In A Separate Peace by John Knowles, Phineas is the main character who looms larger than life in that he is charismatic, caring, and true to heart. It is necessary for Phineas to die at the end of the novel because of his knowledge of the truth, Gene's completion of becoming Phineas, and that he really is too good for the world to contain.

One factor that makes Phineas' death necessary is that he obtains knowledge of the truth, which is the fact that Gene jounced the limb and makes Phineas fall from the tree. This leads to a departure from his uniqueness. First of all, when Finny first hears of the truth, it makes him fall "clumsily down the white marble stairs" (169). This action is the first step in Phineas' deterioration, and what eventually leads to his death. In obtaining knowledge of the truth, Phineas begins to...