A Separate Peace
A Separate Peace by John Knowles begins 15 years after Gene Forrester graduated from Devon, the prep school he attended in New Hampshire during World War II. Phineas, who was called Finny by his friends, was Gene's roommate and best friend at Devon, and also the best athlete. The Summer Session of 1942 was when most of the book took place. During that summer, Finny decides to jump from a high tree limb into a river below, which was forbidden to all except the oldest students at Devon. After executing this forbidden stunt, Finny creates the Suicide Society and encourages all the boys at Devon to take part by jumping from the tree to the river. After a while, Gene suspects that Finny is deliberately trying to interfere with his studying. Towards the end of the summer Gene has had enough of Finny forcing him to leave his studies so Gene purposely causes Finny to fall from the limb and hurt his leg. Finny is disabled from participating in sports, which causes Gene to feel tremendous guilt. Gene finally tells him the truth that it was he who caused his fall from the tree. At first Finny does not believe him, but then after a mock trail he discovers the truth. When he discovers this shocking news, he storms out of the room causing him to fall down the stairs and break his leg again. Later that day Gene talks to Finny who forgives him and understands that it was just an impulse. Soon after, during the attempt to set Finny's leg, some bone marrow enters his blood stream and stops his heart. The author uses many literary devices in this novel which give the work depth and increases its artistic merit.
Alliteration is illustrated by, "A suicide society," I said stiffly. "The Suicide Society of the Summer Session! How's that?" Alliteration is shown by the repetition of s. This stresses the name of the club and makes it stand out more and become more memorable. "At Devon crutches had almost as many athletic associations as shoulder pads." The...
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