Code of Conduct 1
Name: _____________________________
Ms. Mills
Honors English II
January __, 2008
The Devon Code of Conduct
A Separate Peace
Directions: After Reading Chapters 6 & 7, complete the following activities that focus on
identifying moral philosophies.
Learning About Thinking:
A moral philosophy or moral code is a set of beliefs on which a person’s behavior or actions are
based. Study the following definitions and examples of four moral philosophies.
1. Egoism: A person’s behavior is based solely on self-interest.
 My example: A businessperson pollutes a nearby river because he or she does not want to
spend money on new equipment.
 Your example:
2. Utilitarianism: A person’s behavior is based on what will bring the greatest happiness for the
greatest number of people.
 My example: A state changes the tax code so that each wage earner pays taxes based solely
on his or her ability to pay.
 Your example:
3. Formalism: A person’s behavior is based on a strict rule regardless of context or situation.
 My example: A judge sentences both a first-time youth offender and a professional
criminal to ten years in prison for the same kind of theft.
 Your example:
4. Divine Command: A person’s behavior is based on commandments or laws established by a divine
or Supreme Being.
 My example: An individual chooses not to ser e in the armed forces because he or she
believes that to do so violates the Fifth Commandment.
 Your example:
Thinking about the Novel
The conduct of the boys and their teachers at Devon is determined in great part by two
principles: the school’s code of conduct (written school rules and unwritten expectations of
students) and the personal moral philosophies of each boy. At times, the two principles complement
one another; at other times, the moral philosophies of the boys and the school’s rules are in
conflict.
A. Determine the moral philosophical code exhibited in each of the following situations.
Decide if this code complements or conflicts with the code of conduct at Devon School.
Code of Conduct 2
1.
“If you broke the rules, then they broke you.”
Gene’s comment is based on _________________________________.
(Philosophy)
2. When Finny states openly that Gene is his best friend, Gene’s inability to return Finny’s
compliment is based on ___________________________________.
(Philosophy)
3. When Mr. Ludsbury scolds the boys for not maintaining Devon’s high standards and assisting
Mr. Prud’homme, his comment is based on _______________________________.
(Philosophy)
4. Leper Lepellier goes searching for a beaver dam because he is in awe of one of nature’s
creatures. Leper’s attitude is based on ______________________________.
(Philosophy)
5. “You aren’t going to start living by the rules, are you?” Finny asks Gene. Finny’s attitude is
based on _________________________________________.
(Philosophy)
6. Gene says that crew managers were usually boys with some physical disability, since everyone
had to take part in sports. Gene’s attitude is based on ___________________________.
(Philosophy)
7. When Finny orders Gene to play sports for him, Finny’s determination is based on
_______________________________________.
(Philosophy)
8. When Brinker says that he is fed up with Devon and going to enlist in the Army the next day,
his decision is based on _______________________________________.
(Philosophy)
B. Whose philosophy conflicts most with the school’s code of conduct? Why?
C. Whose philosophy most conforms to the school’s code of conduct? Why?
Code of Conduct 3
Writing about the Novel
There are those who would argue that Gene’s jiggling of the tree branch was consistent with
his moral philosophy and that his difficulty in facing Finny with the truth was also consistent
with his moral philosophy. What do you think? In a well-developed essay, analyze Gene’s moral
philosophy and discuss why you believe that he jiggled the branch.
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Code of Conduct 4
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