The purpose of beginning the scene in the present day is to give it a reflective and nostalgic feel. To make a text to world connection, it's like when a kid has a favorite toy, but they lose it as they grow up. The person may find it later, but by then, both themselves and the toy have probably changed. On page 14, Gene says “So the more things remain the same, the more they change after all-plus c’est la même chose, plus ça change.” This illustrates while it is essentially the same school, things have changed for Gene. Also, on page 12, after looking at the stairs, Gene says “I had more money and success and “security” than in the days when specters seemed to go up and down them with me.” The point of these two quotes is to essentially give you a chance to make a comparison between present day Gene and the past. The author uses this reflection in the first 14 pages to instill a sense of nostalgia and the feel that things have changed.
I agree with Myles that it is intended to give off a sense of nostalgia, but I also think that it was written like this in order for the reader to compare what has changed and what has not. For example, Gene has obviously changed since his time at the school, but he still knows his way around and can place specific memories on certain locations. Knowles's description of the school both before and after the war allows the reader to see what effects it had on the school. Although at this point we don't know so much about Gene's history, it can be assumed that the war affected his relationship with Devon as well as himself. He knows the school as it was then, so differences in the school like finding the specific tree among the others are what he is drawn to the most.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with both Myles, and Nicholas because I think that John Knowles wanted to set up the scene to let the reader better understand where Gene came from. When the author sets up a novel with a little backroom, it allows him or her to create foreshadow, as well as giving the reader knowledge about the protagonist, to delve deep into who the protagonist is. Yes, this beginning could be used to portray a nostalgic feel, but I think John Knowles will use the information that he has told us to play with foreshadowing, and make the reader understand Gene on another level. I think that what seems like useless information, or "fluff", the author will use to let the reader connect and understand Gene. This will allow the reader to comprehend who "Gene" is.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with both Myles, and Nicholas because I think that John Knowles wanted to set up the scene to let the reader better understand where Gene came from. When the author sets up a novel with a little backroom, it allows him or her to create foreshadow, as well as giving the reader knowledge about the protagonist, to delve deep into who the protagonist is. Yes, this beginning could be used to portray a nostalgic feel, but I think John Knowles will use the information that he has told us to play with foreshadowing, and make the reader understand Gene on another level. I think that what seems like useless information, or "fluff", the author will use to let the reader connect and understand Gene. This will allow the reader to comprehend who "Gene" is.
ReplyDelete