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Seperate Peace

 

            An emotional battle within ones heart often leads to self-destruction. When darker forces of the human nature inwardly harass one, one is forced by the evilness of desire that leads to competition and being an introvert. Inner war interrogates the reality of living in a dissatisfied world as shown by Gene in A Separate Peace, by John Knowles. .
             When a young person doesn't know what they thirst for in life, they are forced to desire the impossible. Growing up in a time of war is hard on an adolescent, since he or she doesn't know exactly what they want to get out of life. Gene and Finny were best friends, with their own unique talent, Finny's being athleticism and congeniality and Genes being academically inclined. Gene succeeded in his own life, but he seemed to be more attached to Finny's. When Gene hurt his best friend Finny, he had no idea what he had done. He had shaken the limb of the tree, which made Finny fall off and destroy his athletic abilities. It was a spur of the moment type of thing in that he subconsciously hoped it would bring Finny down to the same level as him. Through many obstacles Gene had become Finny without even realizing it. Gene had observed and said that, "I lost part of myself to him then, and a soaring sense of freedom revealed that this must have been my purpose from the first: to become part of Phineas" (77). Gene had blurred his identity and had thrown his life away to a "fantasy world." Desiring the unimaginable leads to unreal competition.
             The test of skill and ability shows a true person's motives in life when competing with others. Gene and Finny's so called "perfect friendship" went through many trials and tribulations and inside Gene was falling apart. "He had never been jealous of me for a second. Now I knew that there never was and never could have been any rivalry between us. I was not of the same quality as he," (51) Gene recalled. Gene and Finny had a love hate relationship, in that one minute Gene adored and idolized him and the next minute he resented and envied Finny.


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