The Relationship Between Gene And Finny In A Separate Peace By John Knowles

Emerson states that, “envy is ignorance; imitation is suicide.” (370) John Knowels,

author of “A Separate Peace,” is set during the height of WW2. Gene Forrester comes

from a southern family, and when meeting Phineas, he slowly wants to become him,

and eventually goes back to the school as a mature adult to remember his “separate

peace.” In the book “A Separate Peace,”it shows how Gene’s envy and imitation affect

him, his relationship with Finny, and his final achievement of peace.

“A Separate Peace” shows Gene’s envy and imitation affecting him, his relations

towards Finny, and his final achievement of peace. One way he is affected is when he is

told to jump out of the tree by Finny. In the text, it states,“When they torpedo

“You don’t stand around admiring the view. Jump!” (Knowles

17.) This proves that Finny wants Gene to be more like him. So that is why he wants

Gene to jump. Another way Gene is affected is by going with Finny to the beach,

instead of school work. In the story, it states,”It was just some kind of blind impulse you

had in the tree there.” (183.) This proves that Gene is slowly starting to become

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Phineas. He does more bad things, and less school things. In the end, Gene is getting

affected through the use of envy and intimidation, and it’s hurting his relations with

Finny.

In the novel, “A Separate Peace”, Gene’s envy and intimidation affects his relations with

Finny. One way the relationship is affected is by Gene trying on FInny’s clothes, giving

him a boost of confidence. In the story, it states,”...that I will never stumble through the

confusions of my own character again.” (Knowles 54.) This shows that he feels

In the novel,”A Separate Peace,” it depicts the main character Gene as he uses

imitation and envy that affects Finny and his separate peace that he eventually

achieved. The first reason for peace is Finny's death. Both his life and death taught him

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a way of living. In the text, it states, “An atmosphere in which I continue to live, a way of

seizing up the world with erratic and entirely personal reservations.” (Knowles 194.)

This proves that in order to achieve separate peace, he would try to live like Finny. And

his death meant so much more to him than he realized. The second reason is after

Finny’s death, Gene separates from him, which then allows him to mature, achieving

separate peace. In the article, the author states,”The escape we have concocted, this

afternoon of momentary, issusional, and special separate peace.” (Knowels 25.) This

quote states that by hanging out with Finny, he slowly tries to imitate him. But soon, his

death lets him move on, achieving his “separate peace.” Gene’s envy and imitation get

in the way of his friendship, but soon achieves separate peace when Finny