A Separate Peace John Knowles Setting: The work is set at Devon, a private boarding school in New Hampshire on the Atlantic Coast during World War II. Two rivers run through the school's campus, one is the Devon River (fresh water) and the other is the Naguamsett River (salt water, swamp like consistency). Some of the work's action revolves around a predominate oak tree overhanging a creek. Background Information: The novel begins with the main …showed first 75 words of 1033 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1033 total…that Gene feels concerning his own ability is projected on others, allowing him to believe that they are the reason for his failure. This assumption is made about Finny but the reader sees that Finny's objective was simply to enjoy his life. Perhaps this aspect of Finny is what infuriated Gene the most. Finny's consistently unconcerned and apathetic attitude represented a peace that Gene could never acquire until he realized his own insecurities and jealousy.