Question 1 "Why Does John Knowles Begin The Novel This Way? What Is The Purpose? What Is The Effect? Eton

       
                   In the beginning of the book, Gene talks about his school, and sets the setting. The purpose of this is to establish a mood for the book. During his explanation Gene says "I started the long trudge across the fields..." (Knowles 13). Here he is talking about walking across the sports fields to find a tree. Later he also says "It had loomed in my memory..." (Knowles 13). This quote is when he was talking about the tree. Both of these quotes use words that show a sad or dreadful mood that Knowles established early on.