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.
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