Loss Of Innocence In A Separate Peace

In the novel A Separate Peace written by John Knowles, the seasons change eminently. At the Devon School in New England, Gene and his best friend Phineas (like seasons) are polar opposites. With World War II impending the two boys go through each season of their school years, and in turn go through phases themselves. From the emotions of the characters down to the mere effect of weather, seasonal changes turn Gene and Finny from boys into men. In his novel Knowles uses the seasons to slowly pilfer the boy’s innocence which as a result drives the tone of the plot.

The Summer Session at the Devon School can be noticed as the most content portion of this book. Gene and FInny (along with their other friends) are in a carefree state of mind that

The biggest loss of innocence in this season is showed through war. At Devon the once kindred spirit “was donated, without too serious a wrench, to the war” (196). With wartime falling upon the school, there is clearly no innocence to come with it. Suddenly the plot becomes more pensive than ever before. Gene does not give a vast description of this wasteland of like Spring at the school. He does however briefly mention some happenings at the school. Something imperative that he states is that “peace lay on Devon like a blessing” (197). At this point peace is something foreign at Devon. The majority of the student body is going off into the war and for Gene, his years at Devon are over. Gene’s innocence is lost as he is moving into the real world. The story’s tone has reached an irreversible point of tragedy. Towards the story’s conclusion character development is shown to make the loss of innocence in many characters final. Gene has lost the one friendship that was the epitome of his innocence. Leper lost his innocence to the war, and Brinker has lost his in the heat of conflict. Here the plot has an empty feeling that ends the novel. The final Spring at Devon leaves the storyline at a