A Separate Peace

"The Devon faculty had never before experienced a student who combined a calm ignorance of the rules with a winning urge to be good, who seemed to love the school truly and deeply, and never more than when he was breaking the regulations, a model boy who was most comfortable in the truant's corner. The faculty threw up its hands over Phineas, and so loosened its grip on all of us."


I found this paragraph humorous, because Gene, in my opinion, is making fun of the fact that the school faculty believes every word Finny says when he's in trouble, and making up excuses as to why he is always late or breaking other school rules. It seems like he is mocking adult authority, by implying the adults are naive as well as gullible. He then puts Finny up on a pedestal by admiring the skill he has of getting himself and the other boys out of trouble. I can't tell if this admiration Gene has is sarcastic or genuine, but my hunch is that it's a secret sarcastic admiration, but at the same time a genuine one.

A Separate Peace

"You were very good," said Finny good-humoredly, "once I shamed you into it."
"You didn't shame anybody into anything."
"Oh yes I did. I'm good for you that way. You have a tendency to back away from things otherwise."
"I never backed away from anything in my life!" I cried, my indignation at this charge naturally stronger because it was so true.


I like this part of the book, because this type of argument is familiar between teenage boys. When Finny makes the comment about Gene being shamed by him, it makes Gene sound cowardly and easily influenced. Most boys will do that to one another to look superior and earn the approval and admiration from others around. In Gene's case however, one can tell that he has no admiration and approval for finny, because Finny basically just insulted him. In my opinion, males are humorous in this fashion, because when studied, people around can tell that one is putting on a show, and quietly fighting to become the alpha dog.