A Separate Peace
by John Knowles
Reviewed by Rachel Pentz
A Separate Peace, by John Knowles focuses mainly on the life of Gene Forrester, a collage student at the Devon School during World War 11. Covering everything from the trivia of everyday life to Finny's philanthropic views on normaly serious subjects, it leaves little out when it comes to way that many people see the world around them.
As the story begins, one gets the idea that Phineas is an exceptional person. Who else could invent something as insane as blitzball, which still exists at Devon in some form, talk himself out of a punishment without once lieing, and still manage to convince Gene on numerous occations that eveyone needs to take a risk here and there?
Gene, on the other hand, had a rational approach on life and was often lecturing Finny about his poor study habbits.
Although extremly different the roommates are each popular in thier own ways and the closest of friends.
I believe that one of the major ideas of this novel is that if you believe something with your whole heart, that it becomes your reality. For example, because Phineas knew he couldn't participate in the war, he told himself it didn't exist. Therefor, making the fact easier to bear.
Finny, it turn, used the same philosophy on Gene, when he started training him for the 1944 Olympics. He belived that by haveing Gene concentrate on one thing, he would forget that the other factor existed. Resulting in Gene staying with Phineas instead of enlisting in the war.
Another main theme of, A Separate Peace, is that one never knows when someone they love will be taken away from them. Although Finny had nothing wrong with him except for a broken leg, it still took his life. Just because no one expects something to happen, doesn't prevent it from happening.
Recently I overheard a friend of mine make the coment that what occured in Gene's life, could only take place in one out of a million people's lives, but the main point that John Knowles was trying to stress was that you, simply, never know when someone will die. You never know what words will be your last words. One can't be certian that the person that they spoke harshly to will be there in the morning, waiting on thier apologe and you should live every day, speak every word, as if it is your last.
by John Knowles
Reviewed by Rachel Pentz
A Separate Peace, by John Knowles focuses mainly on the life of Gene Forrester, a collage student at the Devon School during World War 11. Covering everything from the trivia of everyday life to Finny's philanthropic views on normaly serious subjects, it leaves little out when it comes to way that many people see the world around them.
As the story begins, one gets the idea that Phineas is an exceptional person. Who else could invent something as insane as blitzball, which still exists at Devon in some form, talk himself out of a punishment without once lieing, and still manage to convince Gene on numerous occations that eveyone needs to take a risk here and there?
Gene, on the other hand, had a rational approach on life and was often lecturing Finny about his poor study habbits.
Although extremly different the roommates are each popular in thier own ways and the closest of friends.
I believe that one of the major ideas of this novel is that if you believe something with your whole heart, that it becomes your reality. For example, because Phineas knew he couldn't participate in the war, he told himself it didn't exist. Therefor, making the fact easier to bear.
Finny, it turn, used the same philosophy on Gene, when he started training him for the 1944 Olympics. He belived that by haveing Gene concentrate on one thing, he would forget that the other factor existed. Resulting in Gene staying with Phineas instead of enlisting in the war.
Another main theme of, A Separate Peace, is that one never knows when someone they love will be taken away from them. Although Finny had nothing wrong with him except for a broken leg, it still took his life. Just because no one expects something to happen, doesn't prevent it from happening.
Recently I overheard a friend of mine make the coment that what occured in Gene's life, could only take place in one out of a million people's lives, but the main point that John Knowles was trying to stress was that you, simply, never know when someone will die. You never know what words will be your last words. One can't be certian that the person that they spoke harshly to will be there in the morning, waiting on thier apologe and you should live every day, speak every word, as if it is your last.