Theme Of Innocence In A Separate Peace

In A Separate Peace, John Knowles carries the theme of the inevitable loss of innocence throughout the entire novel. Several characters in the novel sustain both positive and negative changes, resulting from the change of the peaceful summer sessions at Devon to the reality of World War II. While some characters embrace their development through their loss of innocence, others are at war with themselves trying to preserve that innocence. Knowles foreshadows the boys’ loss of innocence through the war, and their constant jumps from the tree. While getting ready for the war the boys practice and show off their skills on the tree by the Devon River. These jumps are done for fun yet the boys see them as a routine, something that has to be done.

His kindness and inert attraction of nature represents an ideal image of his innocence, thus it is depressing to see him in a devastating mental state after he enlists in the war. Leper is always concerned with the nature of beauty, even when the other boys talk about enlisting in the army. While the students help shovel the snow to support the war effort, Leper takes no part in such action, but skis to a beaver dam (93). Leper’s motivation of joining the army takes place in the Renaissance Room, symbolizing his rebirth. His encouragement to join the army is not for vain images of grandeur and glamor like the other boys, but for the magnificence of skiing down a mountain. However, soon enough Leper finds that the war does not suit him. He escapes from the army and becomes schizophrenic. Leper starts having hallucinations and loses control of reality. His images of the world are shattered and he has nothing to hold on to. He adapts to simplicity and consistency specifically his dining room. Leper knows there are always three meals a day in that room, regardless of the circumstances (146). His return home gives Leper time to cope with the basis of adulthood. When Leper returns to Devon for the trial, his mental state seems perfectly fine. Even Gene describes him as energetic and bright (173). Leper accepts his loss of innocence, and becomes a

His innocence and ideal view of nature slowly fade away as he learns about the hatred and evil in the world. Ever since the beginning Finny refuses to accept the war. He believes it is a conspiracy, and denies it because he cannot participate in it. The fall from the tree creates Finny’s fall from innocence yet he does not mature until his death. His lack of hatred and evil delay his loss of innocence. He is in denial with himself and refuses to believe that Gene was responsible for his injury. Finny’s first step toward maturity occurs when he sees what the war has done to Leper. “When I heard that about Leper, then I knew that the war was real, this war and all the wars. If a war can drive somebody crazy, then it is real all right” (163). This image of what the war can do to someone pushes Finny’s emotional growth. Phineas makes it clear that he will not accept the war if it does not accept him. When he tries to enlist and does not get accepted, Finny lies to himself that there is no war. He is not able to bear the fact that he is crippled. Finny is also incapable of feeling evil or hatred. When he finds out that Gene was the cause of his injury at the trial, Finny’s world collapses. His ideal picture of the perfect and innocent place ceases to exist. Phineas comes to learn that his best friend lied to him and his perspective of the world changes. This new