Character evolution in A Separate Peace by John Knowles

Character evolution in A Separate Peace by John Knowles

In A Separate peace novel by John Knowles, Gene is portrayed as an innocent character who; leads a painful childhood. The painful childhood experiences helped him to deeply understand his journey into adulthood and his place in the world. At first, Knowles portrays Gene as innocent, unconcerned and his self-absorption was focused onto the tree that later on tested his real being. Conformity shields growth; people grow through struggles, conflicts and challenges. As the novel ends, John illustrates how Gene lost his innocence and gained more life experience by accepting his dark motives like being jealous of his friend Finny.

Childhood innocence is a representation of happiness and conformity. Knowles opens his novel with Gene as an innocent child who was contented with life the way it was. He led a comfortable life and always obeyed the rules and only rebelled through sarcasm. Obedience is a virtue that keeps one safe; however, it does not help someone grow their character (Knowles). People grow through conflicts and struggles but not through comfortable lifestyles. Therefore, Gene’s innocent and comfortable lifestyle shielded him against struggles, conflicts and challenges that would have helped him grow.

Whim and daring friends can push us from our comfort zones and help us experience a life unbounded by specific rules and traditions. Gene’s best friend Finny was whim and daring. He pushed Gene from his conformity shield and encouraged him to directly face the world and experience it without set rules and traditions. He introduces Gene to the forbidden tree-jump which later own brought Gene to new life awareness and dark motives. Finny was free and outgoing. This became a threat to Gene, and hence it made him react like a child. He would act sullen, withdrawn and sometimes indirectly objected issues he was not comfortable with (Knowles). Gene never joined Finny freely, honestly and wholeheartedly; instead, he suppressed all his feelings towards Finny, which led him into new character conformity of jealousness. The subdued and mixed feelings towards his friend were a childish act. This changed into resentment, and later, Gene destroyed his friend’s life.

Moving out of a comfort and conformity zone is often accompanied by suspicious feelings. According to Gene, Finny was deliberately pushing him into failure. Gene knew and believed that obedience was paramount in winning and staying safe. Therefore, through a psychological thought, Finny was an enemy of progress in Gene’s life since he encouraged him to break the rules and explore other limits (Knowles). Thus, in defence of his inner anger and thoughts, he navigated through his studies and became the best student, beating Finny (Knowles). However, Gene suddenly discovered that Finny was never his enemy but was just being himself; careless, free and unbothered. He was devastated, and his resentment became meaningless as well. Finny was not Gene’s enemy or rival, and this realization belittles Gene and renders him insignificant. The insult rages him and pushes him further into destroying his friend’s life by making him fall, paralyze and later die.

Finny’s death signified the physical release of Gene’s emotions and tensions that had build-up all along. He even got the courage to jump from the tree, unlike before. At first, Knowles illustrates that Gene would not accept his mistake; he resisted the truth at all cost. However, during his last conversation with his friend, he agrees with his mistake, apologizes and Finny forgave him (Knowles). This marked his transition from childhood to adulthood.

In conclusion, conformity makes one safe but does not help one to grow. Gene led a comfortable life during his childhood. However, Finny enabled him to view the world differently and face the un-ending challenges that helped him grow into a responsible, insightful and compassionate adult.

Works cited

Knowles, John. A separate peace. Simon and Schuster, 2014.