With the growth in popularity of young adult (YA) literature over the past few decades, novels such as John Knowles's 1959 classic "A Separate Peace" deserve to be analyzed for typical YA themes, such as sexuality, identity, dysfunctional family units, and coming of age motifs. This paper evaluates "A Separate Peace" from a queer theory perspective while analyzing symbolic elements and themes. By examining these YA themes, teachers can offer fresh perspectives while teaching classic novels that have withstood the test of time.