4) Re-read the last paragraph on the bottom of 136 and on to 137. Paraphrase what Gene is saying and interpret the usage of “separate peace.” What is a “separate peace”? Why is included here? What is its significance?
A separate peace to Gene is the idea that the war isn’t affecting them. Although there is this huge dilemma around the world, it doesn’t touch their summers, and their festivals. They keep living their lives, and the war doesn’t seem to disturb it. Here he’s talking about a moment where the war and all other troubles don’t touch them. Nothing is bothering them and they are just peaceful, with no connection to any of their human troubles. Gene points this out saying, “For on this day even the schoolboy egotism of Devon was conjured away,” (Knowles 136). It is included here because they are in the middle of a festival, and a fun day, and the set up with this makes for a more dramatic entrance for the telegram. It makes it even more ironic when the war manages to weasel itself into their nice day. The significance of the separate peace is magnified by the interruption of the telegram. They are experiencing a pure nice day, and moment, and then it becomes even more significant when the telegram appears because it shows that sometimes a separate peace doesn’t stay separate.
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