Character Analysis Of Leper Lepellier In A Separate Peace By John Knowles

Leper Lepellier changed a lot in A Separate Peace by John Knowles. He was a naturalist who was against the war, but during the middle of the book, he decides to enlist. Leper has always been quiet, shy, and likes to be by himself.
Leper kept to himself most of time and barely talked to anyone. He didn’t fit in at Devon, so he spent his time outdoors exploring nature. Leper did not like to participate in group activities. He lives in world away from violence and war. Leper found happiness in cross-country skiing. He doesn’t change much in the beginning of the book, he has a passive personality and just goes with the flow.
A big problem for Leper is breaking down under stress. A circumstance when he does this is when Phineas challenges him to

jump out of the tree. Finny kept pressuring him until he finally agreed to. This is an unusual behavior of Leper’s because he doesn’t like to participate in activities with the other Devon boys. Towards the middle of the book, Leper encounters stress again, but more serious.
In January of the Winter Session, Leper enlists. It surprises everyone because he was the one against the war and hoped to not be drafted. He enlisted in the ski troops. Leper loved to ski and he fell in love with the visual representation the recruitment officer showed him. He was about to turn eighteen, but he decided to join the Army anyways. Leper used this as an opportunity to show his individualism by being the first boy at Devon to enlist. When Leper goes to boot camp, he’s faced by the reality of the war. He slowly becomes crazy and starts seeing things. Leper suffered from a mental breakdown and eventually escaped from the army. The army wrecks Leper’s sanity and he gains insight. Leper’s personality changed from an innocent boy to a crazy lunatic. He changed from a passive person to an aggressive person. He is a complete contrast to the person he was before the war.