The story takes places in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the Devon School. It opens during the summer of 1942. In A Separate Peace, the main character, Gene, starts to feel as though him and Phineas (aka Finny, his best friend) are in rivalry against each other. Gene thinks that Finny is purposely trying to ruin his grades, while trying to get him to excel him in sports. Because of these thoughts, he diligently worked on his studies: "I redoubled my effort... trying to be even with him" and be "even in enmity,"(Knowles 46). Soon enough his thoughts of rivalry, enmity, and anger ultimately led him to jounce the limb that Finny was standing on. After it was found out that Finny's broken leg would stop him from playing any sports (skillfully), Gene's guilt began to escalate. When he went to see Finny in the hospital, he tried to tell him about jouncing the limb on purpose, but was stopped when the doctor came in. Then

Literary critics agree with me that the book is " beautifully written . . . great depth," (San Francisco Chronicle). I thoroughly enjoyed A Separate Peace, by John Knowles although " the plot is not filled with lengthy adventures and exciting climaxes, if one can read between the lines and view the book for its real meaning, he or she is sure to enjoy it. One must be able to see through that thin barrier that blocks the emotions from leaping off the page, and look into Gene and Finny's hearts. It's difficult to be dependent on oneself at such a young age," (Bass 1). Finny and Gene develop a strong bond, which helps them get through the tough times. The book's controversy deals with Gene's battle with the truth and Finny's acceptance of it. A Separate Peace proves that trust and friendship can take years to develop and an instant to destroy.

I found Gene's journey to be very similar to that of Huck in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Gene went through much of the maturation that Huck went through. When Gene finally realizes who truly is, he must confront his problems, face reality and deal with the future. Gene's maturation, like Huck's, is one of self-acceptance and self-forgiveness. Huck must accept that no matter what society says is right or wrong his decisions must be based on his own morals and feelings. Gene must accept that he isn't perfect and has faults. Once Huck and Gene accept their faults, they are able to become men and enter the adult world, leaving their youth behind them. Gene's maturation is long and painful. However, through this maturation Gene is made a better person. Through his pain, Gene matures from an insecure child to a well-educated adult. Gene is much like Huck, when Huck is finally able to accept the way he feels about turning in Jim, he laves his childhood and moves into manhood. The tree in A Separate Peace has the same effect on Gene as the river has on Huck. The river is Huck's passage into manhood; it is where he feels free and alive. Here he is able to face and conquer his fears. The tree for Gene is fear itself, something he must climb and

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1419
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)