Denial In A Separate Peace

Dylan Simonson
Mrs. Marsden
ELA Honors I
11 May 2023 From a secure friendship to a tragic endeavor, the novel A Separate Peace by John Knowles illustrates the journey of two students through a high school year. The characters Gene and Finny undergo an extraordinary sequence of events in the novel. The opening scene is set when Gene is in his thirties, but the majority of the novel is actually Gene remembering the events that occurred, that is, a frame story. The novel is mainly focused on the two characters relationship and their experience at their school. The characters undergo numerous psychological difficulties and they let those obstacles get in the way of their friendship. Through all of this, the common thing that happens between both

When Finny denies that a war is happening in the world, he loses connection with the outside world. Finny also denies that Gene caused the incident. When Finny is finally told the truth about the incident he says “ ‘You get the rest of the facts, Brinker!’ he cried. ‘You get all your facts!’ I had never seen Finny crying” (Knowles 177). Finny is emotionally hurt after he realizes the truth of the incident. Brinker reveals the truth of the incident and Finny wants to deny the truth still but he also knows that it is true. This reality ultimately leads to his death. Finny can’t handle the idea that Finny would do that to him. It isn’t until right before Finny’s passing that he understands why Gene did this. The author Karley Adney supports this when they say: Since Finny can't be in the war because he is disabled, he claims that the war is fake. Knowles explores denial in Finny and Gene after the incident. Gene doesn't want to admit to himself about shaking the limb. Finny also denies that Gene shook the limb on purpose (Adney 1). Both characters struggle internally from the incident. Finny can’t accept the truth along with Gene. Finny does not want to accept the idea of Gene shaking the tree because he doesn’t understand why Gene would do it. Finny’s denial of the war stems from the feeling from himself that he cannot join because of his physical ailments, which sparks a distinct depression over said issue. With this, Finny cannot force himself to accept it so the only light he sees is that the war is fake, it is not real, else, he would be in the war. Though, unfortunately for Finny, he is blinding himself puporsefully as a result of his denial. Finny would go to far extents just to avoid having to accept the truth like him hosting events at the school since he could not do anything physical. The incident causes denial amongst both characters in the novel and