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Character Analysis: A Separate Peace By John Knowles

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Rivalry and competition is something that everyone has felt in their life. Our rivalries are what keep us from understanding others and when people don't understand others it can lead to hostility. People's hostility toward others is a way to protect oneself from pain and failure. The idea of man's hostility toward other is developed in a Separate Peace as the primary conflict is centered around Gene, one of the main characters, and his inner battles with feelings such as jealousy, paranoia, and his inability to understand his friendship with Finny. Competition is further demonstrated with the occurrence of World War 11. It is shown that, “There were few relationships among us (the students) at Devon not based on rivalry.”(p.37) It is this rivalry and competition between the boys at Devon that ripped apart friendships and led to a life taken too soon.
In one of the early chapters …show more content…
World War 11 and a mirror war with themselves. Each character mentioned, with the exception of Finny, was only trying to further their self satisfaction. Finny on the other hand, possessed an extraordinary character trait, heightened confidence, and innocence like no other.The boys survive in their lives by hurting each other, as do soldiers. It is the vulnerable, innocent, and naive ones who do not survive. Phineas was dropped from the competitions in the school because of his broken leg and his eventual death. Leper made his own escape through hallucinations. Gene and Brinker made peace with their situation by enlisting and giving aid to their country. The boys all had to find their own "separate peace" through their own means. Each of the boys suffered as a result of rivalry and competition, and therefore lost friendships that could have been potentially life long. Although rivalry and competition may be a natural part of life and the human psyche, it can be a destructive force used by, and against,

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