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How Does Gene Mature In A Separate Peace

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In the novel A Separate Peace by John Knowles, we are introduced to a character named Gene Forrester. Throughout the novel Gene experiences obstacles all the way from being reticent to discovering an uncontrollable amount of anger within himself and against others. Growing up is not easy in most cases. Although Gene went through bumps and rough patches on the road to reaching maturity, such as Love/ Hating his best friend, and feeling the need for revenge he eventually got to the point, finding true inner peace and adulthood.
Throughout the book we are made aware of the obstacle that Gene Forrester faced and the the directions he took on his path to his coming of age and inner peace. Finny, Gene’s friend has the largest impact and connection …show more content…

Finny, his balance gone, swung his head around to look at me for an instant with extreme interest, and then he tumbled sideways, broke through the little branches below and hit the bank with a sickening, unnatural thud. It was the first clumsy physical action I had ever seen him make. With unthinking sureness I moved out on the limb and jumped into the river, every trace of my fear of this forgotten" (Knowles 52). This moment was when Gene’s mind collapsed and could not hold in hate any longer. To him Finny was betrayal. Gene told the truth but the acceptance and trust was not quite there. The truth was a mature way of saying sorry. Maturity was needed throughout the novel and started to show throughout events leading to the end. After the truth was said it opened doors for Finny and Gene to realize what the end result would be. “Listen, pal, if I can 't play sports, you 're going to play them for me, ' and 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 a part of Phineas” (Knowles 77). Events had turned around and now it felt like the guilt Gene had in him after the jounce made him do what Finny was asking for. Finny had been a role model to Gene. Gene learned a lot from Finny, persistence, determination, wisdom, and having no doubt about anything. Finny showed maturity and the state he

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