Character Analysis: Devon Gene Knowles

The development of young characters can be seen throughout the novel with the shift in responsibility to be a parent from Ma and Da to Audrey and Devon. “Sometimes, as Da had done, Devon took a thing to town to pawn. He pawned the box that Grandda’s money had come in and brought home second-hand shoes for me.” (135) Further, this can also be seen with Izzy’s adjustment to the rural farming conditions from a previous rich city life and Audrey’s brave decision to work for the selfish pig farmer; even little Harper realises that the world is not just fun and games. Despite the Flute family despising Vandery Cable, Audrey, transitioning into the role of a mature and dedicated second mother, takes this burden upon herself as she values her family’s welfare over her own. The courage and bravery needed to fill the shoes of the previous dependent characters shows how the next generation is helping to ease to hardships faced by the community. Being brave and facing ones fears is the only way to achieve anything in these merciless times and by Audrey facing her fears for the benefit of her family, we can see her develop from a young and naive teenager into a mature and independent adult. The bravery and sacrifices made by the young generation to support

The darkest, gloomiest times can bring out the best in some people, however they usually bring out the worst. Before injury, Finny was thought to be strong willed and having good morals and values. After injury, he is self absorbed and only values the importance of himself. He has no pity for anyone or anything; he just believes that he is worse off.

To hide our guilt and put the blame on others has always been in human nature, To Kill A Mockingbird, demonstrates this throughout the book giving life to the famous quote, “to kill a mockingbird is a sin”. In the book, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, has character Tom Robinson, a black man in a racist town, Maycomb, Alabama a victim of racism and being taken advantaged upon for his skin colour. Boo Radley, an antisocial, kind-hearted man being a symbol of good-hearted nature is also victim to mockery for the way he lives his life. Finally there is Dolphus Raymond, a man who has chosen to act as a drunk for a reason why he should love his black wife. All these characters have one thing in common, they all have have stayed out of the town's business and have done nothing but gone about there in peace. Though they live in peace by themselves, they are mocked, oppressed, and deemed unlivable with because of what they look like or how they live.

The summer and winter sessions symbolized Gene’s loss of innocence. During the summer sessions, the boys of Devon were carefree and showed no respect for the rules, while the teachers put no effort into enforcing the rules. “This was the way the masters tended to treat us that summer,” (Knowles 23). Together, Gene and Finny formed the

For example, the summer session, in comparison to the winter session, is a symbolic interpretation of a separate peace. The summer has an easygoing, relaxed environment with indulgent teachers. Teachers who are capable of laughing off or excusing careless and wild behaviors. “I think we reminded them of what peace was like, we boys of sixteen.” Gene muses that the boys being untouched by the war is what allows the teachers to be so tolerant. The students were “a sign of the life the war was fought to preserve.” When Finny falls and breaks his leg, it marks a literal and symbolic end to the summer session. As Gene puts it, “Peace had deserted Devon.” What took its place was an onslaught of strict rules and talk of war and enlisting. By using

An Explanation of Internal Conflict In his novel, A Separate Peace, author John Knowles implements an army of literary devices to lure and capture a reader’s interest. If one were to turn to a single page in this novel, he/she would find several devices. A heavily recurring theme is the internal conflict of the characters throughout the story. Knowles incorporates the theme of inner conflict into several characters, not just a single, well rounded character, such as Gene.

Many of us readers would agree that after reading Tim O’Brien’s “In the Lake of the Woods” we find John Wade’s behavior more than unusual as he would do some unusual things such as burning plants with boiling water while saying “Kill Jesus”, and have flashbacks. Most readers would wonder how a psychologist would diagnose John Wade. Based on his behavior, John Wade would probably be diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a severe anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to any life-threatening event which results in psychological trauma. Wade’s diagnoses would affect O’Brien’s implicit argument as anyone that has a perfect or normal life can be ruined by PTSD.

It is impossible to find a family that is problem free and does not go through its ups and downs. Seasons often marks a progress, here it not only sets the way for Doodles progress of becoming like a normal boy, but it is used as a way to show the growth of the sibling relationship between the two brothers. Seasons and weather play an important role in setting the tone and mood of the story. An example of the motif of seasons and weather is seen in the short story “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst as doodles progress goes along with each season. This motif is used to develop the relationship between Doodle and his brother as evident through the clove of seasons, summer, and storms.

Ryleigh Gangarossa is a sixth grader at Martha Brown Middle School. She loves to read, write, and play football and soccer with her family. Ryleigh is a hardworking and intelligent person who loves to work with her friends. She hopes to be a professional soccer player when she grows up.

Davon Coleman is an interesting player. He has the physical tools to play in the NFL. It’s just he never would take things serious. These last few weeks he’s been having great practices as well as playing good in the game. However he does need to work on developing more pass rushing moves instead of always trying to bull rush an offensive lineman. Coleman will be fighting with Ken Bishop for a roster spot. Jack Crawford maybe listed as a defensive lineman but he really now is a defensive tackle in the three technique behind Tyrone Crawford. Just like last year when the Cowboys moved Tyrone from defensive end to defense tackle position he found his comfort level and started to go beast mode. Jack is doing the same exact thing the coaching staff

Dunstan Ramsey comes of age as he moves from childhood into his teen years. At the age of sixteen, the small landscape of Deptford becomes too much for Dunstan to handle so he decides to drop out of high school and join the Army. It is evident that Dunstan needs a change in his life and something to get his mind of the impact that Mrs. Dempster had on Dunstan childhood. Leading up to leaving for the War Dunstan never really saw much of Mrs. Dempster because every time he saw her he could not hold back his guilt and remorse, which continues to trouble him in his teen years. Like many other young men, Dunstan is thrown into the chaos of the war, converted by the front lines and beginner to rifles and survive. Thus, this affects him in many ways,

Although the events in this school year are not as dramatic as the ones in the summer session, it does reflect a dark atmosphere, both by the presence of the war and the pressure to enlist, and the growing tension between Gene and Finny. Along with Finny’s leg, his and Gene’s true bond is broken, and the lively spirit of the summer session is gone. The fact that the story is set during the second World War is very prominent, because the boys are constantly talking about whether or not they should enlist, and what area they should enlist for. Devon even hosts a few soldiers towards the end of the novel, and one of Gene’s friends, Leper, actually does enlist in the war. The dark tone that is set up in the 1943 year is then supported by the negative impact that the war has on

“She's a mountain of trouble that Hollis Woods.” page 12. Hollis Woods, a twelve year old orphan who was abandoned as a baby, she spends her life being sent to various foster homes. The time she spends with Josie Cahill and the summer she spent with her almost family alternates periodically to communicate her life story. The Reagan’s, who wanted to adopt her before she ran away after an incident, are a family of 3 including Izzy, the Old Man, and Steven. Josie, a retired teacher, bonds with Hollis over art, but as time goes by, her alzheimer's increasingly gets worse. Themes can be found such as trust, family, and hope in the book and movie numerous times although shown in different ways.

Rivalry can be playful and good natured, but it isn’t always this way. Rivalry and competition can help individuals grow as a person, and help them to develop into mature adults. Competition can be a motivator to do better. It can also lead to vast destruction, and severed friendships. Rivalry in this case is unhealthy, the overall outcome of the story proves this. Finny and Gene didn’t really have a ‘healthy’ rivalry or competition. Their relationship wasn’t healthy, and it eventually leads to the death of Finny. In “A Separate Piece” by John Knowles the rivalry between two friends turns unhealthy very quickly. The competition and rivalry between the two friends is destructive, it destroys their friendship,

Imagine your very last breath being toke from you at only twenty years old. Imagine never being able to hear your mother’s or your child’s voice ever again. Now imagine being left to die in your car in front of your house alone. Unfortunately, on December 22nd, 2016 this became reality for my family friend Dion Tynes and all of his loved ones.