Summary Of A Separate Peace By John Knowles

The setting of the novel, A Separate Peace, by John Knowles, is set in New England during World War II. The mood of the story is Gene looking back on his life and reflecting his jealousy toward a friend. Gene had mixed feelings towards Finny. The story takes place at a boys boarding school in New England. At Devon the boys experience a chain of events which are always changing.
Gene is a very quiet but very envious boy. He is a very well educated student, and always makes an effort to make the best grade that he can. Gene was jealous of Finny, even over their height. “ He was my height- five feet eight and a half inches( I had been claiming five feet nine inches before he became my roommate, but he had said in public with that simple, shocking self acceptance of his, “ No, you’re the same height I am, five eight and a half. We’re on the short side”). Phineas, better known as Finny was very outgoing and athletic. Finny always looks for the best in others. He is a successful smooth talking daredevil. “ If I do it, you’re all going to do it, aren’t you?” We didn’t say anything very clearly. “Well,” he cried out, “here’s my contribution to the war effort!” and he sprang out, fell through the tops of some

Gene deals with the guilt alone, until he decides to confess to Finny that he has caused his injury. Other boys from the school confront Gene accusing him of trying to kill Finny. He then has to confess of the “accident” not being a true accident, that he shook the tree. Finny being upset leaves the group before Gene can be decided as guilty. On Finny’s way out he falls down the marble stairs. Shattering the same leg as before. This is where the story begins at the marble stairs, with Gene looking back on the childhood events. “ No, I don’t know how to show you, how can I show you, Finny? Tell me how to show you! It was just some ignorance inside me some crazy thing inside me, something blind, that’s all it