John Cheever was born into a middle-class family on May 27, 1912, in Quincy, Massachusetts. His father worked in the shoe industry, which was booming in New England at the time of Cheever’s birth. However, by the time he reached his teenage years, both his father’s career and his parents’ marriage were suffering. Not only was the failure of the shoe industry a humiliation for the family, but it also propelled them into poverty. These events contributed to a tumultuous adolescence for Cheever, resulting in his expulsion from the prestigious Thayer Academy at age 17. This singular event served as fodder for Cheever’s first short story, “Expelled,” published in 1930 in The New Republic. Furthermore, his strained relationship with his dad may have influenced the writing of “Reunion” and the portrayal of Charlie’s father.

After finishing his schooling, Cheever worked as a writer and editor along the East Coast and married Mary Winternitz in 1941. They had three children. In 1942, he enlisted in the US Army. After returning from war, the family moved out of New York City and into the suburbs. This move influenced his writing a great deal as many of Cheever’s stories addressed the day-to-day aspects of suburban family life.