Separate Peace, A

Originally published in 1959, A Separate Peace by John Knowles is a coming-of-age story set in a New England private boy’s school during World War II. The story is about friendship, competition and the inner doubts and fears of adolescent boys. There is a school of thought that pushes a homo-erotic dynamic as implied by the interactions between the two main characters, Gene and Phineas. This is subtle and open to an individuals’ interpretation of the relationship.

While Gene is an introvert and intellectual, Finny is an extroverted athlete who definitely has more control over their relationship. Whatever Finny wants to do, Gene, often reluctant, always follows along. As roommates, these opposites are always together. When Finny show more devises a daredevil club whose membership must jump from the limb of a tree into the river, Gene, although terrified, follows along. Gene admires Phineas but also is jealous of his ease with others and his ability to impress through actions. This jealousy flares up at various times, and eventually Gene acts upon impulse and this act of betrayal changes both boys forever.

A Separate Peace is beautifully written. It moves slowly but gives the reader vivid imagery and strong character development. World War II plays a vital part but always remains in the background, shaping the boy’s world, but not controlling it. The book varies itself, sometimes sad, sometimes humorous, always moving, and for me, it felt authentic to both the time and the place. show less

(27) Every year around this time, I re-read a book I read many years ago. 'A Separate Peace' is one I read as a tween I think, and possibly even another time in school in close proximity to my first read, maybe circa 6th or 7th grade. I loved it then and thought about it long after turning the last page and it has not lost much of its mystique. Finny and Gene - best friends and roommates at a prestigious New England boys boarding school during WW2. The need to enlist or be drafted lies heavily over all their interactions despite the seemingly halcyon days and then tragedy strikes.

It is spare with elegant prose that is unadorned and devoid of gimmicks. Really? Can good novels still exist that are this straightforward? Excellent show more foreshadowing. Excellent thematic integrity. Pristine structure. Must be an English teacher's perfect novel. And it is moving and engaging. There are a few politically incorrect passages which perhaps render it unusable in today's ultra-PC society.

What really went down in the tree or on the staircase and is Gene truly to blame? His line of 'you don't cry at your own funeral' is fairly haunting. This book is so innocent in so many ways. Makes me think of these boys as a mother of two sons and causes my heart to ache. It is elegiac. It is wistful. It is not heavy-handed. I will hold on to this copy and give it to my boys for another 5-10 yrs from now. show less

This is a frequently studied novel, and I can see its fertile ground. The relationship between Gene and Phineas is a complex one, viewed through a prism from Gene's point of view. Phineas is a rebellious rules flouter; or he's an innocent Pollyanna who doesn't understand the concept of rules; or he's manipulating a deeper game of one-upmanship with Gene, and his entire personality is a subterfuge. The background is World War II, providing a ticking clock as Gene and Phineas approach enlistment age. Gene shares in the general experience of the war as simultaneously dangerous and alluring. Phineas has a different kind of response, revelling in the peace they still enjoy in the moment. He is living in the present, while the rest of his show more classmates are swept up by their future. This becomes a kind of lifeline as Gene struggles with what's approaching.

The novel's primary fault is its blandness. At this all-white prep school there are no girls, no dating, no homosexuality; barely a hint of alcohol or driving; almost no music; no drugs, no gangs, no weapons. Everyone lives with their well-off parents, and the weirdest kid is only a naturalist who collects slugs and enjoys cross-country skiing. I am deeply surprised this book has been banned by anyone, ever (a teacher might want to lead with that mysterious fact, to keep the kids awake). But there's poignancy in scarcely being able to imagine coddled young men less well prepared for the horrors of war than these. show less

I think a lot of people read this in high school, but I didn't. I decided to pick it up because I kept seeing it everywhere. My impressions:

1. There are almost no females in it. The lack of girls and the lack of interest in girls among these 16- to 18-year-old guys, made me think that the two main characters were in love with each other, which is probably just because I minored in gender studies. But, really, the total lack of anything sexual was an interesting choice.

2. This is a deep, dark book about living in wartime. I was reminded of how little the Iraq war affected my time in college compared to how tremendously WWII affected the boys at the boarding school in the story.

3. Obviously, this is also a story about the psychology of show more adolescence, particularly among young men, particularly in a competitive and isolated environment. The way they talked was so old-fashioned, though, that I kept picturing them as much younger, like 12 or 13.

4. How reliable of a narrator is Gene? Can Finny really be so perfect? I went back and forth on this. I kind of hated Gene, but I also felt so sorry for him.

5. Overall, a really fascinating book that I'm sorry to read all by myself with no professor to guide a discussion. show less

What the everlasting what was that?????? I liked parts and disliked parts, but sheesh, it felt slow and then rushed and then smooshed in places. Like, I really don't know how to feel about this book. I liked the discussion about the psychology of war and adolescent masculinity, but the characters and pacing just felt...off.

I read this around my sixteenth birthday. It's constantly compared to The Catcher in the Rye, but is darker and somewhat better-written. I still like it, but for some reason, not as much as I once did.

Apparently this novel is on the Goodreads "best LGBT books" list, and John Knowles once stated that Gene and Phineas are supposed to be in love, although it isn't obvious. Who knew?--it really isn't. Although I wasn't looking for one anyway, I saw no homoerotic subtext in the relationship between Gene and Phineas, especially considering the jealousy and hatred Gene feels toward Phineas and the violent action they lead Gene to commit.

This book tends to get a bad rap because of it being assigned academically, but I remember liking it then, and I like it now. It's a good book the read slowly and think over. You don't really like any of the characters, but the topics are compelling and there's a level of tension in the story as we follow Gene and wait for his truth to be revealed.

Books with an uncertain ending are among the most interesting, and A Separate Peace is one of those. It's a book that evokes conversation, despite its lack of diversity in characters or setting. As such, it's not one that I would reach for often, but it's good for thinking over from time to time. I'd recommend it based on its classic status and conversations, contemplative qualities. A show more Separate Peace is a book worth reading, even while it's not one most people would shout from the mountain tops about. show less