A Separate Peace

An Overview of this Common Summer Reading Book

Jul 28, 2008 Laura L. Johnson

Many high school students will spend the last few weeks of summer reading A Separate Peace before school starts.

A Separate Peace, by John Knowles, is about two boys, Gene and Finny, and their days at an all-boys school in New England. More than likely, if you are trying to remember what you read in this book way back in June for a quiz you have to take when you get back to school, this is all you'll remember. So here is a quick and easy guide to help remind yourself of this classic book.

The Plot

Gene and Finny are expecting to have the usual boring school year at Devon School for boys, that is until Finny decides to take matters into his own hands. The more adventurous of the two friends and roommates, Finny spends his summers thinking up wild activities with which to occupy their time like The Super Suicide Society of Summer Session or Blitzball or the Winter Carnival. He even decides he wants to try to break a school swimming record - and he does!

However, one day both Gene and Finny find themselves on the limb of the old tree over a river that the boys often jump off of, when suddenly, Finny goes plummeting to the ground. The age-old question still remains: Did Gene cause Finny to fall?

Certainly there is a buildup of tension between the two boys. Gene begins to feel feelings of jealousy and envy towards Finny, who seems to have it all. However after Finny falls and breaks his leg, Gene does feel bad for his friend and wishes his return.

In Finny's absence, the brash Brinker swaggers in and convinces Gene to enlist in the army with him - and he plans on it - until the next day Finny suddenly returns to Devon, as spirited as ever, and trying to convince everyone that this great world war going on around them is really just a creation of fat, old men in a backroom.

(SPOILERS)

The story takes a tragic turn, however, when other boys wanted to determine once and for all the cause of Finny's accident and call a sudden and secret court hearing in the middle of the night. When evidence is given that suggests Gene may have had something to do with his fall, Finny, still on crutches from his broken leg, flees the scene, only to slip and fall on the stairs leaving the Assembly Building. A few days later Finny dies in the hospital from a complication, and Gene, whether guilty of the first fall or not, has to live with the guilt of the thoughts he had about Finny.

Clearly, Knowles' classic book has stood the test of time and delves into issues of the human heart like envy and pride. However, students take warning: there is not nearly enough information in this article to pass a test on this book. It is merely intended to remind you of what you have already read. And if you have not read this timeless classic, go get it! It's worth your time.

The copyright of the article A Separate Peace in Teen Fiction is owned by Laura L. Johnson. Permission to republish A Separate Peace in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.