Introduction Finny

Troy Kariniemi

HP English 10

Critical Essay Rough Outline

Hour 3

Jan. 28, 2009

When potentially threatening events occur, people often find ways to deal with it by making Maginot Lines to stop the chaos and instability from ruining their lives. A Separate Peace, written by John Knowles, takes place during World War 2 in Devon, New Hampshire. It starts in the summer of 1942 and progresses into early 1943 of the War. Events such as Finny breaking his leg, war looming ever closer, and events resulting from these events harm most characters mentally. But Finny, an anomaly in the results, seems immune to these effects. Finny uses a controlled filter of illusion to slowly and harmlessly allow otherwise dangerous information to become realized, as to protect himself from mental chaos and instability.