Rhetorical Strategies

·         “The beach shed its deadness and became a spectral gray-white, then more white than gray, and finally it was totally white and stainless, as pure as the shores of Eden. Phineas still asleep on his dune, made me think of Lazarus, brought back to life by the touch of God” (Knowles 41).

The imagery and allusion in this statement helps to identify the educated and ornate style which Knowles possesses. The colorful description of the sunrise helps to create an ornate style. His creative way of making a picture helps the reader to further appreciate his novel. By alluding to the bible, Knowles creates an educated style because it proves his knowledge in the subject. This allusion adds to the overall image of Phineas by looking at him as a heavenly figure.

·         “So the war swept over like a wave at the seashore, gathering power and size as it bore on us , overwhelmingly in its rush, seemingly inescapable…” (101).

The personification of the war as wave adds to the author’s unique style. A wave is an interesting choice to compare a war to since it can be considered as both peaceful and dangerous. The use of this symbolic wave adds to the author’s creative style by offering an image to the dangers of war followed by the peace after a war, thus following the idea of the ebbing of the ocean.

·         “It was as though football players were really bent on crushing the life out of each other, as though boxers were in combat to the death, as though even a tennis ball might turn into a bullet.” (77).

The metaphor comparing war to sports adds to the ornate style by introducing various forms of war in everyday life. Since it is well spoken and creative it adds to the flowery style.

·         “’Sure. There isn’t any war’” (151).

The statement is both sarcastic and ironic. Throughout the book, Phineas denies the existence of the war. However, this sarcastic statement acknowledges the war’s existence and thus is ironic because it contradicts Finny’s previous opinions. This helps to create a temporary humorous style.

Diction

Knowles uses diction to express Gene’s thoughts encompassing the tree that Finny had fallen from. Through elevated diction, Knowles creates a reminiscent tone by showing the tree as a fading part of Gene’s life. Although the tree seemed to be the center of all of Gene’s problems during school, when he returns years later it seems to be only a tree. As a kid, the tree seemed “tremendous” and extraordinary (Knowles 6). It seemed to carry with it the distress caused by Finny’s accident. However, when he returns years later after Finny’s death no longer seems drastic, the tree is “absolutely smaller, shrunken by age” and is evidently not as much of a problem as he had remembered it to be (6). The contradiction in the connotation of these words— tremendous and shrunken—adds to the reminiscent tone by showing that Gene realizes that the problems the tree had created were now forgotten and their impact was shrinking along with the tree. He reflects on the issues that had surrounded it and takes into consideration that since his problems have begun to disappear, so too is the tree. Gene looks back and explains the tree as a “steely, black steeple” that he feared but goes on to say that now it seems “weary” and “enfeebled” (6). Once again the past and present descriptions contradict each other, thus adding to his reflective tone by incorporating change in his life and the trees. Gene thinks about the stress the tree caused him and the memories that it held in its years and realizes that the issues no longer hold any threats. This adds to the reflective tone by including a flash back to how the tree once appeared to be and the feelings that once encompassed it in comparison to the little importance that it holds now.

Syntax

·         “My brain exploded. He minded, despised the possibility that I might be the head of the school. There was a swift chain of explosions in my brain, one certainly after another blasted up—up like a detonation went the idea of a best friend, up went affection and partnership…up went the hope that there was anyone in this school—in this world—whom I could trust” (Knowles 44-45).

·         “It was all cold trickery, it was all calculated, it was all enmity” (45).

Knowles example of unique syntax effectively expresses the development of Gene’s shortlived hatred towards Finny. The telegraphic sentence creates a resentful tone through quickly expressing how Gene felt. He is disgusted at the fact that Finny would be envious if Gene was head of the school. The repetition of “up went” adds to this anger by reinforcing all of the losses that he is encountering. As the repetition progresses, the resentful tone becomes stronger and the losses become more extreme. Knowles reinforces the resentful tone in the asyndeton sentence. By eliminating “and”, the sentence seems to be rushed thus involving anger. The repetition in this phrase also has a progression of anger and the seriousness of each statement.

·         “’Studying! You know, books. Work. Examinations” (49).

The use of the exclamation point in the first telegraphic sentence adds to the ferocity if the statement. Once again Gene is expressing his anger towards Phineas. The following telegraphic sentences add to the same furious tone. Since angry people commonly speak quickly and tersely it is accurate to assert that these sentences provide evidence of Gene’s ager towards Finny.

·         “You always were a savage underneath” (137).

The repetition of this phrase shows how the war has affected Leper. Although before the war training he would have never claimed this about Gene, he now does because he feels that he can see people as they really are. He realizes that Gene is not as innocent as he had believed him to be.

Text Connections

In A Separate Peace, John Knowles takes into consideration the mix of affection and jealousy that both binds together and tears apart Gene’s and Finny’s relationship. Gene often feels as though he must be “even” with Finny. He commonly acknowledges that if he is to become the valedictorian, then he and Finny would be “even”. Because Finny is superior to Gene in sports, Gene feels as though he must be surpass Finny on the academic level. The covetousness experienced by Gene begins to take over his life as he begins to evaluate every statement his “best friend” makes. Overwhelmed with both envy and intellectual superiority, he begins to separate himself from Finny and eventually doubts that he was ever truly friends with him. Attitudes change when Finny falls from a tree and shatters the bones in his leg. After the accident, Gene begins to be more affectionate to Finny— he supports him, helps him with his studies, and tries to be a companion to him in all ways possible—and in turn Finny attempts to bring about an Olympic  athlete in him. Because Gene fears that he caused the accident, he considers it his duty to make his friend as content as possible. These examples of care and envy in friendship are relatable to almost any adolescent who struggles with relationships. Many teenage girls covet their best friend’s looks, talents, or popularity and can connect to the stress that is felt in the boys’ relationship. Adolescents usually only want to fit in and often will compare themselves to others. Gene’s and Finny’s friendship is also relatable through the guilt Gene feels and his compensation for it. When people do something unjust or evil they commonly go to any measure to forget their wrongdoing. Many people try to achieve this by helping or trying to change the thoughts of the person who they hurt. This text-to-world connection is effective because it enforces the relatable mood in the novel.

Personal Review

A Separate Peace, written by John Knowles, is a touching novel which incorporates both the perils of friendship and World War II. The fear of war and the draft were acceptable fears during the mid twentieth century.  Although the beginning of the novel seemed to be slow and monotonous, the plot thickened and it became complex and interesting. Gene’s and Phineas’s relationship was not unlike others. Tensions grew between them before and after Finny’s accident. Since friendship is felt by everyone, the ideas Knowles incorporates about it are very relatable. Because many friendships incorporate jealousy, guilt, and feeling sorry, many young teens should be able to relate to this book.

Knowles’ incorporation of transformations in the adolescent boys added insight to the novel. The change in Finny’s behavior before and after his accident is an excellent way of explaining the pain he felt. The irony involved in his thoughts concerning the war was very insightful too. Also, Knowles use of Leper’s fear of the war is an ingenious way to integrate the problems that the war created in individuals. Ultimately the transformations in these boys and others buttressed the themes in the novel and the feelings about the war.

Although the motifs, themes, and figurative language in this novel were exquisite, the ending did not live up to my expectations. Even though Finny’s death was somewhat expected, I was not pleased with it. However, this displeasure did play an important role in the overall idea that war and the preparation for war can be just as dangerous as simple things such a friendship and injury. 

            The figurative language in this novel was outstanding as well as the inclusion of the feelings towards the war during this era. Knowles use of imagery, metaphor, and simile really bring the novel to life. Because of these aspects, I believe that it is important to read this book. A Separate Peace is filled with social and historical knowledge and thus should be used as a teaching tool.