A Separate Peace

"With the sensation I was throwing my life away, I jumped into space." (17)

I picked this quote because I liked how it was worded a lot. I mean, it seems like exactly how I would feel if I was jumping from a tree into water. Actually, I've done a few stupid stunts, and that was pretty much my exact process of thought. It reminds me of myself, but that's not why it's important. I think it's really important to Gene's character. It shows that he's being held back by his logical side when Phineas pushes him to do something stupid, but his pride seems to overtake his logical side and he does it anyway. At least, that's what I get from this sentence.

Why doesn't the writer show his name in this part of the book, but it's on the back?



Phineas:
I like his character a lot. He seems like the determined kind of person that you want to learn from. He seems superhuman, like nothing could ever hurt him physically or emotionally. With the way he dares to stand out and live instead of just exist, it's almost like nothing could ever stop him.

Adjectives: determined, dreamer, athletic, on-the-go, unpredictable


"Narrator":
I relate to him very well. He notices small things like I do. The houses, the steps... I notice small details about things, too, when I'm alone and have time to think by myself with no distractions. He seems like he wants to soak everything around him up, like he wants to hold on to it all. When he had the flashback to "Finny", he seemed to be very different. I think being around Phineas made Gene outgoing. Being alone changes that drastically.

Adjectives: perceptive, logical, quiet, living in the past, irresolute