1)The term “a separate peace” means that two people have come to an agreement on their own standards. In the novel A Separate Peace, the agreement is made between the characters Gene and Finny. I believe Knowles chose this title, because it is a good way to describe the relationship between the two characters at the end of the story.
At the beginning of the story Gene and Finny were good friends. Sometimes Finny did some things that Gene thought were too wild, like wear the school tie as a belt. These things sometimes upset Gene, because Finny could talk his way out of any punishment. Secretly Gene almost wants to see Finny get in trouble, but Gene talks himself out of these feelings. Gene also feels that being friends with Finny is something forced upon him. When the two boys are at the beach, Gene decides not to respond to Finny’s statement that they are good friends. This starts an inner struggle inside Gene. He no longer knows whether or not to admire Finny, or resent him. Gene gets back to Devon from the beach, just in time to take a trigonometry test. Gene fails the test, which has never happened. Finny keeps luring Gene away from work to do fun things. This starts to make Gene feel like Finny is trying to ruin his academic career. Despite Gene’s intuitions, Gene and Finny get along well for the following weeks. Later on, Finny interrupts Gene’s studying to tell him that Leper is going to jump from the tree (which is an initiation into Gene’s Suicide Society).
The Term Paper on 8211 Gene Finny Chapter Leper
... considered Gene his best friend, which touched Gene deeply; but somehow Gene couldn't say the same thing. In chapter 4, Finny mocked Gene's scholarly ambition, and Gene begun ... rules more often. In chapter 2, Finny was an exception at Devon; he was a good student and athlete, but also a ... Brinker's dad gave the boys a speech about having a good military record and how people would respect them based on ...
Gene suspects that Finny talked Leper into it, just so Finny could disrupt Gene’s studying. Finny insists that Gene doesn’t have to go if he needs to study, but Gene says he has studied enough and that he’ll go watch Leper jump. On the way to the tree, Gene decides that there never was any intended by Finny. When the two get to the tree, Finny insists they do a double jump. Finny goes out onto the end of the branch, and waits for Gene to get into the tree. When he does get onto the branch, Gene jounces the branch. This causes Finny to lose his balance, and fall out of the tree with a sickening thud.
When the dust clears, Finny has a broken leg, and Gene feels insecure about his feelings toward Finny. Gene feels both jealousy and denial. Gene tries to convince himself and others that it was all an accident. Finny does return to Devon for the winter session. Gene and Finny are later confronted by Brinker to have a trial in order to settle any rumors about what happened between Gene and Finny. Gene is able to keep his innocence through the trial, and Finny stands by what Gene says. Since Finny can’t remember all the details of that fateful day, Leper is called upon as a witness. Leper admits to seeing someone jounce the limb, making Finny fall down. Then, Finny angrily claims he doesn’t care what happened, and hobbles out of the room and falls down a flight of stairs. Finny is sent to the infirmary where the on campus doctor says Finny broke his leg again. Later, Gene tries to apologize, but Finny won’t listen so Gene wanders about the campus. The next day Gene brings some belongings to Finny. Finny opens up and begs Gene to tell him that some impulse made him do it. Gene agrees, and Finny tells Gene he believes him. Gene is told that Finny will have surgery that afternoon, and that he can come back later that day. When Gene returns, the doctor greets Gene with the news that Finny died.
So in the end Gene has peace knowing Finny doesn’t know that he purposely caused Finny to fall, and Finny has peace thinking it was all an accident. So Gene and Finny had made a separate peace.
2)This quote regards the closeness of Gene and Finny’s relationship. Some may interpret certain their closeness as somewhat homosexual. It does require maturity to understand that you can be a close friend, and not be gay.
The Term Paper on Separate Peace Finny Gene War
... game Finny invents is "The Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session." This game consists of jumping of the limb of a tree into ... to hold a trial with Gene to find out the truth about the fall that Finny took from the tree. We never really find ... out if Gene jounced the limb on purpose ...
3)Gene grows in many different ways. He grows physically as well as mentally. Physically he grows while Finny is training him for the Olympics. Mentally he grows, because one gains much knowledge when making a bad decision. Gene made many bad decisions throughout the story, the most important error being, knocking Finny off the tree. Gene gained knowledge in what to do in that situation. Maybe next time he will make better decisions.
4)Finny’s fall from the tree is one of the biggest symbols in the story. His fall ends the summer session, which gave many happiness and fun. The end of the summer session means the beginning of the winter session, which isn’t so fun and entertaining. The fall also shows Gene that his envy does have consequences.
The different sessions at Devon are also symbols. The summer session is when the students can be free to do things they normally can’t. There aren’t as many rules since the substitute teachers don’t enforce them strictly. The summer session also symbolizes happiness and good times amongst the students of Devon. On the other hand the winter session is not fun and enjoyable. The regular teachers are back, rules and all. The students can’t do all the things they could do in the summer. There is also grief among some students over Finny’s injuries. The winter session just represents darker times.
The final symbol in the story is World War II. This represents the conflict in Gene. Gene is fighting a battle of his own, between loving or hating Finny.
