A Separate Peace
Revelations of Fear Sample Outline
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Introduction
A. hook
B. connector (author and title)
C. thesis statement – Fear forces the boys to recognize their own weaknesses
and learn about life and themselves; some of the boys grow from their
learning process and others are destroyed by it
Gene’s fears
A. Being rejected by his peers
i.
goes along with jumping from tree
ii.
goes to the beach
B. Being inferior to Finny
i.
can’t compete with Finny in sports – envy of Finny for
breaking swimming record
ii.
can’t compete in courage and freedom to break rules – envy
of Finny for wearing pink shirt and school tie
iii.
tries to compete with grades; suspicion of Finny trying to
sabotage his grades and betray him
iv.
hates Finny for saving his life because it shows his inferiority
v.
knocks Finny out of the tree
C. Fear of his own evil
i.
tries to admit the truth, but feels better denying it
ii.
becomes Finny – wears his clothes and plays sports – Winter
Olympics
iii.
wants to enlist in order to run away
iv.
must finally admit to his own evil and his own fears; his fears
of the war and of Finny leave him after he understands
Finny’s fears – destroyed by them
A. has no fears to begin
i.
thinks everyone loves him
ii.
jumps out of trees
iii.
suspects no war and denies its existence
B. reveals later that he is afraid of losing his power in relation to athletics and
friendship
i.
denies that Gene could have betrayed him
ii.
denies the war
iii.
rebreaks his leg after he hears the truth
iv.
admits his desire to be in the war (as a leader?) but
recognizes his inability to take part
v.
forgives Gene
C. recognizes that his greatest fear is to lose what makes him enjoy life –
leadership and friendship
Brinker – fears the rejection of his father, but later rebels against him
Leper - Fears the evils of the war – destroyed by his fears
VI.
Conclusion – restate what was proved; final thoughts