Beginning of Essay
The novel A Separate Peace includes many important themes. The author, John Knowles, was able to make the book more realistic because of his personal experiences. Knowles, like the characters in the book attended a boarding school. Many of his dilemmas were simila ....

Middle of Essay
.... what the attraction was. Even though it seemed like a strange and complicated friendship, Finny and Gene developed a strong bond. Unfortunately a strong bond could not withstand Gene's insecurities, as he faltered in Finny's unknown pressures of conforming. Another important theme is conformity. Conformity refers to the choices young people make regarding going along with the crowd and pursuing their own paths. They can either give in to peer pressure or be secure with their own individuality. Gene succumbs to peer pressure the first time he jumps off the limb into the Devon River. Even though he would have rather not done it, he went along w ....