John Knowles' A Separate Peace is a young boy's struggle to discover personal identity in an ever-changing world. Gene develops an intense resentment towards Finny because he embodies charisma, talent, and relishes on pure achievement rather than competition. Gene suspects that Finny envies his academic achievements and has taken steps to distract his studies. His suspicions transform into hatred and he shortly concludes that Finny resents him. However, it's Gene who resents Finny and his hatred grows more when Finny doesn't attain a reciprocal envy. When Gene's act of jealousy and insecurity drives him to perform malicious thoughts and behaviors, he realizes that his enemy lies within himself, Finny's inability to cope with reality destroys him, and war is an internal conflict which people spend their lives defending against.

Gene is a quiet intellectual who alternately adores and envies Finny. He increasingly loses hold of his identity and...