【Book Review】A Separate Peace

    

     Gene Forrester returns to his school which he went to fifteen years ago. Walking through the campus, he recalls his past experience and tells a tragic story which happens fifteen years ago. The story takes place in the summer of 1942 at the Devon School in New Hampshire. Gene, a quiet, well-disciplined, and clever student, has a close friend called Finny, who is athletic and charming. Through the progress of the plot, the relationship between these two best friends starts to transform. The gradual increment of this transformation ultimately possesses a tremendous influence on both characters…   

    This modern classic is assigned by our teacher as the reading material for the English class. To be frank, I rarely have satisfying reading experiences especially when it comes to books which are required by our school. But to my surprise, this book is an exception. I find great pleasure reading through this book. As a famous work, A Separate Peace does contain some profound issues that I really want to have a general discussion about.

-Spoiler Alert!!-

    The most common reason for me to enjoy a book is that I love one or several of the characters in the book. However, this assumption is no longer true when it comes to A Separate Peace. I don’t particularly adore any of the characters though many of my classmates have strong affections toward Finny. What I really want to have a deeper discussion of is the character development of Gene. Because I also wrote an essay about this issue as a school assignment, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to closely examine the mental state of Gene throughout the novel.    

    Here is my essay about Gene and Finny's relationship:

 http://ivysbookblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/book-essaya-separate-peace.html

    Gene is a character with great confrontation in his heart. He envies his best friend Finny, but at the same time possesses deep affection toward him which even Gene himself doesn’t realize. Before Finny falls from the tree, Gene always bears these negative speculations. He assumes that Finny has spiteful intention behind his every behaviors. EVERYTHING changes after the fall of Finny. (At this point, I have to doubt whether Gene causes the fall of Finny intentionally or not. I prone to believe it’s just Gene’s unconscious behavior.) Their seemingly peaceful but actually competitive relationship transforms into something much more different. It’s evident in the second half of the novel that Gene and Finny possess a codependent relationship with each other. While Gene wears Finny’s clothes, Finny trains Gene to become an athlete for the purpose of joining the Olympic Games in the future. These actions are all clear indications of their codependence. Gene has such a strong affection towards Finny that he chooses to blur his own identity. The love-hate relationship between Gene and Finny is so intriguing that through my reading process, I have to constantly consider whether or not there are emotions which are more than mere friendship within this book. After doing some researches on the internet, I ascertain that I am not the only person who has the same interrogatory.

    Asides from the characters’ developments, there are other issues that I feel like discussing. First of all, I’d like to briefly share my thoughts about the title. I know that the story takes place during the World War II when teenage boys are assigned to the army. Comparing to the cruelty of the outside world, Devon School where the main characters live and study is just like a protection which not only isolates students but also provides them with peaceful life. The book is called A Separate Peace because on one hand, students live in a separate environment and they are disconnected to the outside world. On the other hand, they are able to maintain peace at the same time. My further thought is that the incidence of Finny falling from the trees represents the maturation, or in other words, the loss of innocence of these teenagers. The summer session in Devon, the period before Finny falls from the tree, is full of enjoyment and laughter. During this period, students have no consideration about the possibility of joining the army, though the teachers may conceal their worries. It’s likely to say that they are innocent in the summer session. Then comes the winter session, the dread period after Finny’s fall, which is cold, dark, and full of strenuous physical labor. At the same time, students start to envision their possible future which is filled with battles and death. The fall of Finny directly indicates this transformation which, from my perspective, is cruel and heartbroken.

    Now I want to discuss something more delightful. My favorite part of the book is obviously the little beach journey that Finny and Gene take at night. I can see their playfulness and intimate communication. This part is probably the last part where these two characters can have the opportunity to solely play and enjoy their time with each other. Every time I think about this, I just want to burst into tears.

    Finally, I have something to say about the rating on Goodreads. It’s quite shocking to me that A Separate Peace only gets 3.55 out 5 on the Goodreads rating. This is a strong reminder to me that I should never only trust the rating, instead, I am supposed to read the book myself then make my own judgment.