Character Analysis Of Leper In A Separate Peace By John Knowles

Many characters in John Knowles’ A Separate Peace undergo drastic changes. In this coming-of-age novel, the reader sees the characters, as they grow older and more mature. The deterioration of one character’s well-being results in the most drastic transformation. Ultimately the case of this character is the most unfortunate: Leper Lepellier.
Leper is shy and quiet. It is easy for other characters to influence him because “he [does not] argue or refuse” (Knowles 17.) Leper is timid. For instance, he is nervous to jump from the tree, and he is not expected to by his peers; Finny “[knows] he’s not going to do it” (58.) Before he is drafted, a recruiter shows the senior class the “cleanest images of war” (124) in a film. It is likely that this film leaves Leper unprepared for the realties of war and instead makes him look forward

His changes result from biological causes. He is unable to eat in the Mess Hall, but he “[has] to eat everywhere else” (150.) He “[cannot] sleep in his bed,” (150) but he was falling asleep everywhere else. This deprivation of sleeping and eating severely impacts his mental health. He begins to hallucinate and in his eyes “everything [begins] to be inside out” (150.) Leper’s mental state inhibits him from serving in the war, so he is going to receive a Section Eight discharge, which is for “the nuts in the service, the psychos, the Funny Farm candidates” (144.) He fears that since this is worse than a dishonorable discharge, he will be unable to find a job. In order to avoid this, Leper escapes. When Gene visits after Leper returns home, Leper is unable to control his emotions. He “cries fervently” (142) and “his face [is] furious” (143) and he yells when talking about his escape. After his return to Devon, his delusions continue. During the trial, he believes that he is in possession of “information that might be dangerous”