Envy in a Separate Peace“People are often vain of their most criminal passions; but envy is such a mean and low passion that no one will admit it,” Francois de la Rochefoucauld (1613-1680), a French philosopher, once stated, and this statement sums up the undertone of A Separate Piece by John Knowles. The story is set in a highly competitive boys' school on the East Coast which provides the perfect stage to develop the plot. Gene's insecurity, which led to Finny's jealousy, is the cause of the overall conflict. In chapter 1 Finny jumps from the tree for the first time, and then Gene follows him. When Gene jumps after Finny, he does so not because he is "ashamed" (906) as Finny says, but out of envy of being more like Finny. Gene feels a strange feeling of gratification that seems to resolve his insecurity when he imitates Finny. Returning home from the tree Gene boasts, "Then I became his (Finny) co-worker" as they had both skipped dinner. This shows that his subconscious jealousy had managed to be like Finny. Gene felt that the more he could associate with Finny, the more he would be thought of as Finny. Even Gene may not have realized his underlying jealousy, but it was there from the beginning. Gene nears completion of his transformation into Finny in chapter 4. "I jounced the limb" (923) says Gene, and Finny falls through the branches, breaking limbs with his momentum until the fall ends with an unnatural thud. This action begins the final phase of Gene's plan: he cannot be fully Finny until the space is opened and filled. At this point Gene begins to realize what is happening. At the funeral Gene said he hadn't cried then or ever. Gene didn't cry because he knew that when Finny was buried that was all Finny was buried, a body.