What is symbolic in that fact that the summer session is coming to an end – look specifically at the passage on page 67? (Chapter 5) - BAILY


In the book A Separate Peace, the author John Knowles, uses Gene and Finny's summer
time activities and summertime endings, as a symbol for their relationship together. Soon
after Finny had been sent back home because of his tree injury, Gene says that, “The
Summer Sessions closed, officially came to an end. But to me, it seemed irresolutely
suspended” (Knowles 67). Later into the summer, Gene took a trip to go and see Finny.
When they met, Gene told Finny he believed he was the reason Finny fell from the tree.
When he told Finny this, he said that Finny, “looked older than I had ever seen him before”
(Knowles 70). Knowles was very intentional in that passage, to let the reader know something
had changed in Finny. Although not for sure, their relationship will probably be completely
changed, if not ended, because of Gene’s confession. This continues the pattern of their
relationship shadowing the summer. Like how they were a good summer, but at the same time,
there was an underlying weakness in it. For the summer, it’s WWII, and for their relationship,
it’s Gene’s sudden distrust in Finny. And now, as the summer comes to a sudden, “strangely
halted” (67) end, so does their relationship. Knowles has been directly connecting the two,
allowing the reader to get a clear and general idea to what’s happening in their relationship.
And what to expect now that the happy and warm summer, is slowly moving into a cold
and bitter winter. 
  1. Do you think John Knowles will continue to use the seasons as a symbol of Gene and Finny’s relationship? 
  2. What might the other seasons look for them?
  3. What are some other examples of the connection between events in the summer, and their relationship? 
  4. Do you think there will be another summer in their relationship? 

Comments

  1. AnonymousApril 15, 2020 at 9:00 AM

    Throughout the summer, Finny and Gene's relationship changes drastically, and will continue to throughout the school year. At the beginning of summer, Gene and Finny are as close as can be, and Finny even tells Gene that he’s his best friend. As the summer progresses, Finny and Gene grow further apart, which eventually leads to Gene “causing” Finny to fall off the tree. I think as the seasons progress, Finny and Gene will grow further apart, and the things that happen between them will worsen. For example, maybe next time one of them gets hurt, it’s worse than just a broken leg. Also, the seasons changing could lead to more emotional pain between the two friends, and extra hate from Gene to Finny.

    What do you think could happen in the future between the two friends?

    Will WWII have any impact on what happens in the seasons?

    ReplyDelete
  2. leilabpApril 15, 2020 at 11:31 AM

    As we talked about in the beginning of ASP, the seasons symbolize pretty much light and dark. The summer, when it's warm and sunny and bright out for more hours, shows that Finny and Gene's relationship is doing well. But as we transition more towards fall and winter, when it's colder and darker, I think that their relationship will turn for the worse. I think that they will fake it for a while, but inside Gene's head will be complete paranoia and guilt. Eventually, though against Finny's wishes, I believe that their relationship will die down and they will be strangers by the spring. After the spring, I believe that Gene will be too overcome by guilt, so he will leave the Devon School and never look back.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousApril 15, 2020 at 6:26 PM

    Throughout the seasons, the relationship between Gene and Finny will change just like it did in the summer. Gene is having to deal with so much guilt and emotions, so it makes a lot of sense that the seasons are getting close to fall and winter. These seasons are usually tied to things like darkness and being sad or alone. Which are feelings that Gene and Finny are going through. To Answer Ollie's questions about what will happen in the future of their friendship, I think that there will be another high action scene. Both of them are in very confusing places in their friendship so either they both let out all their feelings, or try to forget about what happened. I believe Gene and Finny will try to forget what happen but end up confronting each other in a high point of action.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousApril 15, 2020 at 6:56 PM

    Knowles has used the seasons as a symbol for how Gene is feeling and Gene and Finny's friendship since the beginning of the story, and I believe they will continue to do so. As the seasons grow colder, so does Gene's relationship with Finny. Even while it is still summer, Gene starts to believe that Finny is out to get him, and that they are somehow in a competition. Gene still feels guilty about what happened because when he tried to tell Finny he rejected the information, and Gene never got closure on the incident. I suspect that the relationship between finny and Gene will be strained as the year continues, possibly ending with another big injury.

    How do you think Gene's internal conflict may be resolved?

    ReplyDelete

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