Introduction to A Separate Peace By John Knowles

About the Author John Knowles Born in West Virginia on September 16, 1926. Died November 29, 2001 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Knowles was educated at Phillips Exeter Academy, an elite New Hampshire boarding school, which served as a model for the setting of A Separate Peace. After graduating he spent 8 months in the Air Force. A Separate Peace was Knowles’ first work, which earned him the Rosenthal Award of the National Institute of Arts and Letters. This established Knowles as a successful author. Deals with coming of age and how young adults cope in a time of war.

Phillips Exeter Academy Devon School, the setting of A Separate Peace, is based heavily on the Phillips Exeter Academy.

Phillips Exeter Academy

Setting of the Novel It takes place during the early years of America’s involvement in WWII. It occurs shortly after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, which claimed the lives of over 2,000 American soldiers. This was a time period where many young boys were faced with a decision: Should they enlist or wait to be drafted into the war? However, because of the horrors of WWI, many Americans wanted to remain neutral in the conflicts overseas.

Setting Continued In 1940 men aged 21-35 were required to register for military service. It was the country’s first peace time draft. Once the US entered the war, the registration age was lowered to 18. Patriotism was high and many men did not wait to be drafted; rather, they felt it was their duty to enlist. While this is a war novel, it does not take place overseas; rather, it is set in the US at a fictional New England boys’ school named Devon.

Plot Overview Story is told as a flashback to 16 years ago from Gene Forrester’s perspective Gene was a quiet, intellectual student at the Devon School in New Hampshire. During the summer session of 1942, Gene becomes close friends with Finny, his daredevil roommate The story follows the trials and tribulations of both boys as they cope with their differences and also outside influences.

A Separate Peace Main Characters Gene Forrester Finny Elwin “Leper” Lepellier Brinker Hadley Cliff Quackenbush As summer turns to fall, the characters experience internal conflicts that many readers can identify with. Like us, the characters discover that the most challenging battles in life are often the battles within.

Main Themes The nature of friendship or brotherhood. The relationship between Gene and Finny is the novel’s focus. Loss of Innocence. The plot is dominated by Gene’s progression toward maturity. The relationship between war and peace. The backdrop of the war plays a vital role in the novel. People’s ability to change. Is change really possible? Duality of man Is man inherently good, evil, or a combination?

Things to Look For Seasons Clothing Biblical allusions- Garden of Eden, Cain and Abel War like language used to describe sports The reliability of the narrator- issue of memory and confession.

Historical Context World War II Began in 1939 when the Germans invaded Poland, and officially ended in August 1945, when the Japanese surrendered. A Separate Peace takes place during the summer of 1942, directly in the center of World War II. In America: In order to cope with the war, America instituted rations on books, sugar, coffee, and other goods. To conserve gasoline, a national 35 MPH speed limit was implemented, and driving for pleasure was banned. By the summer of 1942, many Americans realized that the war was far from over.

The Axis Powers Tojo Hideki

Allied Forces- The Big 3 Winston Churchill- England Joseph Stalin- U.S.S.R. Franklin D. Roosevelt- U.S