Electronic Journal #3

Throughout the novel, it makes apt references to the war and situates the young adults to make rapid decisions. After a couple of weeks through the Winter Session at Devon School, Finny (Phineas) returns and surprises Gene at his dorm. The next day, Finny decides that he wants to explore the campus before returning to his studies to absorb the winter season. He drags Gene along on his journey outside while he somewhat struggles on his crutches but is said to walk smoothly rather than how normally walked as an athlete. They venture to the gym and Finny says he is going to prepare him for the ’44 Olympics to replace himself. This training continues throughout the several months. Also, while on their trip to the gym, they encounter the inevitability of the war dilemma. Finny reveals his point of view saying that it’s all a hoax concocted by the corporate men to save their jobs from the everyday folks. Leper Lepellier becomes fascinated with the ski troops and decides to be the first one to enter into the war from Devon. Later on, Gene receives a note from Lepellier saying he “escaped and need help.” Gene finds out that Leper is “crazy” by visiting his home. Also, Finny, Gene, and Brinker organize The Devon Winter Carnival.
With relation of A Separate Peace to Slaughterhouse-Five, this section of John Knowles’ novel proves to have the most in common to Kurt Vonnegut’s. First off, it’s winter at Devon which is in correlation to the season in Slaughterhouse-Five. Also, a big chunk of this section deals with the idea brought up by Forrester and Brinker to enlist. Finny finds this idea outrageous due to his mental capacity that war is fake and stationed in a manner to make it believable to the proletariat. This mental view is in close relationship with Billy Pilgrim’s. Billy and Finny are similar characters in their mental dispositions to second guess reality and connote a new view. Lastly, when Leper Lepellier joins the ski troops, he “deserts” his troop and is sent home. Leper, like Billy, is incapable of being a soldier since his mind is wandering like Billy’s. Billy’s mind wanders to Tramalfadore while Leper’s wanders to unusual images and his fascination for nature. Both a characterized as “crazy” and have to deal with being scrutinized for most of their life.