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This is an extension of our classroom. You will use this blog to communicate as a class, either in response to an assignment or in the aftermath of a seminar discussion when class flew by too quickly and there simply wasn't time to make all of your points. These posts are graded, and must use appropriate language.
Welcome to our class blog!
You should use this space for engaging in academic and school related conversations for which you will receive a grade. You should be respectful and intelligent in your posts. Treat this space, and what you say here, as if it were the classroom. Inappropriate, derogatory, and inflamatory remarks will not be tolerated.
About Me
- Ms. Soderquist
- That's me with Ishmael Beah at the writing workshop he taught with his mom, Laura Simms!
Night
Dante's Inferno
I think Gene’s separate peace is Phineas. Phineas does not believe in hatred or conflict; he cannot hate so he does not understand how anyone can. Since the war is all about hatred, he denies the existence of the war, also because he cannot be a part of it, due to his broken leg. He separates himself from the conflict of World War II that the entire world is facing, he lives in a peace all of his own. Gene sees the separate peace Finny lives in and eventually sees that Phineas has no ill will towards anyone. However, Gene cannot be a part of this separate peace because he did have hatred for an enemy, and this enemy was Finny.
ReplyDelete-Sam Knee
I believe Gene’s separate peace is the false sense of tranquility he creates to soften the blow of the truth that he caused Finny’s accident. Gene attempts to forget his misdeed because he is afraid to tell Finny what really happened. Knowles displays Gene’s denial through Brinker, one of his friends at the Devon School. Brinker says that it would suit Gene, “…if everything about Finny’s accident was cleared up and forgotten”(160). Brinker’s statement brings Gene’s illusion of tranquility to light. By forgetting the accident, he has created a sense of peace that is separate from reality. Because Finny is unaware that Gene pushed him off of the tree, the boys’ apparently peaceful friendship is really built on dishonesty. By lying, Gene creates a separate peace to shield himself from the harsh reality of his sins.
ReplyDelete-Molly O'Shea
No offense to anyone, I believe the character of Gene never discovers his separate peace in the novel, A Separate Peace by John Knowles. To me, Gene never discovers his separate peace because the guilt of harming his best friend Finny, still lies within his soul. This blockage does not allow Gene to find his separate peace. The guilt blinds him and confines him to remembering the dark times and places he went with Finny. For example, upon his return to Devon, Gene makes it an objective to view the dark symbol of the tree and the dull image of the white marble staircase. This visitation reveals that the guilt is still eminent in Gene because at both of these locations he harmed Finny.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason I believe Gene never discovers his separate peace is because at the end of the novel, Gene feels he “…could not escape a feeling that this was my own funeral, and you do not cry in that case” (194). Gene feels that a piece of himself dies the day Finny’s heart stops. This reveals that Gene never discovers his separate peace, because a part of him has already died and his soul is crippled. In order for Gene to find his separate peace, he would have had to mature, but he is not able to complete this because his soul is damaged. Gene is not able to locate his separate peace because he lost the key to achieving peace, Finny.
-Nico Varano Jr.
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ReplyDeleteI believe Gene's separate peace is when he allows himself to separate from Finny's identity and let his own take over. For most of the story he was uncomfortable with his own identity and therefore followed Finny's. this is what caused the emotional turmoil that plagued him for most of the story. How ever when Finny dies Gene is forced to allow his own identity to prevail. He eventually becomes comfortable with it and has peace separated from Finny.
ReplyDelete-Alex Shaievitz
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ReplyDeleteI think Gene's separate peace is his friendship with Finny. Even though he was jealous of Finny and caused his ultimate doom, he always found comfort in knowing that Finny genuinely liked Gene. Finny, unable to accept the truth that Gene caused his tragic fall from the tree, stays a true friend and holds no grudge against Gene. Finny always considered Gene as his best friend even though Gene could never figure out why. It was confusing, but Gene always felt happy that Finny was his friend. Gene grew envious of Finny in the beginning because of his innate talent in everything he tried, but Gene's peace is not in Finny as a person but the friendship that Finny offered Gene.
ReplyDelete-James "JDawg" Christianson
I think Gene's seperate peace is Devon school itself. While at Devon school, Gene is away from the problems of the war and the world. Although, while staying there, Gene goes through times of trouble and despair, he equally goes through times which make him happy. Also, by being in the school, Gene is able to keep him self from the war, and with the help of Finny, creates an illusion that it does not exist. Gene's stay at Devon is able to keep him from the problems occuring in the world, thus creating his seperate peace.
ReplyDelete-John W. Gaff III
I concur with Alex's point of view. I think that Gene's separate peace is the death of Finny. Gene has dedicated himself to Finny throughout the story by participating in all of Finny's crazy ideas such as jumping out of a tree. Gene is dependent on Finny aand isolates himself from his other classmates. He has constant inner conflict against Finny as a result of being so attached to him. Gene finds his separate peace after Finny's death because he can finally be his own person. Gene's dependency on Finny is gone and he looks optimistically into the future with his separate peace.
ReplyDelete- Graham Leman
I agree that Gene's seperate peace does come from Phineas. Phineas is unable to see the worst in anyone, even his own best friend who caused his fall. Even Gene himself told Finny he would not be suited towards war because he would forget who the enemy was. But Gene is unable to enjoy this peace because he was too busy fighting his eney to the death, Finny. Though the irony is when Gene's one peace is lost due to Phineas's death, a different one is found with his new outlook on life.
ReplyDelete-Tyler Shaffer
I also believe that Gene’s separate peace is Finny’s death. Finny always seems so perfect to Gene. After the accident, Finny is physically unable to participate in his usual activities and in return Gene feels like it is his responsibility to take over Finny’s old hobbies. Gene pushes himself to be just like Finny was before he broke his leg. Just as Finny depends on Gene to play sports, Gene relies on Finny as a reminder of his past. Making up in the areas which Finny lacks brings a sense of closure to Gene. Eventually, the two boys rely on each other so much it is hard to distinguish them separately. Yet after Finny’s death, Gene can no longer depend on Finny and is ultimately forced to become his own person and make peace with himself as well as his past.
ReplyDeleteGene’s separate peace is the realization that life’s difficulties cannot be avoided. All throughout his time at Devon, Gene tries to cover up his problems. When he instinctively pushes Finny out of the tree, he tries to tell himself that the fall was not his fault. Similarly, as the war continues outside of the school’s barriers, Gene continually tells himself that he will not be directly affected. By covering up his problems, Gene unknowingly harms himself. In fact, he creates an inner war that intensifies each of his problems. Gene’s guilt for breaking Finny leg worsens, and his nervousness over the war increases. However, later on he realizes that all of life’s difficulties need to be accepted, not avoided. He should have accepted the guilt for harming Finny, and he also should have realized that the war was real. Towards the end of the novel he remarks that, “My [Gene’s] war ended before I ever put on a uniform; I was on active duty all my time at school; I killed my enemy there” (204). Once he realizes he cannot avoid difficulties, he finally achieves his own separate peace by killing the enemy within him and accepting what he is dealt. His problems subside and his inner war ends, and for the first time in his life, Gene is at peace with himself.
ReplyDelete-Christopher Colarusso
Chris,that was exquisitely well said!
ReplyDeleteI believe that Gene's separate peace is when Phineas dies. Gene's internal war is between him and Finny. Phineas always looked for the good in others. Gene, however, believed that Finny was trying to corrupt him and excel at everything. He finally was relieved after Finny's death, because the feeling of competitiveness and envy disappeared from Gene.
ReplyDeleteGene achieves his separate peace in the final stage of his maturation, his self-forgiveness and self-acceptance. When Gene eventually accepts that Finny was never perfect, and no human being is, his heart begins to heal. Along with his natural maturation, he realizes he must accept the past, since he cannot return to the days of his harmless youth again. While one cannot change the past, the future can be shattered by worrying about it. When Finny dies, the inner part of Gene that Finny was filling is forced to maturate independently. He has the ability to become a man, enlist in World War II, and leave his youth behind. By acknowledging and forgiving the person he is, Gene enables himself to move on and enter the adult world. Although Gene finds inner peace, it is clear in the first chapter that misery will always prowl beneath his self-forgiveness, “A little fog hung over the river [and] as I neared it I felt myself becoming isolated from everything except the river and the few trees beside it” (13). Eventually, Gene’s problems fade away and his inner turmoil decreases significantly; however, a little piece of his heart will always feel the loss of Finny. Gene’s tears can be dried, but his heart- never.
ReplyDelete-Alessia Caruso
do you mean to say that he was at peace after Finny's death? That no longer having the feeling of envy disappeared, so he found peace even when he knows that he is the cause of Finny's death?
ReplyDeleteGene’s separate peace is his acceptance of his individuality. While at Devon, Gene suffers because he compares himself to Finny. In so doing, Gene neglects what he is; instead focusing on what he feels he needs to be. Early on, Gene develops a jealous envy towards Finny’s athletic ability. It is this jealousy that leads to the rivalry between the two main characters. This rivalry is known only to Gene, who thinks that he is inadequate because of his apparent lack of success. Even after Finny’s fall, Gene sees his main purpose as continuing his friend’s athletic career. Not until Gene’s return to Devon does the reader gain a sense of his real character, uninfluenced by others. Finally, Gene realizes that he is a separate person, who does not need to emulate anyone. This is the only point in the novel at which Gene is at peace with who he is.
ReplyDelete