Difference Too Often Leads to Hate Many times in the world, differences have lead to hate. Think of Martin Luther King, for example, who stood for fighting against one of the largest differences. A Separate Peace, by John Knowles, is one of many examples of differences leading to hate. Gene and Finny, who somehow managed to become friends, have completely different views of each other. Finny wanted to be friends with Gene, but had trouble facing the reality that Gene felt differently. Gene became jealous over Finnys difference to himself.
Difference has led to hate, once more, and pain has again resulted, first mentally and emotionally, then finally physically. Knowles creates Gene as one who always is strictly trying to comply with the rules and regulations, always obeying his superiors; completely different then that of Finnys personality. “Over your head Pink! It makes you look like a fairy!” (909).
Considering such, he envies Finny, because Finny can get away with murder if he wanted to, and can stay out of trouble doing so. “Phineas could get away with anything. I couldnt help envying him little” (909).
Knowles shows how much jealousy Gene had over Finny s ability to stay out of trouble, no matter what he did. “This time he wasnt going to get away with it.” (909).
He would rather be in accordance to the rules and be on his best behavior, than to be a rebel who goes against everything. Finny, on the other hand was more of a rebel. “I wonder what would happen if I looked like a fairy to everyone.” (909).
The Essay on Hopkins Parker Finny Gene School
In the novel "A Separate Peace,' by John Knowles, a man named Gene visits his high school 15 years after graduating in an attempt to find an inner peace with himself. While attending Devon, his high school, during World War Two, Gene's roommate and best friend Phineas died partially because of an accident involving Gene. Phineas, otherwise known as Finny, was one of the more popular and athletic ...
Finny, more of a rebel, is very outgoing; he, however shows himself off as a perfect individual.
One day at Devon, he gets into small dispute because he wore the school tie as a belt. This he frees himself from quickly, explaining, “It goes with the shirt and it all ties together with what weve been talking about, this bombing in Central Europe.” (910).
Complying with not only Devons rules and regulations but also the standards of formal conduct, Gene has a strong instinct to follow order, guided by careful thought, which Knowles has implanted in him, throughout the text. Gene is a person who thinks before he acts.
“What was I doing up here anyway Why did I let Finny talk me into stupid things like this” (906).
He is an individualist with distinct and well-thought characteristics. “As we walked rapidly along I abruptly resented the bell and my West Point stride and hurrying and conforming.” (907).
Furthermore, Gene is at this point still friends with Finny, and tries to think of a clever way to appease him. “I threw my hip against his, catching him by surprise, and he was instantly down, definitely pleased.” (907).
When Phineas proposes the idea of jumping off a tall tree into the river, Gene hesitates to follow.
“The tree was tremendous I was darned if Id climb itNo one but Phineas could think up such a crazy idea He saw nothing intimidating about the wouldnt admit it if he had. Not Phineas.” (904, 905).
Finny, on the other hand, acts before he thinks; for example, in that same place in the story where Gene thinks about jumping the tree, Finny gets a sudden urge to jump from the tree, and so he does. Although Gene may think his actions clearly, he does not like to express his emotions directly.
In another scene of the story, Knowles has Finny say that Gene and he are best friends, as an example, and Gene has trouble expressing his true emotions on the matter. “I should have told him then that he was my best friend also and rounded off what he had said. I started to; I nearly did. But something held me back.” (918).
Gene is a person who is dissatisfied with his life and wants to set up an ideal person. “Anywaysomebodys got to be the head of the class.” (920).
The Term Paper on Tells Gene Finny Leper Brinker
Ch 1 As the novel opens, Gene Forrester returns to Devon, the New Hampshire boarding school he attended during World War II. Gene has not seen Devon for 15 years, and so he notices the ways in which the school has changed since he was a student there. Strangely, the school seems newer, but perhaps, he thinks, the buildings are just better taken care of now that the war is over. Gene walks through ...
Finny on the other hand is athletic, satisfied with himself, and moves with perfect coordination. “I thought I was going to do it. It felt as though I had a stop watch in my head and I could hear myself going just a bit faster than A. Hopkins Parker.” (917).
Finny does things that no one ever thinks to do, such as coming up with “Blitz Ball.” (913-914).
He made up the rules as he went along. He likes to be in complete control of everything. He likes to be the best that he can. He likes being in difficult situations to see if he can get out of it, showing his ability to express himself. Finny, one day wears his school tie as a belt, but he easily solves of this problem by explaining that he did it to show the link between Devon and the war.
(909-910).
Finny, a natural person who shows himself to being incapable of doing something mean or ugly, has no trouble expressing his emotions openly. He responds to life with natural emotions and everything comes easy to him (except studying).
He does not have emotions such as envy for people or jealousy. Gene, on the other hand, is jealous of Finnys abilities. To appease his jealousy, Gene pushes Finny out of the tree, which eventually winds up in Finnys death.
Difference has led to hate, once more, and pain, both emotionally and physically has again resulted, first mentally and emotionally, then finally physically; however, this time it is no longer just pain, but death that has resulted. The differences of Gene and Finny are vast, and their combination has lead Finnys death, because they could not work out their problems with each other. If not only Gene, but also all of humankind would work out his or her differences, so many saved lives can result, and much of the extreme hate will cool down, and be under control. Work Cited 1. Knowles, John. A Separate Peace.
Elements of Literature: Fourth Course. Austin: Holt, Rinehart, 1993. 901-982.
