An Analysis Of John Knowles Journey In Life

Maniquiz 1
John Maniquiz
Ms. Cvejic
English 10 Honors
18 June 2012
John Knowles’ Journey in Life. An author’s past experiences and memories has an extensive effect on his/her style in writing and the plot in their writings. The late John Knowles is no exception to this. Born into a well –off family in Fairmont, West Virginia, Knowles had no issues in attending prestigious schools. He left home at young age to attend Philipps Exter Academy, which was a well – known boarding school in West Virginia. Knowles’ affections for the Exeter could be seen in his famous novel, A
Separate Peace. Shortly after graduating in 1945, he went into the military where he trained to become a pilot in the United States Air Force aviation.
His love for travel made him choose to join the Aviation Cadet Program so he could see the world from a better perspective. Furthermore, after writing A Separate Peace, he was encouraged to write and travel more because, “The success of his first published novel, A
Separate Peace, allowed him to resign this position and devote his time to traveling and writing fiction” (John Knowles). This shows that A Separate Peace was Knowles’ first and most important step into becoming known in the world of literature. Due to the success of the novel
Knowles was encouraged to write more novels and to travel more. Therefore, the success of
A Separate Peace and his Training with the Aviation Cadet Program inspired Knowles to write more books about his experiences and to travel the world more often. Consequently, the experiences that John Knowles had in his training with the Aviation Cadet
Program and his years at school influenced the plot of A Separate Peace. For example, his life in school played a big role in A Separate Peace because “Mr. Knowles based A Separate Peace, his first novel, on his years at Philipps Exeter Academy” (Novelist Wrote ASP). This shows
For example, when Gene was thinking about his days in Devon, he realizes how much it changed him just like how Exeter changed Knowles, “Looking back now across fifteen years, I could see with great clarity the fear I had lived in, which must mean that in the interval I had succeeded in a very important undertaking: I must have made my escape from it”
(Knowles 5). Just like what Exeter has done to Knowles, Devon has also changed Gene’s identity and left him with lots of memories. When Gene first came to Devon he was insecure and self – centered but, after the death of Finny, he started to be more confident and he started to appreciate the company of the people with him. Moreover, Gene also had a special bond with
Devon because of the memories and experiences that he had in there which also resembles
Knowles’ and his bond with Exeter. In short, Knowles’ bond with Exeter and Gene’s bond with
Devon are identical since they were based on Knowles’ experience in his years in Exeter. Therefore, Knowles’ memories, journeys, exposure to diverse culture, and fictional