Katie Massie
John Knowles begins the novel by opening it with present day Gene narrating his return to Devon because it adds a reflective element to the scenes of him as a teenage boy with his friends. The purpose is to show his thoughts on those times and the school years after he’s been there, and it is more honest because not only is he wiser now, but he is also less influenced now than he was a teenager. He understands his foolish and humorous ways, and John Knowles portrays it perfectly when Gene narrates, “I said a lot of things sarcastically that summer; that was my sarcastic summer, 1942.” It is so subtle, but yet is relatable because everyone knows someone or has been that know-it-all teenager that at one point in their life. People know the obnoxious teenager character, the one who says everything snidely, and sarcastically, with a roll of the eyes.
Because it was the past, Gene can say things like “We were in the transit that summer from the groveling status of Lower Middlers to the near – respectability of Upper Middlers,” and it makes the scene have more depth, be more honest, and be funnier. Having a man look back at his times with his friends as a teenager also makes the scenes more sentimental to the reader. It resonates with the reader, no matter what the reader’s age. It makes it relatable, and adds a sweetness to the scenes, somewhat of a bitter sweetness. It’s the kind of writing that makes a person who misses being young, innocent, and alive, tilt their head and give a little half - smile. It also creates a build-up so it makes the reader intrigued, and the scenes with Gene and his friends more interesting. The novel opens with Gene returning to Devon because it allows more honesty and reflection to the following scenes.
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