisma‚ and charm that Gene admires Finny. It is also these qualities that make Finny the competition. Although Gene
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Identity Thief: Character Misjudgement in A Separate Peace and The Poison Tree The quality of individuality and the vital role it plays in a human life is a theme often explored in literature. It is difficult to argue against the importance of being true to oneself and maintaining a strong‚ independent character. However‚ many times the miscalculation of the identity of another is equally as damaging as losing individual identity. In A Separate Peace‚ John Knowles highlights the consequences of
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