In this classic tale, a young man comes of age at a northern boarding school amidst the backdrop of World War II. Knowles' protagonist looks back at the time he spent at the academy, a transitional period between childhood and adulthood when he struggled to define himself as well as to establish and assert his place in the world. This study guide to ""A Separate Peace"" is complemented by an introduction from literary scholar Harold Bloom, an annotated bibliography, and interpretive essays about the work.