How is Leper characterized?
A quiet, peaceful, nature-loving boy, Leper shocks his classmates by becoming the first boy at Devon to enlist in the army; he shocks them again by deserting soon after. Leper’s descriptions of his wartime hallucinations constitute one of the novel’s darkest moments.
What does Leper fear gene thinks of him?
Agitated and defensive, Leper spits out the word he imagines Gene is thinking — “psycho.”
What does Leper Telegram symbolize in a separate peace?
That he goes off to war shows that anyone can go. Also, it shows that the adult world outside can hit any of the school boys in Devon. Thus, Leper reminds the reader that there is war going on in the background, and no one can be immune to it.
Is Leper an outcast in a separate peace?
Leper Lepellier is a loner and social outcast at Devon. He’s not much interested in being part of the games the other students play. He brings his troubles conforming into the army. He then deserts when he is told is going to be given a Section Eight discharge, which he describes as for “psychos.”
What is the significance of lepers nickname?
It is important to understand that Elwin Lepellier’s nickname—Leper—is indicative of his status at Devon. A shy loner and a social misfit, Leper is unable to relate to his classmates and finds satisfaction only in the beauty and serenity of the natural world.
What happens to Leper after he enlists?
When Leper enlists as the first volunteer from Devon, he disappears, almost without a word, into the world of war. The silence surrounding Leper’s leave-taking and the lack of information about his part in the war encourages wildly imaginative tales that Brinker weaves into the Leper legend.
Why is lepers enlistment a surprise?
Why is Lepers enlistment a surprise ? Leper’s enlistment is a surprise because he was a quiet person, who loved peace and quiet. He was also not considered very brave and heroic, which is why Leper’s enlistment to the military is ironic. People thought someone braver, like Brinker, would have been the first to enlist.
Can lepers feel pain?
Nerve damage can lead to a dangerous loss of feeling. If you have leprosy-related nerve damage, you may not feel pain when you get cuts, burns, or other injuries on your hands, legs, or feet.
What mental illness does leper have?
Multiple psychiatric morbidities have been identified among leprosy-affected persons, including depression, anxiety disorders and suicide (attempts).
Why did Leper say he chose to leave military?
Leper goes AWOL (away without leave) before the army discharges him as a “Section Eight”, signifying that he is unfit for service due to mental illness. Going AWOL is a serious offense, but Leper does not want to be branded as a mental case for the rest of his life.
What mental illness did leper have?
What is a Section Eight discharge Why didn’t leper want it?
He was given a Section Eight discharge, which is a dishonorable discharge from the army based on psychiatric grounds. He doesn’t want this type of discharge, as he thinks he will have to show it to future employers, who will never hire him (they will think he is too crazy to work).
What does lepers telegram say?
Amid the festivities, Brownie reappears from the dormitory with a telegram: Leper has written to Gene to say that he has “escaped” and that his safety depends on Gene coming at once to his “Christmas location.”
What did Leper see right before the army personnel grabbed him?
Answer: Leper enlists after he sees the soldiers fighting on snow skis, he now sees race skiing as the evolution of skiing.
Why do lepers lose fingers?
The nerve damage that occurs in multibacillary leprosy often results in a lack of sensation in the hands and feet. Repeated injuries that go unnoticed and untreated because of this lack of sensation can lead to reabsorption of affected fingers or toes by the body, resulting in the shortening or loss of these digits.
What is leprosy called today?
Hansen’s disease (also known as leprosy) is an infection caused by slow-growing bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. It can affect the nerves, skin, eyes, and lining of the nose (nasal mucosa). With early diagnosis and treatment, the disease can be cured.
The change in Leper, his alternating laughter and tears, makes clear that he has suffered a mental breakdown in the army. Agitated and defensive, Leper spits out the word he imagines Gene is thinking — “psycho.”
He is a timid, peaceful boy who loves nature. That he goes off to war shows that anyone can go. Thus, Leper reminds the reader that there is war going on in the background, and no one can be immune to it.
Depressive disorders and anxiety disorders were found to be very common among persons affected by leprosy. Feelings such as fear, shame and low self-esteem are also experienced by those affected, and their children.
Why did leper leave Devon?
Expert Answers Leper goes AWOL (away without leave) before the army discharges him as a “Section Eight”, signifying that he is unfit for service due to mental illness. Going AWOL is a serious offense, but Leper does not want to be branded as a mental case for the rest of his life.
What was leper going to receive from the army?
Leper tells Gene that he has, in fact, deserted; he did so because the army was planning to give him a Section Eight discharge for insanity, which he says would have prevented him from ever finding work or leading a normal life.
If left untreated, leprosy can cause permanent damage to the nerves in the fingers, toes, hands, and feet. This may affect a person’s ability to feel pain and temperature in these areas of the body. When you can’t feel your fingers or toes, you may accidentally burn, cut, or hurt yourself.
Why is leper called Leper in a separate peace?
‘Leper’ Lepellier. It is never explained in the story exactly why he is called ‘Leper,’ though it certainly is not because he has Leprosy, a flesh eating disease. Instead, it likely is just because his last name is Lepellier, and because the book’s characters are all adolescent boys who like to make up nick names.
What’s the name of the boy in a separate peace?
Many movies and books are about how a traumatic experience can change the attitude and general nature of a person, for good or for bad. Leper is just one example. In John Knowles’s A Separate Peace, the boy called ‘Leper’ is actually named Elwin Lepellier, though in the novel only his mother ever calls him by his proper name.
Who is Elwin Lepellier in a separate peace?
A Separate Peace A quiet, peaceful, nature-loving boy, Leper shocks his classmates by becoming the first boy at Devon to enlist in the army; he shocks them again by deserting soon after.
Who are the characters in the book leper?
Elwin “Leper” Lepellier Character Analysis. A member of Gene and Finny’s circle of friends at Devon, Leper is an eccentric student who enjoys communing with nature. As the other boys play sports and leap from trees, Leper photographs beaver dams and goes cross-country skiing.