Comparing "A separate Peace" by John Knowles with "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley.

Essay by Rachi321High School, 10th gradeA+, October 2003

download word file, 2 pages 0.0

Someone once said " Competition does not build character it reveals it." This quote can be interpreted as meaning while competing against peers your true personality shows and is revealed. This statement can be related to novels A Separate Peace by John Knowles and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. In both works the protagonist fights an ongoing battle and eventually shows the reader their true character. Gene Forrester and Victor Frankenstein perfectly prove that this statement is accurate.

Throughout the novel A Separate Peace Gene is involved with an ongoing battle with his best friends Phineas. The trouble begins when Finny jumps off a tree and persuades Gene to do it as well. Gene isn't one hundred percent sure about making a decision concerning his life, but he does it anyway to prove that he is strong and wont be made fun of by Finny. Gene tries to hide the fact that he is scared and not a big risk taker like Finny by jumping off the tree, this simple competition between the two boys shows us that Gene is different from Finny and isn't as calm, or brave as Finny.

Later on Finny breaks a swimming record and refuses to tell anyone. He just likes the fact that he broke it. Any other person would be proud and want to inform the whole world but Finny isn't like that he exposes his humble and modest side by not wanting to tell everybody. Gene, without realizing shows us that he is jealous of Finny's ability to break record and wishes that he could do the same. When Finny and Gene decide to do a double jump Gene jounces the limb causing Finny to fall to the ground and shatters his leg. Gene still has many insecurities about his friendship with Finny...