A Separate Peace is a realistic work of fiction based upon a time in World War II, where the war does not exist beyond the horrors which creep within the everyday newspaper. Devon is no special case, being isolated from the war, far across the world in New Hampshire. The author introduces elements in the novel which create an atmosphere that depicts the average boarding school, allowing the reader to vividly imagine these events occurring while a war ravaged Europe. For example: while thousands of Europeans die for their country, why couldn’t two teenage boys who live across the world be in total denial? The trip to the beach is presented as a real life situation that could occur within any community, and due to such realism there must also be death. Why should death be a part of life? In present life citizens and victims die everyday to empty a slot for the next candidate. Though seemingly cruel, death is the ruling judge of life, sentencing some to the grave and others freedom to live. A Separate Peace never occurred during World War II, and thus the work is considered fiction. However, death and ruling life are what categorize this heart-warming piece as quite real. Gene and Finny form a bond where none should have ever existed, and from there the life of these two individuals becomes seemingly spontaneous, alive in a boarding school preparing its students to die.

“I will have to tell you about it now. Your friend is dead.” (ch 12)