A Seperate Peace: Innocence to Experience
Innocence to Experience
One’s innocence can only remain until they experience the real world. The characters in “A Separate Peace”, written by John Knowles, experience horrific events that result in a loss of innocence due to their experiences. Gene Forrester Dixon Road, Toronto, ON, Phineas, and Leper Lepellier all witness life changing events that develop them from innocent children, to experienced men. Firstly, Gene experiences how his impulsive acts can make a big impact on his relationships with other characters. Also, Leper’s experience how war changes who he is . Lastly, Phineas also goes through many events that change his perspective of life. To begin, throughout the book Gene is innocent until he trips his best friend off the limb of the tree and experiences his pain. Firstly, As Gene and Finny decide to jump off the tree together, Gene’s jealous and envious nature against Finny decides to take action by making an impulsive act, “Holding firmly to the trunk, I took a step toward him, and then my knees bent and I jounced the limb. Finny, his balance gone, swung his head around to look at me for an instant with extreme interest, and then he tumbled sideways, broke through the little branches below and hit the bank with a sickening, unnatural thud.”(Knowles60). This quote shows how Gene loses his innocence. Gene’s jealousy leads him into committing an impulsive act. Secondly, Gene feels really sorry for what he has done to Finny as he feels the urge of saying sorry. He is at the stage of experience since he regrets what he did after seeing his best friend in pain. Gene feels a deep sense of guiltiness as he’s gone out of his ways to go see Finny at night to say sorry, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry” (Knowles 185). Due to Gene’s experience of pushing Finny of the tree, he feels a loss of his innocence. Gene does not believe he has done such a thing to his own best friend; this has also caused a lack of self-esteem for Gene. Lastly, Gene confronts
One’s innocence can only remain until they experience the real world. The characters in “A Separate Peace”, written by John Knowles, experience horrific events that result in a loss of innocence due to their experiences. Gene Forrester Dixon Road, Toronto, ON, Phineas, and Leper Lepellier all witness life changing events that develop them from innocent children, to experienced men. Firstly, Gene experiences how his impulsive acts can make a big impact on his relationships with other characters. Also, Leper’s experience how war changes who he is . Lastly, Phineas also goes through many events that change his perspective of life. To begin, throughout the book Gene is innocent until he trips his best friend off the limb of the tree and experiences his pain. Firstly, As Gene and Finny decide to jump off the tree together, Gene’s jealous and envious nature against Finny decides to take action by making an impulsive act, “Holding firmly to the trunk, I took a step toward him, and then my knees bent and I jounced the limb. Finny, his balance gone, swung his head around to look at me for an instant with extreme interest, and then he tumbled sideways, broke through the little branches below and hit the bank with a sickening, unnatural thud.”(Knowles60). This quote shows how Gene loses his innocence. Gene’s jealousy leads him into committing an impulsive act. Secondly, Gene feels really sorry for what he has done to Finny as he feels the urge of saying sorry. He is at the stage of experience since he regrets what he did after seeing his best friend in pain. Gene feels a deep sense of guiltiness as he’s gone out of his ways to go see Finny at night to say sorry, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry” (Knowles 185). Due to Gene’s experience of pushing Finny of the tree, he feels a loss of his innocence. Gene does not believe he has done such a thing to his own best friend; this has also caused a lack of self-esteem for Gene. Lastly, Gene confronts