Summary Of John Knowles A Separate Peace

WWII served as an induction to maturity for the parent generations of modern-day society. Teenagers were expected to mentally grasp the realities of war and political unrest, whether or not they witnessed the bloodshed firsthand. In John Knowles’ novel, A Separate Peace, he accurately depicts the obligatory, young maturation that was expected of teenage boys during this time period with the protagonist, Gene. Events taking place in the United States that promoted this mental advancement include troop movement throughout the United States, which reminded citizens of the disturbing violence taking place on the other side of the world. In addition, there was the expansion of military knowledge in boys attending high school, assisting them in

John Knowles uses the historical event of troops on campus as an instigator of Gene’s maturation. During WWII, troops would often occupy open areas and facilities, including high schools, for manufacturing and training. Due to the large amount of drafting and sign-ups during the war, the overflow occupation in both public and private areas was pronounced. Even though Gene lived at an east coast boarding school, his protective bubble of innocence and isolation eventually popped. The occupation of these soldiers brought an end to Gene’s purity; thus beginning his minds preoccupation with fear and anxiety that often accompanies the acknowledgement of the realities of war. The quote, “…I stood at the window and watched the war moving in to occupy it.” explains how Gene converged his thinking of soldiers and the war into a single negative notion (Knowles 199). His fear of the war emerged with this quote because it shows that he had realized how much of a grasp that this conflict had on the entire world. These men that occupied his life would go on to fight in the army, risking their lives either on foot or in the air to end the war, but Gene put them as equals with the negative parts of war. A great number of these troops would go on to fight in the infantry, but the military branches available to new recruits were

This occurrence tests Gene’s ability to prepare for his future by giving him the choice of taking a risk with drafting into the infantry, or choosing a safer branch that can ensure him better odds of survival. According to Historyshotsinfoart.com, the infantry was the most deadly part of the army due to the high risk combat that it required. Gene states that he “was going to wait to be drafted...but they might put me straight into the infantry, and that’s…only the dirtiest…most dangerous branch of all…” (Knowles 201). This knowledge led him to ensure a better future for himself by choosing to join the navy. Therefore, this choice was another important stride that he takes towards becoming a mature adult. Becoming a part of the war was an important part of young men’s lives, but it did not affect the entire population, much like the country’s lack of