Transcript ASP Intro PowerPoint

Introduction to
A Separate Peace
By John Knowles
About the Author
John Knowles
• Born in West Virginia on September
16, 1926. Died November 29, 2001 in
Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
• Knowles was educated at Phillips
Exeter Academy, which served as a
model for the setting of A Separate
Peace.
•After graduating he spent 8 months
in the Air Force.
• A Separate Peace was Knowles’ first
work, which earned him the Rosenthal
Award of the National Institute of Arts
and Letters. This established Knowles
as a successful author.
•Deals with coming of age and how
children cope in a time of war
Phillips Exeter Academy
• Devon School, the setting of A Separate Peace, is based
heavily on the Phillips Exeter Academy.
Phillips Exeter Academy
Plot Overview
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Story is told as a flashback to 16 years ago from Gene Forrester’s
perspective
Gene was a quiet, intellectual student at the Devon School in New
Hampshire.
During the summer session of 1942, Gene becomes close friends
with Finny, his daredevil roommate
The story follows the trials and tribulations of both boys as they
cope with their differences and also outside influences
A Separate Peace
Characters
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Gene Forrester
Finny
Elwin “Leper” Lepellier
Brinker Hadley
Cliff Quackenbush
Chet Douglass
Mr. Ludsbury
Dr. Stanpole
Mr. Patch-Withers
Main Themes
The nature of friendship.
The relationship between Gene and Finny is the novel’s focus.
Loss of Innocence.
The plot is dominated by Gene’s progression toward maturity.
The relationship between war and peace.
The backdrop of the war plays a vital role in the novel.
People’s ability to change.
Is change really possible?
Duality of man
Is man inherently good, evil, or a combination?
Historical Context
World War II
• Began in 1939 when the Germans invaded Poland, and officially
ended in August 1945, when the Japanese surrendered.
• A Separate Peace takes place during the summer of 1942, directly
in the center of World War II.
In America:
In order to cope with the war, America instituted rations on books,
sugar, coffee, and other goods.
• To conserve gasoline, a national 35 MPH speed limit was
implemented, and driving for pleasure was banned.
•By the summer of 1942, many Americans realized that the war was
far from over.
The Axis Powers
Four Faces of Aggression:
Japan
Tojo Hideki
Italy
Germany
Allied Forces- The Big 3
Winston
ChurchillEngland
Franklin D.
RooseveltU.S
Joseph
StalinU.S.S.R.