Goodbye Childhood In John Knowles 'A Separate Peace'
Makena Horn
Ms. Atnip
English 2, Period 3
8 November 2017
Goodbye Childhood
“We each begin in innocence. We all become guilty.” (Leonard F. Peltier, Prison Writings). The novel A Separate Peace by John Knowles tells the story of Gene's troublesome but significant growth into adulthood, a journey about understanding his place in the world. At the beginning of the novel, Gene is an anxious yet egotistical high schooler who spends all his time with his best friend Finny. By the end, even though Gene physical has not grown more than Finny, he has matured more than Finny because he has a greater loss of innocence. This loss of innocence is brought onto him because he suffers the most and has grown to understand of his own dark motives.
Throughout …show more content…
He says, “All of them, all except Phineas, constructed at infinite cost to themselves these Maginot Lines against this enemy they though they saw across the frontier, this enemy who never attacked that way – if he ever attacked at all; if he was indeed the enemy” (204). Everyone has enemies, but the enemy might not always be other people most of the time the enemy is within yourself. Gene realizing this at the end of the book shows that he is not a kid anymore and has lost a lot of his innocence. James M. Mellard wrote a literary criticism about A Separate Peace titled “Counterpoints”. Within in his criticism he explains how counterpoints in the novel lead to Gene’s “loss of innocence and growth to maturity” (Mellard 56). One of his points he makes is that Finny’s fall is a significant device of plot and structure. Finny’s falls are what make Gene come to his perception on life. “… into one unified, complete, and well-adjusted personality, who, better than most can come to terms with the duel actions” (Mellard 61-62). Finny’s fall alters Gene’s perspective of reality causing him to have a great sense of maturity. Mellard concludes his argument by saying that the overall message in the novel is Gene, “growing and maturity and accepting his place in the world”
Ms. Atnip
English 2, Period 3
8 November 2017
Goodbye Childhood
“We each begin in innocence. We all become guilty.” (Leonard F. Peltier, Prison Writings). The novel A Separate Peace by John Knowles tells the story of Gene's troublesome but significant growth into adulthood, a journey about understanding his place in the world. At the beginning of the novel, Gene is an anxious yet egotistical high schooler who spends all his time with his best friend Finny. By the end, even though Gene physical has not grown more than Finny, he has matured more than Finny because he has a greater loss of innocence. This loss of innocence is brought onto him because he suffers the most and has grown to understand of his own dark motives.
Throughout …show more content…
He says, “All of them, all except Phineas, constructed at infinite cost to themselves these Maginot Lines against this enemy they though they saw across the frontier, this enemy who never attacked that way – if he ever attacked at all; if he was indeed the enemy” (204). Everyone has enemies, but the enemy might not always be other people most of the time the enemy is within yourself. Gene realizing this at the end of the book shows that he is not a kid anymore and has lost a lot of his innocence. James M. Mellard wrote a literary criticism about A Separate Peace titled “Counterpoints”. Within in his criticism he explains how counterpoints in the novel lead to Gene’s “loss of innocence and growth to maturity” (Mellard 56). One of his points he makes is that Finny’s fall is a significant device of plot and structure. Finny’s falls are what make Gene come to his perception on life. “… into one unified, complete, and well-adjusted personality, who, better than most can come to terms with the duel actions” (Mellard 61-62). Finny’s fall alters Gene’s perspective of reality causing him to have a great sense of maturity. Mellard concludes his argument by saying that the overall message in the novel is Gene, “growing and maturity and accepting his place in the world”