A Separate Peace By John Knowles: A Character Analysis

Words: 782
Pages: 4
Open Document
In the modern world and in all of history we see how important evolution is to surviving. This is also seen in the novel “A Separate Peace” by John Knowles, where everything has to evolve or else it perishes. Characters must change with the world around them or else they could be left behind or in danger. This theme shows up multiple times throughout the book and becomes very evident in two characters. The first example is when Finny falls out of the tree and breaks his leg. At the beginning of the book Gene and Finny start the Super Suicide Squad of the Summer Session. To start each meeting, everyone jumped off the tree limb into the river. One day Finny decides to do a tandem jump with Gene. In this moment Gene’s built up jealousy for Genes …show more content…
As we know, Leper sees the army advertisement and joins the ski troops. When Gene visits Leper after he escapes in the Christmas location he finds out he has received a Section Eight discharge. This is for mentally unstable or even crazy people who join the army. We know that Leper was not crazy before he joined the army so it had to be the army that changed Leper. Before he left Leper was a social outcast, he would ski instead of working with the boys and was metaphorically the runt of the friend group. While he explains to Gene where he is going he says, “‘Touring. It’s the way you get around the countryside in the winter. Touring skiing. It’s how you go overland in the snow.” (Pg. 94) Unfortunately Lepers evolution makes him at risk of complete social rejection and many other changes later in life. This is shown at Lepers house when Leper says, “They were going to give me a discharge, a Section Eight discharge” he continues by saying, “A section eight discharge is for all the nuts in the service, the psychos” (Pg.144). This mark is seen on permanent records so anyone can see it making it publicly known that you were deemed mentally unstable. This change of mental destabilization was a bad evolution in Lepers character causing him to be at a disadvantage for his entire
Show More

Related Documents: A Separate Peace By John Knowles: A Character Analysis

A Separate Peace By John Knowles: Character Analysis

A Separate Peace is a fictional book written by John Knowles, it takes place during WW1. The protagonist Gene tells the story from an adult perspective, looking back at his teenage years. The other main character in the book was Finny, he was Gene's best friend, and roommate, he helps carry on the book, and gives the book reason. The story's title is relevant throughout the book, it is also tied to everybody that is involved in the war. The theme of A Separate Peace is that even when things are going…

Words 667 - Pages 3

Character Analysis: A Separate Peace By John Knowles

In the story a separate peace by John Knowles two boys named Gene and Finny are friends in a military school during the 1940’s. they are both very different from each other and it all seems to work out for them. After reading the first few chapters of the book you realize that Finny is competitive, bold, a leader, athletic, and quite childish. Whereas Gene is Not so athletic, more of an introvert, and a follower. But later, as the book goes on you realize that the two are not really as compatible…

Words 362 - Pages 2

Character Analysis: A Separate Peace By John Knowles

want. The friendship doesn't only bring smiles and laughs,but reveals a dark side, only building suspense throughout the book. Gene visits his past not to confront his actions, but to reflect on his actions. In " A Separate Peace " written by John Knowles writes about Gene a character, overwhelmed by jealousy committing despicable acts he can't control. Genes doesn't feel remorse for throwing Gene of the tree and causing his death, but only reveals his dark side he has no a shame of. Gene's jealousy…

Words 439 - Pages 2

A Separate Peace By John Knowles: A Character Analysis

Figuring out who someone really is can be difficult, but usually it is worth going through the struggle. In the novel A Separate Peace, John Knowles fashions a story about a group of young boys living at a World War II era boarding school, who discover the dark and dreary side of their adolescence. The author John Knowles emphasizes the close relationship of Gene and Finny who get along with one another until Gene purposely harms Finny. As the plot progresses, however, Finny and Gene mature and learn…

Words 1232 - Pages 5

Character Analysis Of Leper In A Separate Peace, By John Knowles

Throughout the novel, “A Separate Peace”, by John Knowles, Lepers personality is eccentric to the other by being a reliable, amenable, and thoughtful person. During the mock-trial, right before learning that Leper was on campus, Brinker states to the group that he is trustworthy and that “He could have cleared the whole thing up” (163). Amazing and exciting, Leper could have declaim everything he has seen at the tree within seconds at the mock-trial with his outstanding remembrance. To be on school…

Words 312 - Pages 2

Analysis Of The Book 'A Separate Peace' By John Knowles

A Separate Peace Analysis Essay A Separate Peace by John Knowles is a realistic historical fiction. In this novel, many things will be revealed one of them is the character of Gene. Gene’s character is revealed to us in his hometown of Devon, his experiences in Devon’s school for boys, and during World War 2. Devon was always a peaceful place. Nothing happening and nothing going on. Gene’s describes this place as boring but he wouldn't have any other place. That was until the war came he described…

Words 351 - Pages 2

Love And Fear In John Knowles A Separate Peace

purest, simplest, and most deliberate meanings to our actions, fear can leave to a defensive, reactionary, life devoid of purposeful direction. In John Knowles’ A Separate Peace, various high school students attending Devon, an elite boarding school in New England, are emotionally affected by the war going on at the time. An analysis into the characters, Gene, Phineas and Leper reveals the contrast of differences in lives structured around love and fear. Because the choice between living a life structured…

Words 296 - Pages 2

Owl Creek Bridge Artifact

1957 Suspense broadcast of a dramatic adaptation of Ambrose Bierce’s “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” paying particular attention to areas in which the drama altered the story. As a result of adding unnecessary dialogue, introducing a needless character, and changing the point of view in which the story was told, I arrived at the conclusion that the adaption failed Bierce’s story. Specifically because the changes made detracted from the intended experience…

Words 994 - Pages 4