The title A Separate Peace holds a few similar, yet different meanings. The most obvious being that Devon is the initial accommodation of peace located in isolation from the remainder of the world. Gene and the other boys at Devon have achieved a peace outside of the war that is taking place around the globe.

Not only does the school represent a peace of its own, but the death of Phineas represents a peace for both Phineas and Gene. Because Finny passed on to the afterlife, he achieved a peace with his own self pride. He felt useless and powerless due to his rejection from every branch of the armed forces. He no longer is forced to feel abundantly small compared to the other boys at Devon, who can freely join the army without complications. Finny can finally accept the fact that there is no longer a personal war he is incapable of fighting in.

Along with Finny’s personal peace, Gene experiences his own peace as well. Since Gene’s true enemy, Finny, has passed away unexpectedly, Gene can finally come to the realization that he can forgive himself for being responsible for Finny’s leg injury. Phineas’s death allowed Gene to receive his personal peace against the world of Finny.