Nicholas Sparks is well-known for his moving novels which are later made into huge motion pictures. If anyone has seen the movies, The Notebook or A Walk to Remember, that person knows that there is a good chance that they will not leave without shedding a tear. This holds true for the book, A Walk to Remember, as well. As I read this book (after watching the movie many times before) I couldn’t help but feel both anxious and sad for what I knew to be the ending. Despite already knowing the story line, I was still touched by Sparks’ moral in the novel: one loving person can make a big difference in someone’s life.
Jamie Sullivan, the shy girl considered strange by her peers, is actually a mature young woman who lives the way God intends her to, instead of following the status quo. As she loves and serves others, she makes a big impact on the lives of the people around her, starting with one of the “popular” high schoolers, Landon Carter. Landon, whose father is constantly away from home due to business, has grown up as a rebellious teenager while Jamie, daughter of the town’s Baptist minister, is dearly close to her father. The two strikingly different people first begin to talk when Landon realizes he needs to use Jamie for a last minute prom date. She ends up surprising him with her sacrifice at prom to help him clean up after his ex-girlfriend gets sick. This is when he first notices Jamie’s tender heart. Later, in their drama class, Landon’s teacher asks Landon to costar with Jamie in the upcoming Christmas play. Reluctant at first, he realizes that this play means a lot to the town, and he should return the favor to Jamie after ruining her prom night. They begin spending more time together as they practice for the play and she asks him to walk her home each day. After much teasing, Landon’s friends sarcastically tell Jamie that he would like to help her volunteer at the orphanage. The two visit the orphans together and Landon discovers for the second time that there is beauty in Jamie’s compassion for broken/needy people. Despite the fact that their schoolmates find her strange, Landon sees Jamie’s inner beauty and finds himself quickly falling in love with her. He convinces her strict father to let him take her on a date, and Jamie finds herself falling for him also.
After dating for a few months, Landon is devastated to learn that Jamie has leukemia and has less than a year to live. As she gets sicker, Landon’s love for her grows stronger. He meets her at her house every day after school so they can read her Bible together. When she becomes too ill to even get out of bed, Landon knows he has to do something for her. He promised her his love and devotion by marrying her in her mother’s church- not only because it was her lifelong desire, but also because she helped him become a better person and he could never love anyone the same way again. The reader can infer that Jamie dies soon after, but Landon says he still loves her throughout his life. He says that Jamie taught him how to love, and she led him to realize that miracles can happen.
Although people often dislike being considered strange or different, the ability to stand out above the crowd is a valuable quality. Because Jamie was confidant enough in herself, she was willing to be different from the typical highschooler. Her individuality and faith allowed her to love others wholeheartedly. At first, her peers judged her because she acted different, but it didn’t stop her from loving them back. As the novel progressed, Landon wasn’t the only one to see that Jamie had one of the kindest hearts at their school. Her compassion changed Landon’s life as he strived to become a better and more loving person like her. If we could leave our judgment and stereotypes behind, we could live to love others and radically change lives.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I have seen the movie A Walk to Remember and it was a real tear jerker but I loved every second of it. The book sounds just like the movie even though the movie was based on the book. I would love to read this book. Jamie and Landon are the odd couple that find a way to love each other even though Landon was the cool, tough guy and Jamie was the quiet, preachers daughter. After Landon finds out about Jamie’s leukemia he does everything he can to make the rest of her life the best it can be. Landon learns that, no matter how a person is seem to their peers, they can be a sweet person and a great friend.
ReplyDeleteFrom the minute I saw the title, A Walk to Remember, I instantly stopped and was shocked. I had no idea that the extraordinary, and extremely moving movie was based on a book. I have seen the movie, A Walk to Remember, countless times and I am always moved by the love Jamie Sullivan and Landon Carter have for each other. While reading the summary of the novel, A Walk to Remember, I noticed that although it followed the same story line as the movie, it was also quite different from the movie. It seems the book shows how the love between Jamie and Landon grows slowly, as apposed from the movie. In the book, many events happen that bring Jamie and Landon together and really shows that finding the true beauty within someone is what really matters. Another message that the book brings is standing out from a crowd shows individuality and courage, and having faith can make any person stronger. Although I know what happens in the story, I would truly love to read the book because it shows a capturing tale about how love can make a big impact on anyone’s life.
ReplyDelete