Comparing 'A Separate Peace' and 'Dead Poets Society'

In both “A Separate Peace” and “Dead Poets Society,” there are primary characters that work closely with each other. For instance, the genes seen in both plays have developed a personal relationship with other characters that end up becoming troublesome. In both works, there is close proximity to the settings that enhance both relationships. In this essay, we are going to compare and contrast the work of “Dead Poets Society” and “A Separate Peace.”

Decision Making

Throughout the novel, the author persuades readers through the gene of decision-making where Finny is forced to make choices which he was to do alone. This is also seen when he says, ‘Let us go to the beach,’ and Gene also responds to Finny’s choice, saying, “That is fine” (Knowles 46). The phrase shows how Gene receives instructions from Finny. Even when Gene accepted Finny’s request, it showed how he was under control. Also, Gene does not realize how Finny controls his life to the point that he becomes extremely jealous when Finny shows his sports ability. He even stated that “Finny never heard a school record when he officially played baseball, football, and hockey, but when he changed the sport, he eventually became successful” (Knowles 45). However, Finny was very good at sports, but poor in his education. Gene, on the other hand, chose that he would be a valedictorian when he went to school.

Fear

Both the Dead Poets Society and the Super Suicide Society have assisted the children to conquer and face their fears. For instance, in the Super Suicide Society, individuals overcame the fear of heights when they were asked to jump from high places in case they went to war, where they would jump out when a ship was sinking. Knowles states that “it seemed clear that wars were not made by generations and their special stupidities, but that wars were made instead by something ignorant in the human heart” (“A Separate Peace by John Knowles”). In the Dead Poets Society, children managed to conquer their fear when they upset their parents after breaking the rules of the school (Weir). This assisted them to have personal thoughts because they were brave to hinder their parents from making decisions for their lives.

Idealists and Dreamers

The characters of Neil and Finny, as seen in both works, were idealists and dreamers who were destined to die since they could not live in a world that had dreams of realities such as jealousy, hate, and practicality. Finny, in this case, did not manage to live the life he desired because his best friend hated him. Neil, on the other hand, also lived a life in a military school. Both characters, as seen, were optimists because of their attitudes towards the life they lived every day due to the misconceptions of reality. This is because a person like Neil believed that ‘one always wins at a sport’ (Weir). He also had this feeling because sports always meant having fun. In the regular lives in this world, there is always a loser and a winner in games.

Plans for Post-Graduation

Both societies in both works gave outlets of pressure concerning schooling. For instance, in “A Separate Peace,” Finny was not performing well in school. To succeed in this, he created an outlet for his education through the foundation of the Super Suicide Society. The foundation only needed people who would make a daring jump from a tree down to the river. In “Dead Poets Society,” all children who learned in private schools were forced to read by their parents to do better (Weir). They also formed a society that would accommodate kids whenever classes became challenging and hard. Both societies, as discussed, gave outlets for education and created ways for their kids to depend on daily.

Conclusion

In “A Separate Peace” and “Dead Poets Society,” as elaborated in the essay, there are certain genes that make people develop personal relationships with other characters. In both works, there is a proximity of the settings that enhances both relationships. For instance, decision-making has a lot of influence on the overall outcome of both works. Fear, on the other hand, as discussed in both works, can be overwhelming, but unfortunately, it ends up breaking other things. For instance, in ‘Dead Poet Society,’ children face their fears but break the school rules. In most circumstances, many people usually have good plans for post-graduation, but in these works, fate made them change their ways.

It is even seen where specific societies were formed to comfort their kids whenever education became hard. Both stories, to conclude, had many similarities and influences from other people who were close to them and were also the cause of their downfall. Lastly, both works had characters who were idealists and dreamers who were destined to die since they could not live in a world that had dreams of realities such as jealousy, hate, and practicality. A good example is Finny, where he did not manage to live because his best friend hated him (“A Separate Peace by John Knowles”). Neil, on the other hand, also lived a life in a military school.

Works Cited

“A Separate Peace by John Knowles.” Rcwalton.com, n.d., https://rcwalton.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Separate-Peace-A.pdf. Accessed 10 May 2018.

Knowles, John. A Separate Peace. Bantam Pr Ltd, 1975.

Weir, Peter, director. Dead Poets Society. Touchstone Pictures, 1989.