A Separate Peace - a book of friendship

Norman Lee

A Separate Peace is a 1959 novel by John Knowles about how a 16-year-old boy in New England becomes mature during World War II. The protagonist Gene Forrester becomes friends with his roommate Finny during summer vacation; he and Finny get along and jump down from trees into the river as a ritual for their remote, secret community. After a while, Gene suspects Finny was trying to distract him from studying and strengthen him to send him to war. In the middle of the story, tragedy strikes: Finny breaks his leg falling from the tree and is irate that Gene didn’t grab his hand; later, Finny dies in surgery. Gene goes to war at the end, where he sees people struggling to save their comrades in arms and put themselves in danger. However, he knows Finny never had such internal conflicts and is always pure and unfallen. The story ends with Gene self-reflecting on their pasts, leaving enough mystery for the readers to predict what happens after that. Gene’s reflection about Finny is not only a reminder for himself but also lets the readers understand what characteristics Finny has.

Gene is an intelligent but quiet boy who develops a complex love/hate relationship with his friend Finny. He wants to get closer to Finny yet is a reticent person through his actions in the story. During his time with Finny, Gene suspects Finny is trying to sabotage his academy. As a result, he conflicts with Finny and breaks their close relationship, foreshadowing the miserable ending.

Finny is Gene’s best friend. He is charming, and his words can easily get him away from trouble. He is handsome and likable by being popular in school and having a great friendship with Gene. According to Gene, Finny is never competitive, never considering anyone as his opponent. Instead, he always finds other people just as enthusiastic and honest as him, which proves fatal.

The book focuses on the boys’ friendship, and this relationship is complicated. Where admiration, jealousy, and other feelings blend, driving stories and incidents between them. Their differences that bring them together, but it's also what pushes the tragedy to happen.