War touches everyone in some way; however, very few prefer to describe their involvement with it; yet John Knowles, the writer of A Separate Peace, touches upon many themes involving war. Knowles displays these themes and attitudes of war in his book, A Separate Peace. These attitudes are best displayed through the characterization of the main characters - Gene, Finny, and Leper. Leper is the least important of the ... enemy. He creates a game, blitzball, which symbolizes this characteristic of Finny. There are no teams, no allies, and most of all, no winning. Furthermore, in the last paragra...

• Word Count: 1091
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... flashbacks, Gene, the main character, recollects his experiences at Devon School where he was a student some fifteen years prior. I feel that the novel A Separate Peace is truly focused on two wars. One war is the internal struggle that Gene faces daily, the battle within himself in his mind. The other war ... the path to adulthood. World War II functions as a background of the novel. I think it is interesting that John Knowles named his novel A Separate Peace. "A separate peace" refers to the Devon School that Gene attends. Although in a secluded New England atmosphere, it is obvious th...

• Word Count: 605
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

John Knowles's A Separate Peace was a wonderful story about friendship and life. This novel was a great book to read during the summer before starting at a new school. I thought it was creative the way Knowles uses a flashback as the plot. In the first chapter, when Gene is visiting ... to him. I could see that he had memories of sadness and of happiness there. This was a great way to grab the reader attention quickly. I didn't really have a "favorite part" of A Separate Peace, nor did I have a favorite character. I did think one character was more like me than any other. I believe that I am...

• Word Count: 358
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

A "Separate Peace" (published in 1960) takes place during the Second World War in a New England Prep School called Devon (based on Phillips Exeter Academy). This is around the year 1943, the time ... enlist or wait and be drafted. In this novel the author John Knowles gives a good understanding of the war. The main characters Gene and Finny are always struggling between the "separate peace" and the real war. Even thought the story doesn't take place in a war battlefield, it just takes place in school. The war in Europe took away the ... wouldn't hate anyone the same way. Finny was affected by...

• Word Count: 686
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... book is entitled A Separate Peace, written by John Knowles. The copyright date is 1959, and this book contains 196 pages. The scene takes place in the Devon School, in New Hampshire. It is the summer of 1942 (World War II) and America is at war. The plot is about a sixteen year old boy, Gene Forrester, the narrator of the book ... the heart killing Finny immediately. At the end of the novel, Gene realizes that he is not responsible for Finnys death. The significance of the title A Separate Peace is that there are two wars going on. There is the real war, World War II, and the war between...

• Word Count: 708
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

The book A Separate Peace is about two boys and their doubtful friendship. In the beginning, Gene and Phineas (often called Finny) are as close as brothers, but a horrible accident soon tears them apart. Afterwards, ... himself. His paralyzation leads to his death when he falls down the stairs and breaks his leg another time. Gene's suffering is the cause of all the action in the book. Overall, Gene and Finny's relationship resembles a tree. In the summer, it was bright and flowering, like the boys" friendship, but in the winter it dies and becomes hollow, like their ... ...

• Word Count: 570
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School