A Separate Peace Background and Context

The Setting: Exeter, New Hampshire  Founded in 1638  Reverend John Wheelwright negotiated with local tribesman to build the town.

The Setting: Phillips Exeter Academy  Founded in 1781 by Dr. John Phillips (Harvard Grad!)  Intent: to pair GOODNESS and KNOWLEDGE; to foster a population that would serve positively serve society  Utilizes the Harkness Plan (designed by Edward Harkness)  A learning strategy focusing on small classes seated in a circle engaging in academic discussion  Phillips Exeter Map Phillips Exeter Map  Faculty Housing, Student Dormitories, Academic Buildings, Sports Facilities

The Setting: Phillips Exeter Academy cont. Tuition Today (1855 first permanent dorm rent= $1/year) None$14/yearOver $2000 ($900 for day students) $47,790 ($36,800 for day students) This includes all fees and services. Prominent Sport at PEA Rowing Crew

The Setting: Phillips Exeter Academy cont.  Until 1968 the entire faculty was made up of men.  War and PEA  April First students leave to fight Civil War  154 PEA graduates lost their lives in World War II  Put it into perspective: 1000 students attend today  October 1969 – PEA silent march in protest of Vietnam War

The Setting: Phillips Exeter Academy cont.  Notable Graduates: Dan Mark Zuckerberg (creator of Facebook) Dan Brown (author of Da Vinci Code) John Irving (author of The Cider House Rules; The World According to Garp) John Knowles (author of ???)

The Setting: World War II

The Setting: World War II and Exeter

The Setting: World War II  View the following video and respond to question #17.  Attention Young Men Attention Young Men

Themes:  What is a theme?  “main idea” in a piece of literature  “a truth about life or a truth about human personality”  Gives a deeper meaning and understanding of literature

Themes in A Separate Peace: Coming of Age  Focuses on transition from childhood to adulthood  Sometimes reached through difficult, sometimes tragic events  May be reached by process of growing up and recognizing world/people are not as expected

Themes in A Separate Peace: Man’s Inhumanity Against Man  Implies that humans are capable of cruelty to another  May be overt (obvious, evident)  May be covert (hidden, secret)

Themes in A Separate Peace: Guilt  Focuses on character’s moral sense of right and wrong  A result of going against moral sense  Particularly in regards to relationships with others  Discovery of guilt and taking responsibility for one’s actions is often integral to “coming of age”