Being uncertain about your identity can lead to disastrous consequences. In A Separate Peace by John Knowles, Gene is tested by his friendship with Phineas. Gene's limb jerk exemplifies how Gene's uncertainty leads to negative consequences. When at the top of the limb, Gene takes a step towards Finny with “knees bent” and “jumps the limb.” Finny then falls from the limb, hitting the ground, resulting in a "shattered" leg. This is a physical consequence of Gene being uncertain who he is. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Not knowing himself causes Gene to become jealous of Finny and unsure of how he should behave towards the people around him. Experiencing jealousy and inferiority towards Finny, Gene vibrates his limb to know what it feels like to be better than Phineas. Gene describes Finny's fall as "the first clumsy physical action he had ever seen Finny perform." Finny had always been perfect, always won in athletics and was always charming to his teachers. When he fell, Gene saw for the first time that Finny was weak. Ever since the accident occurred, Gene has been afraid to tell Finny the truth. Gene “couldn't remember” whether “he really, definitely and knowingly did it to her after all,” and is also afraid that the truth would hurt Finny more. Later, Brinker starts a trial for Finny's injured leg. Gene denies his actions until Leper charges him as a witness. Finny, shocked by his best friend's betrayal, rushes out the door, and the next thing Gene hears is "the turmoil of Finny's body falling clumsily down the white marble stairs." The next day, Dr. Stanpole tells Gene that during Finny's operation "his heart just stopped, without warning." Gene, not being sure of himself, indirectly causes Finny's death. The shock of reality makes Finny lose his mind and he falls down the stairs in tears. Finny loses his innocence and his life, all because of Gene's struggle to identify who he wants to be. His identity includes how he chooses to behave towards his friends, especially Finny. Since he does not know himself, he does not know how to act, and this leads to tragic consequences. Similar to Gene, Leper's uncertainty about his identity is something that is seen throughout the book, resulting in terrible repercussions. Early in the novel, Leper explains that “skiing is not supposed to be fast” and that he prefers to ski slowly. Preferring to ski slowly, Leper reveals how he likes to take things slow and "have fun." Later in the book, a U.S. Ski Troop recruiter shows a film to Leper's class. Leper saw “skiers in white shrouds flying down virgin slopes” and these images “slipped straight into Leper's heart in Vermont.” Leper now changes from the beginning of the book, considering that the fast alpine skiing troops have opposed his old favorite, slow skiing. He comes to a conclusion, saying, "It's okay to miss the trees and the countryside and all the other things when you have to hurry." His opinion is now different as he decides that he will now “join these ski troops”. Leper joins the ski troop and is the first person from Devon to join. No one hears from Leper until a telegram arrives. It's addressed to Gene. Gene reads: "I ran away and I need help." Gene, wasting no time, hurries to assist Leper. She catches up with him the next day and learns that Leper is leaving the Army to avoid being discharged from Section 8, which is "for service nuts, psychopaths, Funny Farm candidates.".