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WAR OF THE MIND Growing up has always been a long and difficult process. Sometimes easier than others, but for many, it can change the entire perception of how one looks at life. It is an internal struggle to learn more about ones self and to find peace of mind. Throughout the novel, “A Separate Peace,” by John Knowles, students at Devon high school find themselves living in a decade of war to which they must learn to mature and to cooperate with one another. One can see the symbolism of growing up through the games of blitzball, the snowball fight, Finny’s denial of war, World War II, and the tree. Blitzball is a game that was created by Phineas. It is a game everyone fends for themselves. There are no teams. The ball carrier must fight alone and must outrun all of the other players. The only other option, would be to give the ball to another player, which has the ability to deny possession of the ball. This represents the internal struggle by all of the students at Devon High School. They fight alone, without anyone to help them, caught in a period of war and chaos. Only those with the most character and determination will prove to be successful.
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