Реферат: Notes For A Separate Peace Essay Research

OTHER ELEMENTS

Imagery

Knowles incorporates many vivid images into his novel. The first

part of the book contains abundant pastoral images and descriptive

passages. The school is described in almost Eden-like terms with

its enormous playing fields, healthy green turf, gently flowing

river, and calling birds. This peaceful environment serves as a

sharp contrast to the world war that rages in Europe and the

personal conflict that rages in Gene’s mind. Throughout the novel,

the images of water take on symbolic significance. Gene gets a

baptism in to his Finny-like life in the clean, delightful waters of

the Devon River. In contrast, he gets muddied by the dirty, nasty

Naguamsett River during the time that he is in turmoil over Finny’s

accident. Gene also sees Finny’s leg cast like a sea anchor,

weighing both of them down.

The tree that hangs over the river is an important and symbolic

image throughout the book. It offers Gene the first opportunity to

become more like Finny; he jumps from its branches into the

Devon River below, a daring feat that scares him to death. It is also

the tree that causes the creation of the Super Suicide Society,

formed by Finny to celebrate freedom and disregard of authority.

Most importantly, the tree allows Gene to punish Finny for his

superiority; he pushes his friend from the tree, causing him to

become a cripple.

Indirectly, the tree leads to Gene’s self-examination and acceptance

of who he is and his relationship to Finny. During Finny’s absence

from school, Gene, for the first, time starts acting on his own. In

the past, he had always done things the way that Finny had wanted

him to do. When Finny returns to school, Gene realizes that Finny