Symbolism in "A Separate Peace"

Symbolism is used to display meaning "A Separate Peace". Many images in A Separate Peace symbolize Gene’s transition from childhood to adulthood. For example, blitzball is a game that mainly only kids would pay but the title blitzball relates to war. This symbolizes the liminal state where Gene still has childish qualities but is developing adult characteristics. War represents adulthood. For Gene and all the students at Devon the war consumes their futures. War forces people to mature and let go of their childish ways similar to how adulthood forces people to grow up. The different sessions of school Gene attends at Devon also represent his maturation. During the summer session Gene causes Finny to fall off the tree, which shows that Gene is childlike; acting on an impulse without considering its consequence. The boys at the summer session are also isolated from the war and do not realize the effect it has on people and the world. This represents childhood when you are naive to the tragedies and hardships of the world. In contrast, the winter session represents adulthood. During the winter, Leper enlists in the military and Gene sees through Leper the effect war has. Gene is no longer naive to war and the magnitude of its consequences. In addition, Gene also attempts to confess the Phineas what he has done which is a very mature act of courage. Yet Phineas does not allow Gene to confess what he has done, because Phineas is too immature to even think that a person could and would do that to his own best friend. This goes to show that Phineas is a symbol of childhood. Symbolism is used to convey the meaning that Gene has to develop into an adulthood and let go of his childish ways.