The Theme of a Separate Peace The persistent theme of A Separate Peace is the deterioration of a complex friendship. The bond between two boys (Finny and Gene) is tested and attacked, as the reader watches a seemingly utopian relationship fall into decay. Gene is challenged by various internal hostilities, while Finny, his penchant for athletics revoked, has been forced to find acceptability and provocation elsewhere. Furthermore, the book begins in mid-to-late 1942, during the height of the Axis powers' success. The effect of stress and tension on the camaraderie of kids becomes high. The intensities of war, envy and entangled personalities synthesize to provide an interesting glimpse into the subconscious mind and sanity of young people in times of war. Phineas and Gene form the illusion of a great company, combining superior athletic ability with a powerful intellect. However, a silent rivalry develops between them. At the beginning of the story Gene seems to accept Finny's excellent physical agility, but resents what he believes is ostentatious (of his aptitudes) by Phineas. As the book progresses, Gene continues to look deeper into their communion and quickly becomes wildly jealous of Finny. Ultimately, Gene damages Finny by jolting the limb Finny was on. Phineas, meanwhile, seems unaware of Gene's evil thoughts. Continue to remain optimistic and promising. Amid this rivalry, World War II persists, and the Devon School faculty is preparing students for entry into the military. Propaganda and the war effort fascinate young people. From the formation of the Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session, to shoveling snow at the rail yard, everyone is absorbed in the aura of war. Gene's realization, while shoveling snow, that "we [he and his schoolmates] seemed like nothing more than children playing among heroic men" (89) demonstrated that his generation is merely pawns in a global conflict. Gene maintains his pessimism and exposes the evil within him. The disharmony between Gene and Finny constitutes a separate full-scale war when Phineas breaks his leg again. With Phineas' inner evil now exposed and his superficial personality destroyed, Gene quickly becomes the object of his animosity. With Phineas' death, the relationship has completely deteriorated. When he can't cry, Gene reveals that it's not just Finny's funeral, but his own.