A look at the ideas evident in John Knowles' book, A Separate Peace , has begun its invasion of the school.” The peaceful atmosphere of Devon was abruptly interrupted when the maids and reapers were called up for war duty. These examples and others amplify World War II as a vital and significant event against the backdrop of A Separate Peace. The motifs of war and sport are linked, Finny's absence brings war to Devon, and Phineas and Gene have a number of important connections to the war. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay A Separate Peace is a novel filled with myriad symbolic and allegorical meanings, and among the most important are the recurring motifs of sport and war. When Phineas, Devon's best athlete, falls, he becomes a casualty and is excluded from the war forever. Throughout the novel, Finny repeatedly discusses the war with Gene, saying, “that's the whole story of the war. A medicinal drug. . . Fat old men who don't want us to force them to quit their jobs. They invented it." Only towards the end of Finny's life is the truth revealed to us that Finny wishes to take part in the war. But this can never happen because Finny is a representation of peace; peace and war can never mix and this leads to Phineas' death. Likewise, after his fall, Finny trains Gene for the 1944 Olympic Games even though Gene insists that the Olympics will be canceled due to the war. This is because Phineas cannot realize his dream and participate himself. This further develops the concept that "Phineas thought of [Gene] as an extension of himself" and that Gene is truly "full of Phineas". Phineas' persistence for Gene to participate in the Olympics develops the relationship between him and Gene. Finny takes on the role of a coach or a father while Gene becomes the athlete or the child because Finny hopes that Gene will make his dreams come true for him. Blitzball, another representation of the motifs, embodies war. Blitzball is named after the German military tactic Blitzkrieg. It is based on the principle that everyone is the enemy, similar to war in real life. Through Phineas, John Knowles brings together two completely opposite ideas and exemplifies how they can never live in harmony. Likewise, when Phineas and the concept of sport leave Devon, war slowly creeps in. As Phineas himself stated, “sports don't seem that important with the war going on.” This is first shown at the start of the winter session, but later confirmed after his death. During Finny's rehabilitation, Brinker and Gene decide to join the war effort. Gene also attempts to take on a job which, much to Finny's chagrin, "has [nothing] to do with sports". Only after Finny's return does Gene realize that he needs Finny and that this is reciprocated by Phineas. After Finny's death, part of Devon is donated to the war effort to build parachutes. This is the final piece of the puzzle needed to understand that war has come to Devon. After his subsequent conversation with Mr. Hadley, himself a military veteran, Gene leaves Devon to join the war. He later goes on to say, “I was always on active duty at school; There I killed my enemy." This supports the idea of the war entering Devon much earlier and justifies notions of maturation and his entry into the war. Additionally, both Gene and Phineas have multiple connections to the. . .."

Topic > A look at the ideas evident in John Knowles' book, A Separate Peace , has begun its invasion of the school.” The peaceful atmosphere of Devon was abruptly interrupted when the maids and reapers were called up for war duty. These examples and others amplify World War II as a vital and significant event against the backdrop of A Separate Peace. The motifs of war and sport are linked, Finny's absence brings war to Devon, and Phineas and Gene have a number of important connections to the war. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay A Separate Peace is a novel filled with myriad symbolic and allegorical meanings, and among the most important are the recurring motifs of sport and war. When Phineas, Devon's best athlete, falls, he becomes a casualty and is excluded from the war forever. Throughout the novel, Finny repeatedly discusses the war with Gene, saying, “that's the whole story of the war. A medicinal drug. . . Fat old men who don't want us to force them to quit their jobs. They invented it." Only towards the end of Finny's life is the truth revealed to us that Finny wishes to take part in the war. But this can never happen because Finny is a representation of peace; peace and war can never mix and this leads to Phineas' death. Likewise, after his fall, Finny trains Gene for the 1944 Olympic Games even though Gene insists that the Olympics will be canceled due to the war. This is because Phineas cannot realize his dream and participate himself. This further develops the concept that "Phineas thought of [Gene] as an extension of himself" and that Gene is truly "full of Phineas". Phineas' persistence for Gene to participate in the Olympics develops the relationship between him and Gene. Finny takes on the role of a coach or a father while Gene becomes the athlete or the child because Finny hopes that Gene will make his dreams come true for him. Blitzball, another representation of the motifs, embodies war. Blitzball is named after the German military tactic Blitzkrieg. It is based on the principle that everyone is the enemy, similar to war in real life. Through Phineas, John Knowles brings together two completely opposite ideas and exemplifies how they can never live in harmony. Likewise, when Phineas and the concept of sport leave Devon, war slowly creeps in. As Phineas himself stated, “sports don't seem that important with the war going on.” This is first shown at the start of the winter session, but later confirmed after his death. During Finny's rehabilitation, Brinker and Gene decide to join the war effort. Gene also attempts to take on a job which, much to Finny's chagrin, "has [nothing] to do with sports". Only after Finny's return does Gene realize that he needs Finny and that this is reciprocated by Phineas. After Finny's death, part of Devon is donated to the war effort to build parachutes. This is the final piece of the puzzle needed to understand that war has come to Devon. After his subsequent conversation with Mr. Hadley, himself a military veteran, Gene leaves Devon to join the war. He later goes on to say, “I was always on active duty at school; There I killed my enemy." This supports the idea of the war entering Devon much earlier and justifies notions of maturation and his entry into the war. Additionally, both Gene and Phineas have multiple connections to the. . .."