Summary Of A Separate Peace By John Knowles

In the novel, A Separate Peace, by John Knowles, the two best friends, Gene and Finny, find themselves relying on each other as their peace shatter in the midst of war. The story starts with the narrator, Gene, visiting to Devon School, where he attends as a young man during Word War II, specifically Summer Session of 1942. Then the story jumps into his past, the years of 16, where he jumps from the tree with his best friend, Finny known as Phineas. Gene is a top notch student where Finny is the best athlete in the school. As the story progresses, Gene begins to jealous of Finny, breaking his own best friend’s leg. With that the story focuses on the rivalry between friends and identity confusion because of their actions. The story ends with

Jealousy shatters Gene’s and Finny’s peace as they view each other as the enemies. “I found it. I found a single sustaining thought. The thought was, You and Phineas are already. You are even in enmity.” (Knowles, 45) Gene believes that Finny is trying to wreck his studies, making sure Gene fails the classes like him. Gene is jealous of Finny’s popularity and athletic skills because Finny is good at them naturally. On the other hand, Gene has to work for his grades. He also starts to believe Finny also jealous of him getting an A in every class because Finny’s activities don’t give him time to concentrate on his studies. His jealousy is born from his refusal to recognize his own feelings and insecurities. Later, on his jealousy deepens when he realizes that Finny isn’t selfish like him. As a consequence, he cripples the one person who is his best friend. Gene’s jealousy doesn’t only create an inner war and destroys his peace, it also destroys Finny’s. ““You want to break something else in me! Is that why you’re here!” He thrashed wildly in the darkness,the bed groaning under him and sheets hissing as he fought against them.” (Knowles, 176) Finny strongly accuses Gene which is a strange manner of Finny when Gene sneaks into