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A separate peace, symbolism wi

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A separate peace, symbolism wi


John Knowles uses the literary element of symbolism in his novel, A Separate Peace. Gene, a student at the Devon Prep School in New Hampshire, tries to understand the love, hate, and jealousy that he feels for his roommate Phineas, nicknamed "Finny." Knowles uses the Assembly Hall, the marble staircase, and the locker room to symbolize how Gene's spitefulness affects Finny, and how this effect leads Gene into adulthood.

As the effects of Gene's spiteful feelings toward Finny are developed, the Assembly Hall in which Gene's trial takes place is symbolic. Brinker, a classmate, lead some of Gene's peers to bring him to the Assembly Hall. At this time, Gene further realizes that he shook the limb on purpose, which causes Finny to fall out of the tree. Gene's peers are beginning to doubt his innocence. Finny has a burst of anger at the end of Gene's trial in the Assembly Hall. During this outburst, Finny says; "I just don't care. Nevermind" (168). Finny's outburst causes his second injury, which is rooted in Gene's spitefulness towards him. Gene's feelings and their effects are linked together by the Assembly Hall. Finny's anger toward the events of the trial eventually leads to his own death as he storms out into the corridor.

As Finny runs down the corridor, the marble staircase that he approaches is symbolic. Finny storms out of the Assembly Hall in which Gene's trial is being held and begins running down the corridor. At this point, Finny fully realizes that Gene intentionally shook the limb, which made Finny fall out ...

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