Enemy

Dealing with enemies has been a problem ever since the beginning of time.   In A Separate


Peace by John Knowels, the value of dealing with your feelings and dealing with your enemies


is shown by Gene Forester, a student in Devon during World War 2 dealing with few human


enemies, but his emotions create a nemesis far greater than any human enemy.   "I never


killed anybody," Gene had commented later in his adulthood, "And I never developed an


intense level of hatred for the enemy.   Because my war ended before I ever put on a uniform;


I was on active duty all my time at Devon; I killed my enemy there."




        Now about the enemies that Gene had put into his own life.   Gene had a best friend,


his name was Finny, they were roommates and did many activities together.   Finny was never


the source, but the core of most of Gene's feelings, both good and bad.   First, one of the


biggest problems that Gene had, that is jealousy.   Gene was jealous of Finny's confidency,


openness, modesty, superb athletic abilities, his natural leadership skills, his ability to


deal with stress easily, his care free attitude, his people skills and, of course, his good


looks.




        Early in the story Finny demonstrated his openness by when asked for his height,


he said 5 foot, 8½ inches, while Gene replies 5 foot, 9 inches.   Finny pointed out that


they were the same height and you shouldn't be ashamed to tell anybody your real height.  


Later that day, they skip dinner to go swimming in the river, by Finny's choice, and are


asked where they were on return.   Finny quickly replied that they were swimming in the river,


something that is forbidden, right down to the last detail, and they got away with it.   Gene


said that the rules are very bent during the summer session, but it was actually Finny's


people skills that had...