An Analysis Of John Knowles 'A Separate Peace'

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Now and again in literature, an author’s life experience serves as the foundation and undercurrent for their narrative. John Knowles’ eloquent novel A Separate Peace, which details the fateful friendship of two adolescent boys coming-of-age during World War II, embodies such a fictional work. Without a doubt, Knowles’ own personal history permeates the novel, influencing the characters, plot, and setting of his timeless classic. As a first example, the author’s attendance at Phillips Exeter Academy during his formative years parallels the main characters’ enrollment at Devon School. Literary critic Zia Hasan confirms Knowles’ presence at Exeter during “a special summer wartime session, join[ing] a group called the Suicide Society [where] …show more content…

Author Fred McEwen explains how the the war, especially during the summer of 1942, shape Knowles’ adolescent point of view and develops a framework for A Separate Peace, as “the world of conflict [the author experiences] becomes a sort of analogue for the conflicts in the novel” (McEwen). Undoubtedly, the burden of growing up in the midst of a war inspires the author to include it as a central focus of his novel. This recurrent theme of war evident as Gene examines its influence on the school’s mission and curriculum, “the class above, seniors, draft-bait, practically soldiers, rushed ahead of us toward the war… caught up in accelerated courses and first-aid programs and a physical hardening regimen” (Knowles XX). Drawing from his own experience, Knowles details the war’s impact on Devon School and its students, enabling the reader to understand the drastic reach of the war. NEED CONCLUDING SENTENCE …show more content…

After graduating from Exeter Academy, Knowles joined the U.S. Army Air Corps but never saw action, “spend[ing] eight months in training programs in the United States before being discharged in 1945” (Bryant). Despite enlisting to actively serve on the front lines of the war, the author found himself relegated to training for the remainder of the war. In the same way, Leper, who desires an active role in the war, ended up “LEPER QUOTE HERE” (Knowles XX). After enlisting in the Ski Troops, Leper fails to encounter action during World War II, relating to the past war experiences of the author. Knowles’ manifestation of his past encounters with the war into the encounters of his characters further supports the reflection of biography onto literary

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