A Seperate Peace wasn't one of my favorite books. I felt like the book never changed tones to show things like the climax, it just all seemed like everything was standstill. The only part that kept me interested was when Phineas died and I think it kept me interested because of the way he died. I didn't know you could die from bone marrow. I think Gene is the reason Phineas died. If it wasn't for Gene's jealousy of Phineas, then Gene would have never made Phineas fall from the tree. Also has anyone else notice that at least one person died in every book we read?
I think my favorite character of the book was Phineas. I liked Phineas because he just loved the competition of things and didn't care if there was a winner or loser. An example is when he invented Blitzball because everyone compete with everything they had, but no one wins. I also think Phineas' perspective on competition shows his perspective on other people. He didn't look down on anybody he always thought of the best in people and considers no one as his enemy. I think that is why Phineas believed that there was no war because since he didn't have enemies he didn't know what they were. I also liked how Phineas really never got mad. He always seemed to be calm in any situation, at least until the end before he died.
I think a major theme in the book was being your own enemy. The war seemed to be the reason why the characters became their own enemy. Gene states that he was in his own war at Devon, and he killed his enemy there. The envious side of him was his enemy and it made him push Phineas off of the branch. Phineas was his own enemy because he was too innocent. His innocence could have led to his death because he was in a war-torn world, and he was too good for that. I guess you could say that everybody is there own worst enemy, because everyone creates their own enemy that they must go to "war" with.
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It's interesting that no one ever wins at Phineas' game. Is this a way of saying that war is pointless, and with no true victor? Of course, you are entirely right about the internal battles which are presented to the characters.
ReplyDeletePhineas never did have a winner or a loser in his games because I believe he wanted everyone to be equal. No one was on sides, they were just there to have fun. Like the snowball fight. He attacked his own side so no one would win. Everyone would turn on him and as they walked away from it they would all have the sensation they won. Gene was right. Phineas would be no good at war because he would make friends with the enemy and trade uniforms and things like that. The best way I guess you could describe Phineas is very friendly and happy-go-lucky.
ReplyDeleteI like what you said about everyone being their own enemy. I definitely hadn't seen that while reading the book, but totally understood what you were saying. Made me think, for sure.
ReplyDeleteI though that A Separte Peace was most definately one of my favoirte books! I can relate to the guys in the book and all their little problems. And that is truw how Finny's perspective about competition is for everyone, but Gene was just his most.
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