1. Introduction to
A Separate Peace
By John Knowles

2. A Separate Peace Today’s presentation Author Setting Plot Characters
Literary Elements

3. About the Author John Knowles
Born in West Virginia on September 16, 1926
Knowles was educated at Phillips Exeter Academy, which served as a model for the setting of A Separate Peace.
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.

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

5. Phillips Exeter Academy

6. 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.
Most young women either dated older men, or didn’t date at all!
By the summer of 1942, many Americans realized that the war was far from over.

7. Plot Overview
Story is told as a flashback to 15 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
Finny prods Gene into making a dangerous jump out of a tree into a river, and the two start a secret society based on this ritual.
Gene becomes jealous of Finny’s athletic accomplishments and convinces himself that Finny is trying to distract Gene from achieving academically. While Gene’s jealously turns into hate, he carefully maintains a relationship with him.

8. A Separate Peace Characters
Gene Forrester
Finny
Elwin “Leper” Lepellier
Brinker Hadley
Cliff Quackenbush
Chet Douglass 
Mr. Ludsbury
Dr. Stanpole
Mr. Patch-Withers

9. Gene Forester Unreliable Narrator/protagonist
Gene is in his early thirties, visiting the Devon School for the first time in years.
Flashbacks to a story of his childhood from the vantage point of adulthood.
Has love-hate relationship with his best friend Finny
Gene is also often jealous of Finny because he is good at everything and so carefree

10. Finny
Honest, handsome, energetic, self-confident, best athlete in the school
Extremely likable – able to talk his way out of any situation
Gene describes Finny like that of a Greek hero (always excelling physically, always spirited.)
Finny loves the thrill of competition and does not care about winning/losing
Always thinks the best of people, counts no one as his enemy, and assumes that the world is a fundamentally friendly place.

11. Ellwin Leper Lepellier
Quiet, peaceful, nature-loving boy
Shocks his classmates by being 1st in Devon to enlist in the army
Leper has hallucinations that reflect the fears and angst of adolescence
He fears transformation of boys into men—and, in wartime, of boys into soldiers, which causes anxiety and inner turmoil.

12. Brinker Hadley Cliff Quakenbush
Manager of the crew team
Boys at Devon have never liked Quackenbush
frequently takes out his frustrations on anyone whom he considers his inferior
straight-laced and conservative.
complete confidence in his own abilities
believes in justice and order and goes to great lengths to discover the truth when he feels that it is being hidden from him.

13. Chet Douglass Mr. Ludsbury
Gene’s main rival for the position of class valedictorian
excellent tennis and trumpet player and possesses a sincere love of learning.
The master in charge of Gene’s dormitory
Stern disciplinarian
Dr. Stanpole 
Mr. Patch-Withers
Devon’s resident doctor
Caring man who laments the troubles that afflict the youth of Gene’s generation.
Operates on Finny
The substitute headmaster of Devon during the summer session.
Runs the school with a lenient hand

14. Literary Context
A Separate Peace belongs to a genre of literature called Bildungsroman. This is a German term which describes a novel whose main character matures over time, usually from childhood.
The journey from innocence to experience.
“Coming of age” story
Similar to Lord of the Flies, A Separate Peace deals with children coming to terms with their identity set against the backdrop of World War.

15. Main Themes Friendship Conformity Illusion vs Reality
-main issues and ideas; questions posed by the actions of characters; concerns raised in our minds as we read
Friendship
Conformity
Illusion vs Reality
Youth (challenges of growing up)

16. Chapter 1 High school years Quick growth and self-discovery
Forging and breaking friendships
Proving self to others- classroom/field
want to be individuals while belonging in a group
Narrator (1st person point of view)
Gene Forrester, adult
Devon School, New Hampshire
Gene struggling
Suspense
“long white marble flight of stairs”- 1st destination
Tree- 2nd destination
Foreshadowing
Summer of 1942
15 years earlier- flashback
WWII
16 yrs old

17. Chapter 2 War is not realistic- studies are more important Finny
Pink shirt- celebrate bombing of central Europe
Devon tie for a belt (27)
“no harm in envying even your best friend a little” (25)
Finny
Manipulates their tardiness; gets away w/ things
Boys of 16
“sign of life the war was being fought to preserve” (24)
Makes Gene jealous
Inner awareness that Finny is growing up makes him fight harder to keep from growing up
Saves Gene from falling
Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session
- Successful jump together

18. Chapter 3 Finny SSSSS (Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session)
Thrives being “on the edge”
Wants to pull Gene in
Makes rules about everything
blitzball
SSSSS (Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session)
Created for tree jumping
Gene jumps to not “lose face” w/ Finny

19. Chapter 3 Swimming record- A. Hopkins Parker Beach
Dominates water- not even the elements are exempt from Finny’s superiority
Frustration for Gene
Finny does not want to tell anyone
Beach
“best pal” awkward moment
The truth won’t let Gene respond
Gene resents his Finny
jealousy

20. Chapter 4 Foreshadowing and Imagery Trigonometry test Dead, gray
Allusion= reference
Biblical allusion
Garden of Eden
Lazarus
Trigonometry test
Gene believes Finny tricked him so he can’t be “even” w/ him
Gene decides they are rivals
Does Finny feel this way?
“I’d kill myself out of jealous envy.” (52)
Adult narrator realizes mistake

21. Chapter 4
The tree
Leper decides to jump
Finny lying?
Gene – paranoid of sabotage
If Gene watches, he can’t study
Finny doesn’t realize Gene needs to study  Gene realizes Finny is true friend (59)
“I was not of the same quality as he.”
Can’t handle this truth = Finny is a better person than Gene
Finny wants to jump “Side by side” – equals
Gene jounces limb  Finny falls
Before Gene jumps, he is free from the fear and jealousy of Finny

22. Characterization -the creation of believable fictitious personalities
Methods
Explicit statement by author
Character’s appearance
Aspects of setting which reflect influence of the character
Character’s actions, including mannerisms
Character’s thoughts
What the character says
What others say about the character

23. Contrast the summer and winter sessions?
Peace
Freedom
Joy
Teachers more lenient
War
Reminders of war
Senior year
Harsher values emerge
Sterner regimen

24. Why assistant crew manager?
Sports are finished for Gene b/c Finny can no longer play
A form of penance; punishment for his sin

25. 27. What is the significance of Devon’s two rivers?
Reflects dual nature of humanity
Peace vs war
Devon river
Gentle, pure stream, boy’s playground
Peaceful summer
Isolated & protected from outside world (war)
Naguamsett
Dirty, unpleasant
Winter
Flows into ocean- ties it to the world (war)

26. 28. What is the “separate peace” that Finny has established?
Winter carnival
Military term- withdrawal of one group of combatants, even though the war continues
“Fleeting moment of illusion in an overwhelming reality” p.137
End of ch.9

27. Leper’s change of heart toward war? Recruitment film
Leper- deceived by an illusion
Perfect, white version
Film does not show the reality of war
Unable to confront reality

28. Chapter 5 After fall Gene is Dr. Stanpole- “sports are finished” Gene
Numb- loses touch with feelings
Withdraws- Spends time alone
Wears Finny’s clothes
Tries to be Finny
Dr. Stanpole- “sports are finished”
Leg broken in several places- never normal
Gene
Fights guilt
Visits Finny at hospital- wants to confess
Doctor interrupts

29. Ch. 5 Finny says “I just fell” p. 65 Fall- Senior year In hospital
Doesn’t want to accuse Gene
Apologizes for “having a feeling” p.66
Fall- Senior year
Gene makes detour to Finny’s house
Again attempts to confess “I jounced the limb, I caused it.”
Finny’s house
Gene hurts Finny w/ confession- plants seed of doubt

30. Chapter 6 Return to Devon- mixed emotion
New ideas, friendships, teachers
Seniors – military
School is painful w/out Finny
Second phase of novel- other boys become important
Crew house job – assistant crew manager
Gene’s way of doing penance
Not violating Finny’s sacred position as ultimate athlete
Escape the atmosphere of competition
Quakenbush
Calls Gene “maimed”
Causes Gene to think of Finny  guilt

31. Ch. 6 Rivers: Naguamsett & Devon Mr. Ludsbury
Symbolism p.76
Mr. Ludsbury
Teacher in charge of dorms
Reprimanded for sloppiness, gambling
Long distance call from Finny
Make sure there is no roommate
Everything OK?
“If I can’t play sports, then you’re going to play them for me.” p. 85
Tree- Fall of Man

32. Chapter 7 Brinker is jealous of Gene Butt room
Room meant for 2
Butt room
Brinker announces that Gene committed fratricide (half-joking)
Game- crime/murder
Contrasts later “real” trial
Winter & war dull the memory of Finny & summer
200 boys shovel snow from RR yards to aid war effort

33. Chapter 7 Leper goes cross country skiing
Looking for beaver dams; enjoys nature
Reminds reader – there doesn’t always have to be a direct purpose to our actions. Some things we do just to enjoy them
Troop trains filled with boys
Devon boys think seriously about enlisting
Gene and Brinker decide to join
Make a break w/ childhood
Run from Finny
“The war would be deadly alright, but I was used to finding something deadly in things that attracted me.”
Finny in room!

34. Chapter 8 Gene changes mind about joining army
Gene is more conscious of Finny’s disability than Finny
Accident seems to have brought boys closer
Finny’s stride has changed, but his instinct of disrupting routines has not
Go to gym- skip class
Finny coaches Gene for 1944 Olympics
illusion
They nurture each other
Tutoring- academics, athletics
“Because I’ve suffered” p.116
We see the real Finny

35. Chapter 8
"What makes you so special? Why should you get it and all the rest of us be in the dark?" The momentum of the argument abruptly broke from his control. His face froze. "Because I've suffered," he burst out.
This questions the notion of Gene growing older and wiser while Finny remains left behind in a world of youth. It reminds us that, in some ways, Finny has learned lessons that Gene has not.
Theme of Youth

36. Chapter 9 Leper- first to enlist in war
Recruitment film- “cleanest image of war I had ever seen” p124
Color imagery, symbolism - white
Finny in all-out campaign to deny war
illusion
Winter Carnival
Brinker depressed about war
Jugs of hard cider
Tables with prizes (Betty Grable photos, stolen $$)
Play was liberation- “escape from the encroachments of 1943”
A separate peace from reality
Peace interrupted by reality- telegram from Leper