There is very little in the text of A Separate
Peace that is not imagery of one sort or another. Knowles carefully crafted
his words to build and reinforce the themes contained in his story at every
opportunity.
When some of the boys from Devon volunteer to
shovel out the railroad yard, the effort is approached in their minds at first as a
working holiday - an opportunity to make some money while helping the "war effort" that
was immortalized as being "a bore." Upon arriving at the railroad yard, however, they
discovered not pristine white snow but "drab and sooted, wet and heavy" snow that
quickly became exhausting to shovel. When the first train was finally able to travel
through the newly cleared tracks, the boys prepared to celebrate their victory over the
snow with the passengers on the train.
It was a troop train....They were not much older
than we were and although probably just recruits, they gave the impression of being an
elite as they were carried past our drab ranks. They seemed to be having a wonderful
time, their uniforms looked new and good; they were clean and energetic; they were going
places.
The contrast between
the students, grimy and sweaty in their safe school existence, and the soldiers, looking
rested and crisp in clean clothes as they headed off to war, creates an image that
reflects the contrast between the peace of Devon and the war that is highlighted
throughout the book.
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