Chapter 12: Explain what Gene means when he says, "Phineas, you wouldn't be any good in the war, even if nothing had happened to your leg." Do you think this is true? Why? -Boesch-Powers

In John Knowles’ A Separate Peace, Finny reveals to Gene that ever since he came back to
Devon, he has been writing letters in order to get drafted in the war. After he explains this,
Gene retorts that “[you] wouldn’t be any good in the war, even if nothing had happened to your
leg… you’d be over with the Germans or the Japs, asking if they’d like to field a baseball team
against our side” (190). 
A Separate Peace is a novel about coming of age, which we see Finny and Gene struggle with
throughout the book. Gene is portrayed as an over-thinker, yet a realist about everything
happening in the world outside of Devon, especially about the war. However, Finny is seen as
stuck in his own fantasy world, unwilling to accept what is going on in the real world. Part of this
fantasy includes Finny not accepting or understanding that there are evil people in the world who
are capable of doing bad things. He believes that everyone in the world is good and that all
conflict is avoidable. Not only is Gene talking about the outside war, but also his war on the
inside. Finny didn't allowing Gene to confess what happened on the tree, nor was he accepting
of it when it became very clear in the trial. This keeps the war inside of Gene's head, not granting
Gene the right to have closure.
Knowles is also showing Gene’s new found maturity. He has been living in his head since the
accident, so this moment, when he finally takes his thoughts out of his head, shows immense
growth and maturity. This also helps him to get closure. He describes what he said as
“expressing something long-felt and long-understood and released at last” (190). For the first
time in this novel, Gene is telling Finny what he really thinks and Finny listens. This is also the
beginning of a new understanding between them, which entails more honesty, more openness,
and less codependence. This comprehension that both of them finally have, shows that they
have started on the long path to achieving maturity.


Discussion Questions:

1. In this moment before we figure out that Finny passed away, who is further along on the path to maturity? Is it a tie? Why?

2. Why do you think that Finny didn't tell Gene that he was writing the letters to the different militaries? If he did, how do you think Gene would react?

3. Why do you think that Finny decided that there wasn't a war until he got a letter back telling him that he can enlist? How does this relate to what has been happening with the accident?


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