Invitable Conflicta Separate Peace
Submitted by ughstinkysocks on 06/30/2008 05:21 PM
- Category: Psychology
- Words: 1997
- Pages: 8
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Invitable Conflicta Separate Peace
October 23, 2002
Inevitable Conflict
John Knowles manipulates numerous conflicts to develop the individuality of each of the characters in his novel, A Separate Peace. The story revolves around the principal conflicts of jealousy, guilt, and World War II. Each conflict is also used by Mr. Knowles to develop the chain of events, each linked to the next in various ways, and to serve as a clash to heighten the plot of the novel.
Jealousy, one of the main conflicts, is elaborated throughout the novel. In chapter four (p.45), Gene cogitates, "I found it. I found a single sustaining thought. The thought was, You and Phineas are even already. You are even in enmity. You are both coldly driving ahead for yourselves aloneĀ
I felt better. Yes, I sensed it like the sweat of relief when nausea passes away; I felt better. We were even after all, even in enmity. The deadly rivalry was on both sides." This statement reveals the fact that Gene feels as if there is a strong envy between Finny and him. The truth, however, is that the jealousy is one-sided. Gene is jealous of Finny, who has the best athletic talent at Devon School, has a personality which seems to attract everyone, including the stern teachers, and has an ability to talk his way out of trouble. The visualization of a "deadly rivalry" enables Gene to cultivate a technique to deal with the envy and resentment, and avoid any feelings of shame for reacting in this manner. This tactic revolves around the idea that Finny is envious of Gene's academic abilities just as he resents Finny's athleticism. Gene also concludes that Finny has been deliberately trying to ruin his grades with blitzball, the Super Suicidal Society, and other activities, such as going down to the beach the day before his trigonometry test. However, this image of a rivalry is short-lived as Gene realizes that it is he who is jealous. Gene states at the end of chapter 4 (p. 51), "He had never been jealous of...
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