a separate peace by john knowles sparknotes

Summer Session ends, and Gene returns home. Gene gets ready to tell Finny the truth but, he doesn't get the chance, and soon, Finny is sent home to recuperate. Gene learns that Finny will no longer be able to play sports Gene cannot believe the news. At last, Gene is allowed to visit Finny in the infirmary. Gene learns that one of Finny's legs had been 'shattered' in the fall Gene grows very guilty about the accident. Once they are on the tree, Gene 'jostles' the limb, and Finny loses his balance and falls Gene seems unconcerned for his friend. Gene and Finny decide to do jump off the tree together. Gene, somewhat appeased, goes to the jumping tree with Finny. Finny says he thought that Gene never needed to study. Gene thinks this is Finny's way of trying to sabotage his grades. When Finny asks Gene to come see a friend jump from their tree the night before exams, Gene vehemently objects. Gene finds it hard to compete with Finny, but continues to improve.

Finny is the best in the school in athletics Gene knows that he can be the best in academics, if Finny wouldn't take up so much of his time. That night, Finny admits that he considers Gene his best friend, which touches Gene deeply but somehow Gene can't say the same thing.įinny mocks Gene's scholarly ambition, and Gene begins to believe that Finny is trying to come out ahead. Finny proposes that they go to the beach, which means big trouble if they are caught Gene decides to go along. Finny makes up a game called 'blitzball,' sort of a variation on rugby and football the game is a hit that summer.įinny casually and easily breaks a school swimming record Finny also refuses to do it again and have it count. Some of Finny and Gene's friends begin to join their new club. Gene goes onto the diving limb with Finny, and loses his balance Finny stops Gene from falling, and Gene soon realizes that his friend saved his life. Patch-Withers is taken by surprise, and does not punish Finny.įinny and Gene come up with the idea for a 'Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session,' a group for exciting and dangerous things. Finny concocts some nonsense excuse, at which Mr. Patch-Withers notices that Finny has used the school tie as his belt, which is a heavy offense. Patch-Withers, gives a tea for their class. Gene is normally a conservative, conformist type person, but around Phineas, he consents to break the rules more often.įinny is an anomaly at Devon he is a good student and athlete, but also a charming, likeable rule-breaker. On their first attempt to jump off a huge tree into the river, Phineas, being the daredevil, goes firstand Gene is the only one who follows.

The narrative shifts back 15 years, to Gene's days with Phineas. The narrator, Gene, returns to the Devon School in New Hampshire, where he was a student with his friend Phineas 15 years ago, just as World War II began.

A separate peace by john knowles sparknotes