monthly review Dear John

1. In the first sentence of the prologue, John asks: “What does it mean to truly love another?” How does John’s answer to this question change over the course of the novel? How would you answer this question?

11. How do you think John views Tim, and how do his perceptions change by the end of the novel?

12. What do you make of John’s actions at the very end of the novel? Would you have done what he did if you were in his position?


Dear John is a tear-jerking, romance novel by Nicholas Sparks about two lovers, John Tyree, who is a high school drop out soldier, and Savannah Lynn Curtis, who is a college student visiting on her break. Being a high school drop out, John is doing nothing with his life, so he signs up for the army. On his leave, John returns home and goes surfing, which is where he meets Savannah. John instantly falls for her after a few days, and the feeling is mutual. When he has to go back to Germany, they promise to write to each other. John promises to marry Savannah after he comes back. But 9/11 changes their lives and Savannah falls for someone else. Savannah writes a heartbreaking letter to John telling him that their relationship is over. When John returns back on his leave, he visits Savannah. He finds out that both their lives have changed forever.

In the first sentence of the Prologue, John asks: "what does it mean to truly love another?" I don't think his answer really changed that much from the beginning of the novel. Although, before he met Savannah, I don't think he even really loved another person. There was this one girl that he kinda had feelings for, but it was nothing more that a little relationship though.

"Tim had told me-and shown me-that love meant that you care for another
person's
happiness more than you're own, no matter how painful the choices
you face might
be."

In the epilogue, John answers the question. However, I think that he had always known the answer to this question. Whenever John and Savannah got into an argument or a fight, John was always the one that came to apologize to Savannah. Even when it was Savannah's fault. He didn't want to fight and was willing to let Savannah win.

I think my answer to this question would be similar to John's answer. I would say that to love someone is to make them happy, you go out for your way just to make them smile. You don't judge them, and accept them for who they are. Many people confuse lust for love. Lust only lasts for a moment, whereas love lasts forever.

"What most people think or do is that they get to know a person very well
and go out for a bit and have loving and caring affections towards each
other but, you can fall from in love to in lust." -Elaine Tam's Blog

If you truly love someone, you will be willing to risk everything you have for this person. But never asking for anything in return. You can be around them without having pretend like you're someone else. That person can see the real you. Even be able to see through you're lies, well, sometimes. But mostly, they can be around you and you wouldn't mind and feel weird. The happiness of this person is more important to you than your own. Loving some one is also doing what's best for them, and not for you.

Tim had that kind of love for Savannah. He has loved her ever since they were 12. But he didn't try anything or become jealous when John came along. He just wanted Savannah to be happy. Even when he was at the hospital, when he had a feeling he wouldn't survive, he just wanted her to not be sad and lonely in this world. He was happy that John still loved Savannah. He truly loved Savannah. He would have done anything to see her happy and smiling.

In the beginning of the novel, where John first meets Savannah, Savannah invites John to the little party they had going on. That is where John first meets Tim. First he has a feeling that Tim might have feelings toward Savannah that isn't just friendship, but later pushes those thoughts away when he saw how nice and kind he was. John could tell that he was a good hearted guy. But later John finds out that Tim is really in love with Savannah. I didn't think he felt like Tim was a threat because John knew that Tim only wanted what was best for Savannah and wanted her to be happy.

When John found out that Tim was the guy Savannah was married to, John wasn't particularly surprised at the fact. But he was a bit jealous. But the next day, when he found out that Tim was in the hospital, John felt a little bad, and he admits to Tim that he knew that Tim loved Savannah this whole time. Tim apologizes to John, john forgives him. When John goes to see Tim again, and Tim tells john that he should still marry Savannah if he dies, John realizes that Tim is truly a great person. I think John has this great respect for Tim.

John's actions at the end of this novel was absolutely heroic. Selling his father's coin collection to benefit someone he loves' life. John is truly an amazing person, indeed. It shows that he still loves Savannah, even though he can't have her. And he wants her to be happy, even if she is with someone else.

Would I have been able to do what John had? To be honest, I really don't think I would have. I mean, I know it sounds really selfish of me, but I don't think I'd be such a generous kind of person. Maybe if that kind of situation really happened one day, I would consider it, definitely. But if it happened now, while I'm around the age I am now, I have a strong feeling I wouldn't do it.

Dear John was a really good book to read. Once I started reading this, I couldn't stop. This book, to me, was better that the last one I read. But I think it's only because I like these genre so much better than the last. The last book made me really angry whereas to this book brought sad tears to my eyes and smiles, too. I would give this book a 10 out of 10.

Lit Circle 3

The last part of the book, Dear John, is about John's life after he gets the letter from Savannah that she is moving on. The first sentence from the third part is

"She was in love with someone else."

John assumes that Savannah is tired of waiting for John, so she has found someone else. He has yet to find out that she is married. On his leaves, John goes and spends time with his dad. His dad is ill and John is helping him. Even though his dad doesn't say anything, John can see it in his eyes that he is very grateful. His dad later has a heart attack. John worries that his dad wouldn't be able to function on his own, so before he was going to leave and go back to Germany, he sends him to a nursing home to be taken care of. Afterwards, he gets the news that he had died. He leaves to go back for a few weeks. He fixes his funeral, then he finds out that all of the coins that John's dad had collected was left for John.

Not knowing what to do next, John goes and decides to visit Savannah. when Savannah sees him, they talk for a while. He learns that she is married. When john learns that it was Tim, john kinda had figured. he had already known that Tim was in love with Savannah. when he is about to leave, Savannah asks john if he could come back tomorrow so that he could see Tim. the next day, when Savannah gets in the car, john finds out that Tim is in the hospital. Tim admits that he has been in love with Savannah since he was 12. Savannah later tells john that she doesn't have enough money to get Tim to a better hospital. When he is about to leave, John makes a phone call to someone. later it says that he donated enough money anonymously to Savannah, so that Tim could get better.

when john returns, it is full moon and he is staring at Savannah. but she has no idea. john stares at the moon like he always does. when Savannah does the same, he knows that their love is forever.


This book was a really good book. It shows that john and Savannah's love is everlasting. i liked john's definition of the question about love he had in the beginning of the book. It seemed like he had learned something from Tim and Alan.

What is Individualism? Individualism is described as a belief of onees unique thoughts and actions. Itfs a vital part of each personfs life which stresses independence and self-reliance. Individualism was heavily neglected during the Middle Ages after the Classical antiquity since it was considered as heresy if onees opinion objected the Roman Catholic Church. Individualism is important because it allows one person to have a voice and not just have a body of people be in charge. So, how was individualism restored?
The Renaissance was the first to resurface individualism. It included incredible minds of inventors, artists, and philosophers. Beginning around 1350 to 1650, it started in Italy since trades revolved around it due to the crusades. It was the time that humanism arose and art was respected. Around 1440, Johannes Gutenberg created the printing press which revolutionized the spread of knowledge and book-making. This pushed individualism forward since numerous documents were able to become publicized to the world.

The Reformation followed, giving more power to individuals. It began in 1517 to 1650 in which Martin Luther and many others hoped to reform the Roman Catholic Church. Martin Luther is a key example of supporting individualism since he protested the Church of selling indulgences and the posted his 95 Theses. This started a revolution which spawned numerous protestant sects.
The idea of individualism continued to prosper during the Scientific Revolution. Copernicus was the first to release the thought of heliocentrism in the 16th century. It was then supported by Kepler, with proper reinforcements despite the public thoughts and its contradiction to the Ptolemy system. Galileo Galilei challenged the church authority and with his theories of the earth, which also supported individualism.
The final era that helped shape individualism to what it is today is the Age of Exploration/Conquest. The Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes shows the idea of individualism the most. His achievements of conquering a great nation showed the power of an individual and also influencing other individuals such as Pizzaro, whom took Peru. Cortes led the way to a new way to think.
All of these different eras influenced individualism to what it is today in one way or another. Extraordinary individuals of these times contributed heavily to the ideas we cherish today. The Renaissance with the beginning of a new way to think, the Reformation reinforcing those thoughts, the Scientific Revolution continuing on with the legacy, and finally the Age of Exploration/Conquest coming with a strong finish. We owe these periods of time a lot for giving us the power of being an individual in todayfs society.

Lit circle 1 & 2

Dear Lit Circle Buddies,


This month, I'm reading the book Dear John, which is by Nicholas Sparks. The book is divided into three parts. We papercliped them. The first part is about the time he first meets Savannah. This part talks about his father. The whole book is in John Tyree's Point Of View. In the Prolouge, he asks himself this question: "What does it mean to truely love another?" I have a feeling that he is going to be discovering what it means throughout the book. Also in the prolouge, he talks about how he was watching Savannah and how she will never know that he was there that day. That gave me the impression that they won't be ending up together in the end, which made me a little upset. I mean, I've read the summary but hadnt watched the movie or known what will be happenening in the end. I prefer stories with happy endings but I guess its alirght.


Then John talks about his father and how he used to be when John was a kid. John talks about his life with his father and as a kid. His father is a man that does things the same way everyday. He also likes collecting coins. After highschool, he basically is doing nothing with his life so he decides to sign up for the army. Him and his father arent that close, infact, they are more of a stranger in their own house. He is trained in the army and is on his first leave when he meets Savannah, the girl of his dreams. He and his father are still not that close. I liked the way that Savannah and John met. Savannah's friend knocked over her purse, and didn't want to get it back. It was sinking in the ocean, away from the dock. Savannah was about to jump, but John jumps in the ocean to save her sinking purse. When he gives it back to her, she and him, start talking. Savannah stays with John, even though some of her friends didn't like him. What confused me is that in the cover of my book, and in the movie, Savannah is a blonde, but in the book, it said that she was a brunette. That kind of didnt make sense.


John ends up falling for her & she ends up falling for him too. When he is with her, he feels at ease. Before they know it, John has to go back. Savannah promises to wait for him, & john promises to marry her when he gets back.


The 2nd part of the book is when they are apart. JOhn is in the army and Savannah is back home. On his next leave, John decides to go visit Savannah. At the time they didnt know it, but their love was fading away. Savannah was becoming more independent. They argue a lot more. It was really tough for them. When John and Savannah both are waiting for his next leave, 9/11 stikes. It changes both lives. John rejoins the army & Savannah is dissapointed that he wouldnt be able to leave, but is still proud of him. I think that this is the high point to which their relationship takes a new turn. When he is in the war, after he gets back, he gets a letter from Savannah. That was the last letter he ever got from her. It was the letter telling him that their relationship was over. That she was moving on with someone else. This changed both lives.


I think I should have seen this coming ahead of time because, their relationship was so perfect. I kinda seems like when everything is going great, something stupid or big comes or gets in the way and ruins it.

my goals.

What are my current goals as a writer?

As a writer, I want to make my work sound more professional. Every week, when I write and finish, I look over it. I've realized that most of my writing sounds so childish. And I need more ideas to write about. I always end up writing about my week. I have tried to think about a specific topic, but then I always end up doing my blog at the last minute so I won't have enough time. My other problem is that I dont stick to the topic I originally start with. Like, I will start with one topic and end up talking about something that does not even have to do anything with the topic I first started with.

For the next 2 months of school left, I want to write about something specific. I remember I started out in the beginning of the school year with writing about one particular thing. Then over time, all I wrote about were my weeks. I really want to change that. I think I want to write a little about a few books I've read recently. or maybe about a quote. I have been thinking about that lately. I have found a few quotes on tumblr & basically everywhere that really made me think.
I remember making barely 300 words on my blog when Sutherland told us that we need to start writing 500 word blogs from now on. I was hella scared that I would run out of things to talk about to get enough words to make 500. I think the first time I tried it, I wasn't used to it. I was too used to seeing a three paragraph blog with 300 words. When I wrote 500, it genuinely looked like a lot to me. But somehow, I maneged to B.S. all my writings and hopefully it made sense.

I think the 1000 words essay blogs had me worried the most though. Even though we only did about 3 of them. They are worth a lot more points than a regular blog post too. I didn't think I would make it. But the first time, we wrote about the semester final, I actually made it. I think I wrote even more. I was really surprised and proud of myself.

For Next year, I signed up for English 3, Physics, US History, Current Life, Ethnic Studies/Biology, Pre-Cal, and Dance. I have to retake the second semester of biology because I didn't do really good in bio last year. My counselor is making me retake it next year. I need at least a C- to pass. I want to take 0 period Current life, I really hope I will be able to wake up early enough to get here on time.

So, after spring break, the whole Sophmore class will me watching "Schindler's list" at the Koffman Auditorium. Then the next day, we will be meeting holocaust survivors. I think it will be quite an experience, I am hoping to write about it for the blog post that week.