Characters / A Separate Peace

Gene Forrester

Gene Forrester

The narrator of the book. A quiet, intelligent boy who represses his feelings, often making him victim to paranoia and aggressive outbursts of emotion.

---

• Academic Athlete: Though initially only academic, this is what he becomes once Finny starts training him for the Olympics.
• Ambiguously Christian: In his narration, Gene makes multiple fleeting allusions to Christianity and the Bible, suggesting that he has reasonably extensive knowledge of that religion (or at least the Bible itself). However, Gene never explicitly discusses his religious beliefs. In addition, some details would traditionally conflict with him being Christian, such as the fact that he frequently uses variations of "Jesus Christ" as a curse and admits he only prays to impress his roommate. It's possible that Gene's family is Christian, but he doesn't consider himself Christian. Lastly, if you believe the interpretation that the book is actually about Gene's repressed homosexuality, the implication of Gene being raised a traditional Christian could provide some extra background for his homophobia.
• Ambiguously Gay: Very, very obsessed with Finny, emotional and physical aspects both included. He also gives an infamously long and lingering description of how nice Brinker's butt is.
• Author Avatar: John Knowles stated that although there's a bit of him in every character, the one based the most on him is Gene.
• Berserk Button: Insulting Finny (even indirectly, as demonstrated by Quackenbush) and trying to talk about his true nature.
• Best Friend: To Finny. Kind of.
• Beware the Nice Ones: Implied to be a relatively nice boy, if somewhat reserved. However, his temper is not to be trifled with, and behind his stoic facade he hides a myriad of brutal insecurities and envy, leading to him indirectly murdering someone. Leper describes him as "a swell guy, until the chips are down"...
• Broken Ace: Well-liked? Check. Athletic? Check. Extremely intelligent, both psychologically and academically? Check. Incredibly jealous, insecure, emotionally unstable, and indirectly responsible for his best friend's death? Check.
• Cain and Abel: Though they are not literal brothers, many readers have compared Gene and Finny to these two. Gene is the Cain to Finny's Abel.
• Cannot Spit It Out: He can't bring himself to tell Finny how jealous he is of him. If he had just worked things out with Finny, maybe he wouldn't have ended up indirectly killing him due to his repressed feelings.
• Character Development: At the beginning of the book, he's paranoid, jealous, insecure, and dangerously competitive. By the end of the book he's obtained significant peace of mind, having developed the philosophy that ignorance is what pits people against each other and there's no such thing as "enemies."
• Classical Anti-Hero: He definitely fits this role, as he is often controlled by his rampant insecurities and constant fear. The entire book is about him conquering his ignorance in order to become a better person.
• Consummate Liar: Implied somewhat ambiguously. He lies a lot, mostly about his feelings, but later it's suggested he also lies about major aspects of his identity. Though his lies are admittedly rather transparent to the reader, they don't seem to be anything of the sort to other characters. This is even supported by an offhanded comment he makes about repeatedly winning games of poker against the other boys in his dorm. However, it should be noted that he is unable to lie convincingly when directly confronted about causing Finny's accident, and his status as an Unreliable Narrator could mean that he makes himself appear a better liar than he actually is.
• The Cynic: Sarcastic, depressed, paranoid, and believes human beings are fundamentally ignorant and fearful. Half of a Cynic–Idealist Duo, the other half being Finny. It's worth noting that his older self seems to be a mix of this and the Realist.
• Deadpan Snarker: Makes some pretty snarky comments at times. He mentions that 1942 was his "sarcastic summer" and implies that his older self is not nearly as snarky.
• Driven by Envy: Gene is so jealous of Finny, he causes him to fall out of a tree.
• Emo Teen: Could definitely be considered this, since he's cynical, angsty, self-loathing, and, of course, emotional.
• Fatal Flaw: The fact that he is Driven by Envy and represses his emotions until they overflow and explode.
• Four-Philosophy Ensemble: Originally The Cynic, but grows to become the Realist. His older self seems to be on the more cynical side of this, but he isn't The Cynic anymore by this point. He believes human beings are ignorant and fearful, but he also believes all bad deeds stem from this, which means that all people are capable of goodness once they truly understand whatever they were lashing out at. As such, he believes that the concept of "enemies" is flawed and useless, only encouraging hatred and an unwillingness to try and comprehend the other side.
• Four-Temperament Ensemble: Melancholic. He's introverted, depressed, anxious, and cynical. As the narrator, he provides the undertones of longing and sorrow that are present throughout most of the book.
• Green-Eyed Monster: One of the major themes of the book is how influenced Gene is by his jealousy and the horrific consequences of this.
• Height Angst: He seems to think he's too short, although 5'8½'' isn't all that short for a boy his age anyway.
• I Just Want to Be Special: His jealousy of Finny implies he wishes he had a special talent that made people pay attention to him.
• Informed Loner: In his narration, he repeatedly makes it sound like Finny is his Only Friend—but Finny is a Big Man on Campus, the other Big Man on Campus wants to be his friend too, and Lovable Nerd Leper really wants to be his Best Friend. Not to mention several side characters he offhandedly refers to as "friends" of his and Finny's, then never mentions again.
• In with the In Crowd: His narration doesn't imply he's popular at all, but he's an Unreliable Narrator. He's close to the two most popular boys in the school (Brinker and Finny), and Leper, a social outcast, is implied to desperately want to be his best friend.
• Karma Houdini: He indirectly murders his best friend and does not get punished for this at all. It seems that even when his guilt is proven in front of all the other boys, none of them bother to tell the higher-ups. It should be noted, however, that one could say Gene's punishment comes in the form of his incredible grief and remorse.
• Living Emotional Crutch: Although it's always been clear Finny is this to him, he's increasingly implied to be this to Finny as well.
• Muscle Angst: He isn't very happy with the fact that he's only 140 pounds, whereas Finny is well-built and a full ten pounds heavier than him.
• My God, What Have I Done?: For most of the book after crippling Finny.
• My Greatest Failure: He considers indirectly causing his best friend's death over petty jealousy to be this. This triggers his Character Development: Because of this, he becomes aware of his own ignorance and develops a greater sense of sympathy for other people.
• Nervous Wreck: Interestingly implied to be this by Finny, who calls him the "nervous type" and essentially says he wouldn't be surprised if he had a complete mental breakdown. Gene's narration itself never necessarily lets us in on this.
• Not So Stoic: Represses his emotions and, thus, generally comes off as very controlled and perhaps aloof. However, there are incidents during which his mask falls apart, such as when he fights Quackenbush for indirectly insulting Finny and when he kicks Leper over in his chair for claiming he's a "savage underneath."
• Only Friend: To Leper, seemingly, as most of the other boys either don't like Leper in general or consider him an acquaintance/obligatory member of the group. It's painfully clear that this means much more to Leper than it does to Gene himself.
• The Perfectionist: He's already a straight-A student with unusual psychological and academic intelligence, not to mention the fact that his two closest friends are the most popular boys in the school, but this still doesn't satisfy him. His jealousy of Finny shows he also expects himself to be an All-Loving Hero, Lovable Jock and Big Man on Campus (all the things Finny is that he feels he should be).
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: The Blue Oni to Finny's Red Oni. He's quiet, obedient, and spends most of his time thinking about things, sometimes too much.
• Unreliable Narrator: Tends to see things through a lens that is not very objective.
• Skewed Priorities: He puts incredible effort into maintaining the image of a perfect student while neglecting his mental health. His repression has consequences, as he is actually a very emotional person on the inside.
• The Smart Guy: Already a straight-A student to begin with, he quickly rises to the position of valedictorian after a little extra effort. He's also quite intelligent psychologically, as he spends a lot of time analyzing his classmates.
• Stepford Snarker: As a teenager he was a Deadpan Snarker, but his older self provides a later insight that sarcasm is "the protest of people who are weak." This implies that his constant sarcasm during his teenage years was constructed to hide his insecurities and vulnerabilities.
• Took a Level in Idealism: Although he is by no means an idealist at any point, he ends the book significantly more optimistic about human nature and capabilities.
• Tragic Hero: Deep inside, what he really wants is to be friends with Finny while still being able to appreciate his own successes and feel satisfied with his identity. His Fatal Flaw won't let this happen.
• Tragic Mistake: While he and Finny are standing alongside each other, he decides to jounce the tree branch they're standing on with his foot and cripple Finny, all because he's a Green-Eyed Monster. The immediate consequences are already bad, but it ends up indirectly causing Finny's death.
• Wise Beyond Their Years: Sort of. Teenage Gene is incredibly intelligent on multiple levels; however, as is the case with most intelligent children and teenagers, his emotional intelligence corresponds with his age.

Phineas

Phineas ("Finny")

A handsome, charismatic boy who is the best athlete in the Devon School. Extremely popular and well-loved by everyone.

---

• Adaptation Dye-Job: In the 1972 movie he's blond, while in the book Gene mentions he has brown hair.
• All-Loving Hero: Finny loves and sees the best in everyone. Or at least, Gene claims he does.
• Always Someone Better: As an extraordinary athlete, a charismatic charmer, and a genuinely good person, he unintentionally fulfills this role for Gene.
• Ambiguously Bi: In the short story "Phineas"—essentially the prototype of A Separate Peace—it's confirmed that he likes girls, and he talks animatedly about how he's slept with three of them (which is why he's this instead of Ambiguously Gay). However, the entire book is about his relationship with his best friend Gene, who he absolutely adores. The intensity of their unusual closeness makes one question whether their feelings for one another are truly platonic.
• Bad Liar: He's a very genuine, straightforward person, so this isn't surprising. Gene says he's terrible at poker.
• Beauty Equals Goodness: Supposedly the most beautiful and most good-hearted boy in Devon, although this is according to Gene.
• Best Friend: To Gene, in a much more genuine way than Gene is to him.
• Big Man on Campus: The most popular boy in the entirety of the Devon School. His magnetic personality wins over everyone, including the stubborn, traditional Devon teachers.
• Blithe Spirit: His charm and good-natured rebelliousness makes both the teachers and students at the strait-laced Devon School have a soft spot for him.
• Book Dumb: Gets a steady procession of Ds in school and comments that no amount of studying could get him higher than a C.
• Brass Balls: If using the Devon School tie as a belt, wearing a pink shirt around without worrying about looking like a "fairy" (Gene's words), and arranging a random Winter Carnival on campus are anything to go by.
• Break the Cutie: It's revealed at the end of the book that Gene jouncing the limb and making him break his leg has stripped him of his carefree, confident personality, since this means he can never pursue his dream of becoming a professional athlete.
• Cain and Abel: Though they are not literal brothers, many readers have compared Gene and Finny to these two. Finny is the Abel to Gene's Cain.
• Career-Ending Injury: His broken leg. Technically his career wasn't established yet, but he seemed well on his way to fulfilling his dream of being an Olympic athlete.
• The Charmer: One of his defining traits. He can charm anybody—including the uncompromising, strict Devon teachers—into doing what he wants. It's also implied in "Phineas" that he Really Gets Around—but his stories are completely matter-of-fact, and he omits the girls' names out of respect.
• Conspiracy Theorist: He has a conspiracy that wars and the like are orchestrated by the "fat old men" of the government to keep the youth in line...except it turns out he convinced himself of this so he'd feel better about not being able to participate in the war himself.
• Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life: Implied, after his broken leg erases the chances of him fulfilling both his desired purpose (being an Olympic athlete) and his predetermined purpose (fighting in World War II).
• Dumb Jock: Kind of. He's definitely a jock, as sports are his passion and he's the best athlete in the school, but he's only really Book Dumb, not dumb in general.
• Fatal Flaw: His naive, idealistic belief that the world is a friendly and entirely safe place. He sees the best in everyone because of this, which isn't bad in itself, but he also rejects any signs that a person may not be as harmless as he thinks they are.
• Four-Philosophy Ensemble: The Optimist. He's an idealist who believes the world is full of good people and no conflict goes unsolved by a little kindness (or perhaps a sports game). Unfortunately, this is his weakness.
• Four-Temperament Ensemble: Sanguine. He's extroverted, charming, cheerful, and loves everyone.
• Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: The "heart of gold" is a given, but the "hair of gold" only applies to the 1972 movie.
• Handicapped Badass: Even when he's on crutches, he still draws the attention of the whole school and is physically active. At one point, he performs a dance on his good leg.
• The Hedonist: In a surprisingly innocent way. He lives his life thinking only of what will make him happy and ignoring the potential long-term consequences, but what makes him happy is almost never harmful to others. Regardless, this doesn't do him good in the end.
• Hidden Depths: At the end of the book it's revealed he's not the impenetrable, all-loving idealist we thought and is in fact suffering greatly due to the fact that he can no longer play sports or even join the war. To really drive this home, he makes several uncharacteristically cynical statements such as saying he will "hate it everywhere" if he's not in the war and he doesn't know if he can take it anymore. This is foreshadowed by what Finny accidentally blurts out at one point earlier in the book, during an argument with Gene: that he's suffered.
• Horrible Judge of Character: He trusts everyone to be fundamentally good and has an extremely simple understanding of people, so naturally he is this. This is especially apparent when it comes to Gene, who he says is the only one he trusts long after the readers know Gene betrayed him and has actually tried to confess this himself.
• The Idealist: Cheerful, optimistic, and believes anything you love will love you back. Half of a Cynic–Idealist Duo, the other half being Gene.
• Incorruptible Pure Pureness: He refuses to abandon his idealistic views of the world and other people. Interestingly, this is not seen as a good thing, as it ends up making him Too Good for This Sinful Earth. And this may not be as true as we think, considering he turns out to be a Stepford Smiler. The extent to which this is genuine or not is something we'll never know.
• In-Series Nickname: Finny.
• I Thought Everyone Could Do That: As he achieves athletic feats effortlessly, he tends to assume everybody has a talent that parallels his own, even if it isn't involving sports. For example, he thought, before being told otherwise, that Gene was a straight-A student just because, not due to excessive amounts of studying—much to the annoyance of Gene himself.
• It's All About Me: Rather self-absorbed, as he tends to assume Gene always wants to do the things he does, and he doesn't bother asking. Then again, Gene never tells Finny when he doesn't want to do something.
• Keet: Exuberant and outgoing, Finny wants nothing other than to have fun, and will make sure you know it.
• Living Emotional Crutch: To Gene, as a result of their unhealthily codependent relationship. Even after he dies, Gene is totally obsessed with him, or at least the memory of him.
• Lovable Jock: Both the best athlete at Devon and one of the friendliest boys there.
• Mr. Fanservice: Well, the book is told from Gene's perspective, and Gene tends to go off on long, detailed tangents describing Finny's physical beauty.
• Named by the Adaptation: In the 2004 movie, Finny is given the last name "Pell."
• No Name Given: No last name given, except in the 2004 movie.
• No Poker Face: Apparently, he consistently loses to Gene when they're playing poker. Presumably, this is why. See Bad Liar above.
• The Not-Love Interest: Finny is this to Gene. They're always together, have a very deep, almost romantic relationship, and Gene—who is obsessed with Finny, body and mind—gives physical descriptions of Finny so detailed and adoring they have sexual undertones. Although their relationship in the book is (explicitly) that of best friends, that doesn't stop people from seeing the Homoerotic Subtext.
• Pint-Sized Powerhouse: Maybe not pint-sized, but it's mentioned he isn't all that big. Despite this, he's the best athlete in a boarding school full of bigger athletic boys, and Gene says he has "the strength of five people."
• Please, Don't Leave Me: Though he almost certainly would never say these words out loud, he gives Gene an expression and speaks to him in a tone of voice that Gene recognizes to mean this. This slightly emphasizes the subtle implication that he Hates Being Alone.
• The Pollyanna: He's an idealist who always seems to be in a good mood. He likes all people and all types of weather, prioritizes having fun over most things, thinks everything can be solved through a spirited sports game, and remains optimistic in the face of World War II and his ruined dream to be an Olympic athlete. Except that later on he's revealed to be a Stepford Smiler.
• Really Gets Around: Downplayed, but in "Phineas" (basically the short story version of A Separate Peace), he describes his sexual escapades with three different girls to Gene. Keep in mind he's sixteen years old.
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: The Red Oni to Gene's Blue Oni. He's mischievous, loud, and constructs his entire life around having fun.
• Rich in Dollars, Poor in Sense: Downplayed and potentially justified. Finny likely comes from a wealthy family, and he is a handsome sports prodigy on top of that. He can use his charm and good looks to persuade others into doing what he wants, which means he has little reason to give a damn about his schoolwork. This is probably the most relevant when he expresses annoyance over the lack of maids at Devon, despite the fact that it's because of the war. This is one of the only times that Gene genuinely disapproves of him.
• School Idol: Admired by all the boys at Devon, Finny is this in spades.
• Sharp-Dressed Man: He is mentioned to be very well-dressed, to the point where he draws attention because of it. Potentially an unconventional example, since unlike many examples of this trope, it is implied that he doesn't dress conservatively.
• Skewed Priorities: He will lie to himself forever as long as the lie keeps him happy. And he cares way more about sports than World War II.
• Stepford Smiler: After he breaks his leg and is unable to pursue sports, his passion, Finny still acts as carefree as ever. However, near the end of the book, he starts to cry and confesses to Gene that he has indeed been suffering on the inside.
• Too Good for This Sinful Earth: According to Gene, Finny is one of the few truly good people in the world, as well as one of the few people who isn't controlled by fear or spite—which is why he couldn't survive the harshness of the world. However, with the reveal that he is a Stepford Smiler, we really have to emphasize the ''according to Gene'' part.
• Too Good to Be True: Gene claims, in these words, that he is this. It's up to the reader to decide whether of his all-loving idealism is this, as by the end of the book it's clear parts of his demeanor are a facade, but it isn't clear how much of his demeanor is a facade. Regardless, he dies.
• Too Happy to Live: He's the most cheerful character in the book by far. He dies.
• Tragic Hero: All he wants is for everyone to have fun, play sports, and look out for each other. Obviously, this isn't to happen—he's a Wide-Eyed Idealist, and that's his Fatal Flaw.
• What Beautiful Eyes!: Has striking blue-green eyes.
• Wide-Eyed Idealist: His greatest weakness is his belief that all people are inherently good and the world is a fundamentally friendly place, which prevents him from ever suspecting other people of ill will. He's betrayed by his best friend and dies at the end of the book as an indirect result of this.
• Will Not Tell a Lie: Part of his innate nature, according to Gene. Gene is wrong—just because he's generally a Bad Liar doesn't mean he absolutely never lies, and he turns out to be a Stepford Smiler.

Brinker Hadley

Brinker Hadley

The witty, popular class politician with an attitude and a devotion to justice. Initially dresses conservatively and takes part in many community service-type clubs, but eventually becomes more of a rebel.

---

• Big Man on Campus: He's one of the most popular boys in the class. Gene mentions that there are very few boys at Devon who dislike Brinker.
• Character Development: In spite of what those high school study guides would have you think, Brinker can't be considered a completely static character. Throughout the book, he does realize that war isn't a glorious, patriotic game.
• Control Freak: Downplayed, but definitely present. He enjoys being a class leader and seems to view the role as a political one. Exhibited most overtly when he tries to order everyone around during the Winter Carnival, becoming increasingly angry and humiliated as the other boys refuse to listen. After said boys rebel on Finny's orders and he's physically dominated by Gene, he furiously declares he's "been violated."
• The Cynic: Once he begins to understand the consequences of war, his view on life and other people is greatly damaged. See Emo Teen below.
• Emo Teen: After abandoning his conservative rule-follower persona and becoming more cynical, he gets very angsty and disillusioned. In Gene's words, he develops a "generalized, faintly self-pitying resentment against millions of people he [does] not know." Brinker himself states at one point that he doesn't think anything in life is worth celebrating.
• Four-Philosophy Ensemble: His role as The Cynic becomes increasingly apparent as the book goes on.
• Four-Temperament Ensemble: Choleric. He's a serious, politically-minded class leader who is social but abrasive.
• In-Series Nickname: Eventually nicknamed Yellow Peril by Finny due to a joke about him actually being Madame Chiang Kai-Shek.
• Like Father, Unlike Son: His father acts like war is a game and insists that flaunting your war experiences when you're older is the best way to make people respect you. In the beginning, Brinker has a similar attitude. However, after his Character Development, Brinker is resentful of his father's perspective on war, believing himself that it is pointless and awful.
• The Nicknamer: It's mentioned by Gene that he spends his time at Devon creating nicknames for other boys while avoiding being assigned one himself.
• Not So Above It All: Usually acts like he's above Finny's antics, but willingly helps organize Finny's Winter Carnival after becoming more rebellious.
• Only Sane Man: Well, Finny's a Stepford Smiler who immerses himself in delusions and conspiracies to remain carefree, Gene indirectly murders Finny, and Leper becomes severely mentally ill after enlisting in the army. So this sounds about right.
• Took a Level in Cynic: He starts the book as a confident, intelligent class leader who's eager to fight on behalf of his country. He ends the book as a bitter, disillusioned rebel that hates older men who flaunt their wartime experiences and glorify war (such as his father).

Elwin Lepellier

Elwin "Leper" Lepellier

A friendly, unassuming boy who loves animals and nature. Clearly an outsider, as he is frequently made fun of by the other boys and tends to hang out by himself. After enlisting in World War II and subsequently losing his mind, he changes significantly, becoming bitter and emotionally erratic.

---

• Break the Cutie: What enlisting in the war does to him. Formerly a kind, tranquil boy, he begins hallucinating, breaking into fits of laughter, and just outright weeping. He also loses his manners, deciding other people aren't worth being polite to.
• The Cutie: Since he's a soft-spoken boy who loves animals and doodles during class, it's easy to see him as this. Until he goes crazy.
• Dude, Where's My Respect?: In the Devon School, he's nothing if not kind to the other boys, even when they don't deserve it and continue to mock him. After he has a mental breakdown and decides other people aren't worth being nice to, he finally confronts them about this in a bitter rant.
• Four-Philosophy Ensemble: The Conflicted. He doesn't really voice his opinions much, but that doesn't mean he's without a mind of his own. There are certain things he seems to view as good and bad or right and wrong, but they don't give him away to any particular mindset. He's mostly absorbed in his own interests, such as nature and animals. It's not clear how his mental breakdown affects this.
• Four-Temperament Ensemble: Phlegmatic. He's quite down-to-earth and seems unusually comfortable with himself, especially when compared to the other boys (and the fact that he's considered strange by his peers). He stops fitting this role after his mental breakdown, which essentially turns him into the exact opposite of what he used to be. After this point, he is erratic and becomes furiously emotional over every little thing.
• The Friend Nobody Likes: Seems to fulfill this position, as most of the boys in his school taunt him and think he's strange, including the boy he apparently wants to be his best friend (Gene). For some members of the cast, even calling Leper a friend is a stretch.
• Hidden Depths: He's viewed for most of the book as an odd Nature Lover who is made fun of by the other boys, though he remains an oblivious Nice Guy. However, after he enlists in the war he stops being polite on account of other people, and he reveals that he actually holds resentment for the boys that constantly mocked him.
• In-Series Nickname: Leper, which both looks similar to his last name and alludes to his position as a social pariah at Devon—although it's doubtful the boys who gave him this nickname were thinking of that second part.
• Lovable Nerd: The other boys consider him quite odd due to his interest in nature and lack of interest in things such as sports—not to mention the fact that he seems a bit oblivious about how to have a regular conversation with someone.
• Nature Lover: Enjoys walking through forests and photographing beaver dams. What more do you need?
• No-Respect Guy: Constantly mocked by the other boys, even though he's one of the nicest people in the school. This is originally played off as an unimportant relationship dynamic at Devon that Leper himself is oblivious to, but it's Played for Drama when it's revealed he actually understands that nobody respects him and secretly resents it.
• No Social Skills: He's nice, but he doesn't seem to understand how to carry out a conversation with people who don't have the same interests as him. When he talks, he just kind of...rambles aimlessly about what he's doing.
• Only Known by Their Nickname: Though the other boys seem to know his real name, nobody ever calls him anything but Leper. Gene comments at one point that Leper would not remember to answer to any other name.