A Separate Peace By John Knowles: Character Analysis

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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 wrong their still is an upside, this can be show through Finny, and the war itself.
Gene was jealous of Finny, leading Gene to some wrong assumptions, which hurts their friendship a little, but in the end it makes it better. When the boys got invited to tea at the
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Finny wanted to have fun and jump out of a tree into water, while Gene wanted to study. When Finny and Gene get to the tree, Finny asked Gene if he wanted to jump off at the same time, so they both climb the tree. Once they both reach the limb that they are going to jump off of, Knowles rights, “ Holding firmly to the trunk, I took a step toward him, and I jounced the limb” (59-60). This is showing that Gene made his best friend fall out of a tree, and he could be severely injured, or even dead. Yet another odd way that makes Gene and Finny closer friends in the end of the book. Pushing someone out of a tree, being jealous, and getting revenge is some unexpected ways that Knowles shows friendship in A Separate Peace. When Gene pushed Finny out of the tree it is to be assumed that their friendship was over. Gene was jealous of Finny having great athletic ability, that he did not have. Gene felt as if Finny was out to get him, making Gene want to try and get revenge on Finny. It is weird how even through all of these incidents they still suck it out and forgave each other for what had