Tuesday, August 4, 2009

A Separate Peace, Honors

6.  Why is the "flashback" technique a particularly effective device in the novel?
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7 comments:

  1. JamessAugust 17, 2009 at 9:57 PM

    The flashback tells you that Gene Forrester is still haunted by what happened at Devon. The whole book shows you how paranoid Gene was and the conflict raging its own war within him. He's still not over it. It also seems like we remember the bad times in our lives a lot better with more detail. There's a lot for Gene to ponder and its no wonder he hasn't found his separate peace.

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  2. JillianAugust 17, 2009 at 11:51 PM

    James I agree with you and think that the flashback technique is the best way to show how Gene has still not found his separate peace, even after all these years have passed. I think whenever he talks about the tree and the steps in such detail it helps us see how this is still lingering deeply in Gene's mind. These are things that obviously you could never forget, but it's easy to relate to in the fact that the horrible things that happen will always be able to be envisioned in more detail than we would hope. It also sets the book up for the whole story in a way. I knew right away whenever Gene was talking about these places that they were the most significant aspects of the book that would come into play. The flashback technique helps us see what is keeping Gene from the peace that he was so hoping to find. After Finny died I think Gene was relieved in a sense that his guilt could be cleared, but when he returns to Devon I think he realizes it had never really slipped out from the back of his mind.

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  3. PickleAugust 19, 2009 at 7:48 AM

    I think what Jill said was exactly right! He has such vivid memories of certain places or things that you know will come to be an important part of the story. It gives insight to the reader into Gene's feelings about what happened many years after the fact. You realize that he has never forgotten his time there or what happened while he was there. Like I said on Jill's post, he will likely never be able to forget these things and they will continue to haunt him for the rest of his life.

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  4. Shelby :0August 21, 2009 at 2:07 PM

    As mentioned, the flashback really showed how much Gene’s time at Devon affected him, even haunted him. He recalled some places and events with such strict detail. For the first few moments of reading, I thought it was the author trying to show off his imagery skills, but the more and more these detailed things came into play, I began to realize it was just the fact that these places and events haunted Gene the most. It is true that the truly disturbing moments in our lives are usually the ones we will remember with most detail. What was really strangely powerful thing to me was the fact that he doesn’t even mention the war he partook in. Gene was more haunted by what he had done at Devon than anything that happened to him in the war, or that is at least what I think part of this was trying to say. I think knowing this conclusion makes the flashback technique even more powerful to those who happen to read it.

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  5. LauRel!August 21, 2009 at 10:39 PM

    I had to go back to the beginning of the book and reread it. During his recollections, Gene says, "Well, I naturally felt older-I began at that point the emotional examination to note how far my convalescence and gone-I was taller, bigger generally in relation to these stairs. I had more money and success and "security" than in the days when specters seemed to go up and down them with me."
    The first thing I noticed was that never said that he was happier. Yes, he had certainly changed since his time at Devon, but he hadn't become any happier. A part of him definitely died with Finny, but also, Finny still remains a part of him.

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  6. MollyAugust 21, 2009 at 11:01 PM

    I love when things start off at the end then explain everything. At the beginning you feel like you are just thrown into someone's life and have to keep reading to figure out why you started where you did.
    I think it was significant to use the "flashback" technique so emphasize the power of the moment and how hard it was to reach it. Relieving memories is hard for anyone, especially when you are alone. I think Gene revisits to try and but it to rest. I'm sure he still blames himself and misses Finny very much. It was something he needed to do though. He saw change in the school to his dismay and the change within himself.
    After I read the book I went back and reread the beginning. The second time I read it I felt like I was almost going there with Gene. I love the feeling when a book pulls you in and you feel apart of the story.

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  7. Victoria KappSeptember 27, 2009 at 7:36 PM

    I agree with everything that everyone else said. The flashback technique was definitely an effective way to tell the story. It showed that Gene never felt peace with what happened in his life, even after so many years had passed. Also, in my opinion it was easier to understand the book.

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