The primary setting of A Separate Peace is at the Devon School. The exact location of this school is not known in terms of a state, but it is identified as being in the South, sitting between a freshwater and a saltwater stream. The bulk of the story takes place in the years of 1942 through 1944 at the same time as World War II, but the beginning and end of the book consist of Gene looking back on his years at the Devon School 15 years after he had attended it.

A Separate Peace considers two conflicts: man against man and man against himself. Early in the story Gene believes that his problems lie within his best friend Phineas (Finny), but later he realizes that his conflict is internal. Misplaced jealousy, fear, love and hate fi

Some topics in this essay:
Separate Peace, Gene Finny, Brinker Hadley, Phineas Finny, Devon School, Finny Gene, Gene Forrester, Exeter Academy, Forrester Knowles', Maginot Lines, separate peace, devon school, real experiences, jealousy fear, gene forrester, own feelings, gene looking, real life, athletic build, realizes conflict,