The Academy

“Every student for the past 114 years has traveled the same route: through the wrought-iron gates, down the Pasture lined with shade maples and white horse fencing, past the “Teddy” (The Edward Tiffin Student Union) and the “Sink” (the Mary Tiffin Sinclair Library), around the circle in front of the Schoolhouse, and along the stretch of freshly mowed athletic fields to the dormitories.”

The novel’s opening lines emphasize the importance of the setting, Tiffin Academy. The grounds and the entrance of the new students speaks to tradition, prestige, and privilege, a fact that is reflected in the scrawling landscapes and the vivid description of the grounds.

“What is the right tone when a student has died by suicide on your watch, but you have 239 other kids in your care who deserve a top-notch educational experience?”

Audre’s thoughts, as she tries to strike the right “tone” when greeting the students, introduces Cinnamon’s death, which will impact several students throughout the novel. Although Audre cares about her students, her primary concern is how Cinnamon’s death will impact the prestige of the school and, by extension, the performance of the other students. Because Cinnamon’s death is introduced at the start of the novel, it foreshadows how students like Dub, Davi, and Taylor will be impacted by this death.

“On her feet are boat shoes; Audre hasn’t seen a pair up close in decades. It looks like she stepped right out of The Official Preppy Handbook; if it were 1984, she would fit right in. But forty years have passed. […] Audre wonders if Charley watched some old movies—Love Story, perhaps, or Dead Poets Society—and thought this was what the kids would be wearing?”

The shifting perspective allows the reader to see Audre’s thoughts as she welcomes the new students. Here, she is judging the way that Charley looks, questioning her shoes, clothes, and books that she brings with her. This description is a jarring contrast to the air that Audre presents to others: while she projects the air of professionalism and care for her students, she inwardly judges them and the image they will project for the school.