John Knowles utilizes figurative language in creating the setting of A Separate Peace to show readers the difficulties and

importance of overcoming fear. The main character states that the school is like a museum and that is exactly what he did not want it to be. Through this simile, the reader can see that he is trying to forget his past. Knowles chooses to compare the school to a museum because both hold clues to the past. Museums preserve the past; just as the Devon school preserves the main characters memories of high school. It is clear to the reader that the main character has struggled to overcome the fear that surrounds these memories. He states that he had been unfamiliar with the absence of fear and that his fear was like stale air in an unopened room. However, the reader can also see that he is making progress when the author uses words such as shinier, glossy, and new to describe the school. These words show the main character has gained clarity and is on the road to recovery.