A SEPERATE PEACE
In the novel, A Separate Peace, by John Knowles, portrays in perfect detail a multitude of instances involving true human nature. Gene Forrester, the narrator of the book, is a prime example of the evils of human nature. Gene is generally viewed as a simple and harmless person. However, his path is paved with suffering through his friends. Through his adolescent years, Gene came to paranoid about his best friend, Finny. He believed Finny was "... Out to get [him]," in order to ruin his academic career. He fails to see and understand the true friend that Finny is until it is too late. Gene's anger and jealousy manifested itself in his subconscious as he jounced the limb of a tree that Finny was standing on which made him fall. Gene's own competitiveness and paranoia are ultimately the factors which seriously jeopardize Finny's well being.
Finny Plantation, Rodsley, Derbyshire
A Separate Peace
"Jealousy and Flirtation" depicts a woman jealous ...Gene's paranoia and jealousy are what ultimately brought about his betrayal of Finny.
Gene's paranoia and jealousy were controlling him when he jounced the limb Finny stood on. Gene delved into a world of betrayal as he seriously impaired his best friend. Finny wanted to do "A jump. A double jump," in order to symbolize his friendship with Gene. However, Gene had been taken over by his jealousy. He became paranoid and believed that Finny was "... Out to get [him]," by ruining his academic career. Somehow, Gene had conjured up the idea that since Finny was the best athlete in school and he was the best student, the should be some competitiveness separating them. In reality, he was really jealous of Finny. Gene was not as athletic or as charismatic as him and secretly wanted to be. He used the idea of a competition between them in order...