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A Separate Peace

A Separate Peace. An Introduction & Discussion for Chapter 1. Introduction to the Novel. 2 friends at school one summer in the early years of World War II Begins: Fall of 1958 Flashback: Summer of 1942. World War II. 1939 - 1945 Worldwide conflict involving every major power in the world.

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A Separate Peace

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  1. A Separate Peace An Introduction & Discussion for Chapter 1

  2. Introduction to the Novel • 2 friends at school one summer in the early years of World War II • Begins: Fall of 1958 • Flashback: Summer of 1942

  3. World War II • 1939 - 1945 • Worldwide conflict involving every major power in the world. • We, America, did not want to be involved in another European War like World War I • We tried to help while trying to stay out of the war, but… • Bombing of Pearl Harbor sparks our involvement

  4. Life at School • Sheltered from direct contact with the war • Life filled with studies, games, sports, and fun • Rest of the world? War!

  5. 3 Main Sources of Communication • Radio • Newspaper – acts as a historical record of the times • Word-of-Mouth *Pre-age of TV *We will be concerned with Newspaper media – the boys would have preferred to maintain their “separate peace” but the news keeps encroaching on their oasis.

  6. Chapter 1 • Return to 16/17 initiation years • What will he learn from each event? • What “wars” are taking place? • Internal • External Wars!

  7. Differences: Then vs. Now • School: • Before: Vibrant • Now: Museum-like; preserved • Self: • Before: Lived in fear without understanding • Now: Able to evaluate the fear and its influence on his life

  8. Why does Gene return? • To compare his emotional status between then and now

  9. What two places does he visit? “There were a couple of places now which I wanted to see. Both were fearful sites, and that was why I wanted to see them” (2).

  10. The Academic Building • Main Hall / 1st Building “In through swinging doors I reached a marble foyer, and stopped at the foot of a long white marble flight of stairs…” (3).

  11. The Tree • “The tree was not only stripped by the cold season, it seemed weary from age, enfeebled, dry, I was thankful, very thankful that I had seen it. So the more things remain the same, the more they change after all – plus c’est la meme chose, plus ca change. Nothing endures, not a tree, not love, not even a death by violence. Changed, I headed back through the mud. I was drenched; anybody could see it was time to come in out of the rain” (6).

  12. Flashback • Summer of 1942 • “The Tree was tremendous…” (6)

  13. Symbols to Watch For • Mud • Mud when he jumps • Mud in the present • Rain/Water • Fog – blurs vision – cannot see clearly the things important to him in youth • Tree – physical difference (appearances/scars)

  14. John Knowles – the author • Doesn’t linger on the tree • Descriptions are packed with religious terms: Steeple, damned, hell • What does this suggest about the tree?

  15. The Tree Jump from the Tree • Rejection of what aspect of life? • Baptism by river (water = cleansing) • Before: Gene sticks to rules • After: Moves away from them

  16. Phineas (Finny) • Finny = different than Gene • Gene makes him into a demi-god • Perfect; one to be worshipped • Movement flows easily • Leader • Gene = Follower

  17. Characterization • Gene and Finny • How are they alike? • How are they different?

  18. Metaphors to Track • The Tree • Blitzball and the Snowball Fight • Finny’s Clothes • The Winter Carnival • World War II and Phineas

  19. The Assignment • Analyze each of the symbols as you read • What does each stand for? • Examine/Consider all aspects of each – including rules, activities, etc.

  20. Homework • Read Chapters 2 and 3 for Friday

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