A Separate Peace Final Project
Now that we are nearing the end of A Separate Peace, we must think about a way to put everything we have learned together. These final projects are a way to present our findings in a comprehensive and creative way. The novel deals with the lives of two boys, and how themes such as friendship, rivalry, and suspicion have changed them. There are many ways to document the changes one faces in life. You may choose from the two options below to document the lives of Gene and Finny.
Option 1 – The Yearbook
Yearbooks are like a mirror into the past; they show others what you might have been like a lifetime ago, and allow you to relive cherished memories. Your first option is to create a yearbook for Devon that includes detailed information about the boys who walked its halls in 1942. Possible things to include in your yearbook:
- - Pictures
- - Superlatives (Most Athletic, Most Likely to Succeed, etc.)
- - A signature page
- - Sports information
- - The history of Devon
The more you include in the yearbook, the better it becomes as a project. If you do the yearbook, it must be bound and have a decorated cover. You must also follow the project guidelines at the bottom of the page.
Option 2 – The Scrapbook
Many people choose to gather their memories into scrapbooks, which can include pictures, postcards, letters, and other memorabilia. A scrapbook is like an artistic interpretation of the past, showing both style and understanding. Your scrapbook can contain the following items:
- - Pictures
- - Letters
- - Graduation Announcements
- - Invitations
- - Mementos
- - Newspaper articles
Again, the more you include, the better off you'll be.
Regardless of what project you choose to do, you must follow certain guidelines:
Your project must include a one-page letter. it must be a personal letter either from Gene to Finny or vice versa. Your letter should give brief information regarding the action of the novel. More importantly, your letter should exude who your character is. The audience should be able to understand who the author is as a character simply from reading the letter. To do this, you should know how either Gene or Finny talks, how their mind works, what is important to them, and anything else that would give readers a window into their personalities. If you are doing the yearbook, this letter can be included on the "autograph page," but must be one page long.
Your project must include information about all of the major characters. These include Gene, Finny, Leper, Brinker, Chet, Quackenbush, and Mr. Ludsbury. Don't simply say who they are. Give information about why they were important to the story and how they interacted with each other. The information must come through in writing. A picture of each character is not good enough. I want to have a clear idea of who each character is. You may also minor characters, such as Mr. Patch-Withers or Brownie Perkins.
Find a way to include specific references to five major scenes from the novel. This component is fairly wide open. You can include these references wherever and however you want, as long as they are clear and specific. They may be in either writing or art forms.
You must express a theme (examples are coming of age, competition, jealousy, etc.) that you think was apparent throughout the novel. The only restriction on this element is that is must be a piece of writing. Possibilities include writing an entry in a journal as Gene, creating a poem, or writing a newspaper article. As long as the theme is clearly discussed in writing, you may choose to write in any form. If you choose to write in anything other than a poem, it must be at least one page. If you choose a poem, it must be 20 lines.
Your project must be in final draft form. No pencil, no lined paper (unless it is your letter), and no half finished pieces of work. Take some pride in this project and show what you are capable of doing. The more creative you are, the more likely you are to earn extra credit. Again, this project is fairly wide open. It only has to be boring if you make it boring.
Due Date: Friday, February 7, 2014.
This project is worth a 100 percent writing grade, and a 100 percent literature test grade.