"What happened between [Phineas and Gene] at school one summer during the early years of World War II is the subject of A Separate Peace.
The general theme of A Separate Peace is easily seen to be that of friendship. The fact that the novel takes place during World War II helps in the plot development and setting. Explore the pages of this website to gain better insight as to how the theme of friendship is portrayed throughout the novel.
"[Knowles] dealt with youth's special friendships with great delicacy and understanding..." - Warren Miller
Below is a link to learn more about the background of Knowles' reasoning for writing A Separate Peace.
Information on the Novel by John Knowles
Additional WWII Information
World War II in Europe Timeline
Causes of World War II
Articles on WWII
WWII: The Homefront
