Phineas' Compositions of Peace

Phineas' Compositions of Peace

Phineas removes and minimizes disturbances in the greater world by replacing them with smaller pieces of sovereignty. A Separate Peace by John Knowles is Gene's perspective of Phineas. Phineas' character embodies leadership because he is the supervisor of peace. He overtakes everything that he does not want and diminishes it with his bright character traits. Finny searches for multiple ways in which he can implement his ideas which lead to peace. As one of the novel's main characters he centers his understanding of the world innocently around his perspective. In the face of the conflicts and war surrounding Devon, Phineas choreographs a separate peace by maintaining Gene's innocence, pretending the war is not real and hosting the Winter Carnival.

Phineas does not take in knowledge that could disturb him. Hence, he does not acknowledge Gene when Gene admits that he "deliberately jounced the limb" so he would fall off. He does not accept Gene's apology and he is bothered by Gene's genuineness. Finny immediately blocks all Gene's explanations by blunt responses, "I don't know anything. Go away. I'm tried and you make me sick. Go away." (70). Finny may have known the truth in his heart but he does not want their relationship to undergo conflict. Gene knows that Finny is being tough about it and does not want something as minor as an injury to ruin their friendship: "It occurred to me that this could be an even deeper injury than what I had done before [...] it was worse for him to know." (70). Phineas looks at his injury as a petite crisis in comparison to his relationship with Gene. He accepts Gene as his friend regardless of the fall and how life changing the injury may have been. Finny does not see the enemy in the people around him because he exemplifies peace in comparison to hatred and combat. Hence, Finny chooses his friend, Gene to participate in sports for him and compete in the Olympics "for him": "I'm not sure, not a hundred percent sure I'll be completely, you know, in shape by 1944. So I'm coaching you for them instead." (117). Gene must fulfill Finny's dreams and do the things that Finny cannot do because he is now an extension of Phineas', not an enemy of Phineas'. Thus, Finny and Gene need each other's support and assurance to be complete and at peace.

Phineas has a unique approach towards the war because instead of getting worked up about it, he simply refuses to face the reality of it. He is smart and he thinks about all possible circumstances that could have caused him and his friends to worry about the war. He invents a theory to support his beliefs. He manages to convince Gene: "Don't be a sap [...] there isn't any war." (115).

The fat old men who don't want us crowding them out of their jobs. They've made it all up. There isn't any food shortage, for instance. The men have all the best steaks delivered to their clubs now. You've noticed how they've been getting fatter lately, haven't you? (115)

While the boys at Devon think the war will be an exciting adventure, Finny convinces them with his theory that "the fat old men" fabricated the war for their personal gain. He does not think that bad things could happen and that people's lives could be at stake. Like always, Phineas thinks and operates differently from everyone else. He jumps to his fancied conclusions and comes up with an explanation to calm Gene and the others down, "In a way, [...] the whole world is on a Funny Farm now. But it's only the fat old men who get the joke. [...] and me" (116). One can see that Finny formulates all possible theories to preserve peace. Finny in a manner craves for inner peace because his reactions are always fluent. He does not even take time to think about what he says; he is naturally drawn to thinking optimistically. Finny unconsciously makes others ignorant around him by knowing what to say in every circumstance to justify his peaceful points of view. Right from the conception of the thought of the war Finny reacts objectionably: "Have you swallowed all that war stuff?" (114). He mocks Gene by objecting to his way of thinking therefore, persuading him to think like him. Finny lives his life in the order of peace and definitely cannot stand being forlorn or discontented.

Finny