...The Life of John Knowles “I went back to the Devon School not long ago, and found it looking oddly newer than when I was a student there fifteen years before” (Knowles 1). This was the very first statement that John Knowles wrote in his first published novel, A Separate Peace. John Knowles based a lot of this book on Phillips Exeter Academy, which is an impressive boarding school located in New Hampshire (Literature and Times). The author John Knowles connects his life to his novel, and the connection between his life and this work makes this story more believable and more interesting. John Knowles was born on September 16, 1962, in Fair Mount, West Virginia. As a child, John’s parents worked in a coal business in West Virginia. (Exeter.edu) His brother, James Knowles, attended the Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania and then college in Dartmouth. John’s parents thought that schools in New England would offer a better education than the ones nearby, so they decided to look at many catalogues of schools throughout this area. Out of the blue, John says, he, “pick[ed] up a catalog one day which was lying around the house, the catalog was for Philips Exeter Academy” (Exeter.edu). Phillips Exeter is an all-male boarding school in New Hampshire. After graduating high school in 1945, John decided to go to Yale, and there he earned a Bachelor’s degree in 1949. (NYT.com) Throughout his life, John wrote nine novels and eight stories. A Separate Peace was John’s biggest hit. ...
Words: 870 - Pages: 4
...Gene’s Separate Peace Envy can drive a man insane. John Knowles, the author of A Separate Peace wrote a story that takes place during WWII where everything changes. Gene, who is a brilliant kid, is best friends with the coolest kid in his grade, Finny. Gene believes Finny is jealous of him, for his excellent skills in school. Truly though Gene envy’s Finny. Gene loses a part of himself with Finny. Gene gets so involved with Finny that Gene loses himself. Gene then realizes that Finny gets away with everything. In the story it reads, “He gotten away with everything. I felt a sudden stab of disappointment.” (Knowles 13). Finny never got in trouble. He was the perfect poster child. Gene’s deep hatred for finny led him to shake the tree branch that made Finny fall. The narrator says “knees bent and I jounced the limb. Finny, his balance gone” (Knowles 32). Gene wanted to feel better than Finny. Gene wanted Finny to finally fail at something. Gene needs to act like his own individual, and not like Finny....
Words: 466 - Pages: 2
...Mohamad Al-Ramahi S.Myers English 10-7 17 November 2016 ASP Essay A Separate Peace Essay In the novel A Separate Peace by John Knowles the setting of the novel is a boarding school named Devon.Devon is located in New Jersey during World War 2 between 1942 and 1943.This setting helps reveal Gene as a character by showing Genes reaction to events,his emotions toward Finny, and his attitude towards the war. Genes reactions to events show how he thinks Finny is trying to set him up so Finny can stay on top.Gene believed that Finny purposely made them late back to school by taking a morning swim so Gene could fail his trigonometry test.After failing his test and participating in other activity Gene returns to his room and looks back and thinks...
Words: 408 - Pages: 2
...Morgan Ilsley 6th period November 17, 2016 A Separate Peace Essay This book “A Separate Peace” was written by John Knowles. The genre is naturalism. The setting of the novel, “A Separate Peace”, reveals that Finny is athletic, unmotivated, and brave. In the this essay you will see how John Knowles reveals how Finny is all three of these characteristics. Now I will be telling how Finny is athletic. This book reveals that Finny is athletic. One example would in chapter three when Finny broke the school swimming record without even trying to, but sadly no one was there to confirm that he did it so it didn't count. Another example would be in chapter 3 when he created the game blitz ball, he made it very challenging and he was the only one...
Words: 384 - Pages: 2
...A Separate Peace By John Knowles #2. What does my enemy mean? “I never killed anybody and I never developed an intense level of hatred for the enemy. Because my war ended before I ever put on a uniform. I was on active duty all my time at school; I killed there. Only Phineas never was afraid, only Phineas never hated anyone.” At the very end of the book, A Separate Peace by John Knowles, Gene Forrester mentioned that he killed his enemy at Devon, before the war. An enemy, according to Gene is someone or something that they have to destroy in their personal war. For Gene, his enemy was his inner self. Gene Forrester had an inner devil that was jealous of Finny because Finny was born with good talents. His physical abilities and his oral talents to get away from troubles were outstanding. “He probably thought anything you were good at came without effort. He didn’t know yet that he was unique” (Knowles 58). When Gene realized this, he became jealous and wanted to kill Finny. However, after he pushed Finny off the tree, Gene realized that Finny wasn’t his rival. Therefore, Gene “killed” his enemy, the jealousy inside him by pushing Finny off the tree. Another enemy of Gene was resentment towards Finny. Gene didn’t like how Finny had lots of freedom and his special way of thinking. Because of this hatred, he pushed Finny off the tree. “Of course you didn’t do it. You damn fool. Sit down, you damn fool (Knowles 70). However, when Finny denies the fact that Gene pushed...
Words: 355 - Pages: 2
...when they are not on the best terms. In the novel, A Separate Peace, the author, John Knowles, creates a controversy of whether the two main characters, Gene and Finny, are truly friends. Knowles inserts many instances that tell if Gene and Finny have a real friendship. Throughout the novel, Gene and Finny exhibit that they are not true friends because of the jealousy and hate involved in their relationship. Gene and Finny display a fallacious relationship through the envy that builds up throughout the novel. Gene shows signs of jealousy when Finny gets away with an act, “He had gotten away with everything. I felt a sudden stab of disappointment,” (Knowles...
Words: 742 - Pages: 3
...Psychology – A Separate Peace This is a book whose author John Knowles wrote it on the setting of the times during the World War II, at a place known as Devon which was a school where students could board privately in the New Hampshire on the Atlantic Coast. In the school’s campus ran scenery of two rivers mainly the Devon River which was known to be a fresh water body and the other river being Naguamsett River which was a salty and swampy like water body. The set of this work’s action rotates around an oak tree which is said to be predominate overhanging a creek ( Bloom 32). In this book, Gene and Finny standout to be the main characters. During the summer period at the Devon ( Bloom 32). The school worked towards making sure that the students would acquire their diploma before proceeding towards when they would be eighteen years. Gene and Finny are said to be acquaintances and at the same time roommates. Gene is a good student who is academically privileged on his own interests. Finny has the natural athlete physique which portrays him as a leader of all the other boys in school. His ability gives him the lee way to organize games such as Bitzball and Winter Carnival a factor which makes Gene jealous of his ability to do such. Main Characters. Gene Forester. He is the main ideal character whose behaviors are based on protagonist nature and his envious nature over his friend Finny leads to his untimely death. He is always suspicious of motivations bestowed by Finny since he has...
Words: 832 - Pages: 4
...In the book A Separate Peace, written by John Knowles, there are many events that occur at Devon, a School in New England. The major events are centered around two boys who were named Finny and Gene. These boys have been friends for awhile and are roommates at Devon, but they differ in their qualities and characteristics. Finny and Gene are both athletic but Gene is different in personality and in the way he views competition. Finny and Gene show signs of being athletic as their characters are developed through the novel. Finny seems to be more athletic than Gene, but Gene still has the ability to do sports that Finny does before Finny’s leg is shattered. Their athleticism is shown when they’re playing blitzball (a game created by Finny) and Gene comments to himself “Blitzball was the surprise of the summer. Everybody played it; I believe a form of it is still popular… But nobody can be playing it as it was played by Phineas. (Knowles 39)” Both Gene and Phineas played this game during the summer along with a bunch of the other boys at Devon. Since they all played outside, it implies that the boys may not be the most athletic, but they were...
Words: 617 - Pages: 3
...relationship with somebody? Well that is kind what the story A Separate Peace by John Knowles is like. The story presents deep and hidden meanings in it. The themes in the story are like life lessons. In A Separate Peace by John Knowles, the author uses conflict, imagery, tragedy to illustrate conscience and guilt, and shows how it is illustrated in real life situations. In the novel, internal conflict is shown by how Gene feels after breaking Finny’s leg. Gene broke Finny’s leg, but Finny doesn’t know that. The conflict is Gene trying to build up the courage to tell Finny. A lesson about life can be taught by this, everyone has...
Words: 450 - Pages: 2
...In John Knowles novel, A Separate Peace, he reveals that conflict and jealousy causes immoral behavior through Gene’s actions towards Phineas and in they’re relationship. Gene’s innocence and Phineas’s experience create conflict and competition throughout the novel because following and breaking rules has its rewards and consequences. The internal war and jealousy that Gene has towards Phineas causes Gene to behave wrongly and and results in Phineas’s injury. “..My knees bent and I jounced the limb.” [60] The previous quote proves jealous causes immoral behavior. Gene is the type to follow rules and excel in academics, Gene only behaved the way he did because of the internal feeling he had towards Phineas.The incident in which Gene purposely...
Words: 410 - Pages: 2
...Development of Gene Forrester In the novel, A Separate Peace by John Knowles, Gene Forrester experiences much personal growth. He starts off the book jealous and suspicious of his best friend Phineas, and by the end he has grown into a more mature adult, who thinks more rationally. He overcomes his insecurities and addresses his impulsive nature. This is all accomplished through Phineas’ injury and death. Gene fights this internal war and defeats his own demons before ever going overseas to be a part of World War II. In the first chapters of A Separate Peace, Phineas displays his abilities to talk his way out of trouble. About this Gene says, “It was hypnotism. I was beginning to see that Phineas could get away with anything. I couldn’t help envying him...
Words: 750 - Pages: 3
...in A Separate Peace by John Knowles. The story is about two students-Gene and Finny-at Devon school in the middle of World War II. Gene and Finny's friendship is tested when Finny falls out of a tree and breaks his leg. In John Knowles’ A Separate Peace Gene’s friendship with Finny is complicated because Gene is jealous of Finny, admires Finny and isn't as emotionally mature as Finny. Gene and Finny’s friendship changed throughout the novel as Gene’s jealousy towards Finny grows. In the beginning of the story, Gene has slight concerns about Finny but it doesn't interfere with their friendship until later in the story. When Gene is about to jump from the tree for the first time and thinks: “What was I doing up here anyway? Why did I let Finny talk me into stupid...
Words: 793 - Pages: 4
...survive in this world and who can’t. In a Separate Peace however it varies due to what the situation is. In John Knowles A Separate Peace, the author proves that Gene is strong enough to survive in the modern world due to his actions, his personality, and how it contrasts to Finny’s. Firstly, Finny has always been a really nice person, he has never been even slightly related to a boor while Gene has been a very quiet and conservative of his thoughts. Gene reveals his secret personality too Finny when Knowles creates the scene between both of them where they discuss their relationship between themselves and the war. Whiling they are contemplating about the war, Finny keeps...
Words: 888 - Pages: 4
...life forever, but then something happens and can take them away from you. Perspectives change, people, change, and time is forever moving so there are not very many things that you can say stay the same. In the novel A Separate Peace by John Knowles, many of the characters experience change. Gene’s life changes dramatically from the beginning to the end, Finny’s life and outlooks on things changes with the things he experiences, and the atmosphere of the school itself changes along with thte boys and what they deal with....
Words: 983 - Pages: 4
...below. (2-3 min) • What are the parts of the critical lens essay? (5-10 min) o Label the parts of the introduction (REAL) o Make a list of the parts of the body paragraphs • Be ready to share out your findings. (2-3 min) “In spite of everything, I still believe people are really good at heart.” -Anne Frank Anne Frank said, “In spite of everything, I still believe people are really good at heart.” This means that even if people do bad things, deep down they are still good people that care for other human beings and have feelings. I agree with this statement. In the novella The Pearl by John Steinbeck and the novel A Separate Peace by John Knowles, the characters Kino and Gene are still good at heart despite the bad things they may have done. In the novella The Pearl by John Steinbeck, Kino is a young Mexican man who finds a valuable pearl. Before finding the pearl, Kino has a peaceful life with his wife, Juana and his son, Coyotito. Kino finds a pearl and people try to take advantage of him to get their hands on the pearl. Because of this, Kino is driven to do things he normally would not and the mood of the story turns dark. He beats a man who tries to attack him, he beats his wife for trying to get rid of the pearl and the bad luck it is causing Kino’s family and finally, he kills a man who tries to take the pearl away from him. This story is told from a third person point of view that allows the reader to get...
Words: 710 - Pages: 3
