Elwin Lepellier (Leper), in his journey from innocence to disillusionment, is a representation of the journey all of the boys in this novel take. At first he is a symbol of boyhood, as contrasted by his career-bound roommate Brinker who is all future.
Who was Leper in a separate peace?
Elwin “Leper” Lepellier . A quiet, peaceful, nature-loving boy, Leper shocks his classmates by becoming the first boy at Devon to enlist in the army; he shocks them again by deserting soon after.
How is Leper characterized?
Leper is a peaceful, quiet, contemplative boy . He’s timid – the first time we see him he’s declining to jump from the suicide tree (not that we blame him). He’s also a naturalist of sorts, fascinated by the outdoors.
How does Leper feel about Gene?
It is a hatred born of his own hatred for himself ; Leper reminds him of what he did to Finny, and that makes him angry. Gene doesn’t want to think about it, and dislikes Leper for reminding him.
Is Leper an outcast in a separate peace?
Leper Lepellier is a loner and social outcast at Devon . He’s not much interested in being part of the games the other students play. He brings his troubles conforming into the army. He then deserts when he is told is going to be given a Section Eight discharge, which he describes as for “psychos.”
How does leper lose his innocence?
Leper deserted the army because of the discharge status he was going to receive, and he broke the law. He lost his innocence during the war because of what he experienced and “saw” .
What mental illness does leper have?
Depressive disorders and anxiety disorders were found to be very common among persons affected by leprosy. Feelings such as fear, shame and low self-esteem are also experienced by those affected, and their children.
Why does Leper call Gene a savage?
Leper declares that Gene pushed Finny out of the tree , because Gene is “a savage underneath.” Accused and judged, Gene responds to his own dark instincts, his secret impulses, and knocks Leper from his chair, just as he once pushed Finny from the tree.
What does Leper from A Separate Peace look like?
Leper is a tall, bespectacled, timid boy who would rather observe nature than play sports or jump out of trees . Gene Forrester, the novel’s narrator, tells us, ‘With Leper it was always a fight...to avoid making fun of him. ‘
What is the significance of lepers nickname?
It is important to understand that Elwin Lepellier’s nickname—Leper—is indicative of his status at Devon . A shy loner and a social misfit, Leper is unable to relate to his classmates and finds satisfaction only in the beauty and serenity of the natural world.
Why did leper leave Devon?
Leper goes AWOL (away without leave) before the army discharges him as a “Section Eight”, signifying that he is unfit for service due to mental illness . ... When Gene sees Leper, he is no longer the innocent, gentle student he had been at Devon; he now sees Gene as a “savage”, much like the men in the military.
Why does Gene tip lepers chair over?
Why does Gene tip Leper’s chair over? He says Gene was a savage by pushing Finny out the tree. Because Gene got mad at him.
What was leper going to receive from the army?
Leper goes on to inform him that the army was going to give him a Section Eight discharge . He explains to Gene that a Section Eight is for “the psychos, the Funny Farm candidates.” Leper believes that this is worse than a dishonorable discharge and that it will bar him forever from any chance of getting a job.
What happens to leper at the end of A Separate Peace?
Finny’s death is symbolic of the fact that having to evolve, or become an adult, and face conflict was too much for him, so he literally perished. Finny’s death in A Separate Peace by John Knowles shows that Leper Lepellier is right and that everyone has to evolve, or else one will perish.
What happened to leper in A Separate Peace?
What happened to Leper? He went AWOL because he was about to get a Section Eight discharge a discharge for mentally ill soldiers).
What does the tree symbolize in A Separate Peace?
The tree in A Separate Peace represents a place where young and naïve students prepare to be war heroes . Through their shared bravery, Finny and Gene bond and become best friends when they both jump out of the tree. ... Unable to blame his friend, Finny blames the tree for knocking him out of it.
