After watching the movie, I read the film review by journalist A.O. Scott, of New York Times. I was so fascinated and moved by the movie so before reading the film review I assumed that the journalist would LOVE the film like I did. Little did I know that most of the journalist's opinions differed from mine. For example, he says, "I was sentenced to spend 97 minutes in the wholesome purgatory that is ''A Walk to Remember." (Scott). I didn't find watching the movie purgatory at all, it was fun not punishment! To me, the movie was exciting from the beginning to the end. I don't believe that it ever had a boring part in it. When the movie first begins, you see a couple of drunk teenagers getting ready to prank a newbie so he can be accepted into their group. That doesn't seem boring because there is laughter amongst them, jokes are told between them, and there is action going on, something to anticipate/look forward to.
The only downward the film had was that it was fairly predictable from the first scene until the last scene. It possibly could be because I read the book but the movie was predictable because most of the events that happened, I've seen it in other romance/high school/chick flick movies. The popular guy falling in love with an outcast or socially unaccepted girl is nothing new. I've seen it in Not Another Teen Movie, 10 Things I Hate about You, She's All That, etc. I agree with the journalist on that aspect but just because it shares similarities with other high school movies does not make it bad to watch. After all, they're all movies that set place in high school so of course, there are going to be some similarities. I've watched all of those films and I do notice their similarities but I still enjoyed it as if it was an unprecedented plot to me. Therefore, I do not believe it was appropriate for him to criticize the movie's predictability. It is an adaptation so it is based on the novel. The plot is the same as the novel so I guess he must be criticizing the novel too?
In his review, he did use a lot of sarcasm to get his point across. One example was when he stated, "I wish I could say that the experience left me a better person, or that, in the favored idiom of studio publicity copy, it ''changed my life forever,'' but by the end I was tempted to go off in search of some industrial scaffolding and a shallow river of my own." (Scott). I personally know very few movies that can leave a person a better person. Most movies are created for one to be entertained, not necessarily for it to be a life changing experience in one's life. The only thing I can say in this movie and most other movies out there is that there most likely is one lesson or two we, the audience, can pick up from them. If the lesson is life changing then so be it but in general, one watches a movie to get a good laugh, to keep up with the action/violence, or to explore the journey of terror and mystery. Also, often people watch movies that reflects upon their life. For example, if one is in a good mood, he/she might watch a comedic movie. Or if one is in love or so in high school, they might watch A Walk to Remember and see how the couple explored their love. Thus typically, movies aren't meant to be life changing, they are just meant to solidify one's taste at a given moment.
"Directed by Adam Shankman from Nicholas Sparks's inspirational novel, ''A Walk to Remember'' proves that a movie about goodness is not the same thing as a good movie." (Scott) is one line in the film review that I found to be a bit amusing. I'm not a big fan of the way Scott worded the sentence. What does a movie about goodness have to do with it being a good movie...? Those are two different things. I honestly don't know what more he wants from this movie. Yes this is not an Oscar winning movie but that doesn't make it a bad movie. The fact that he said a movie about goodness is different from a good movie was random but I do respect it because it is his opinion. I'm very curious to find out what he considers a good movie and how he would improve this movie in order for it to be a better movie. I also want to know what genre of movies he generally likes (action, comedy, drama, horror, etc) because that could slightly influence his opinion.
Overall, I disagreed with Scott's opinion. I thought the movie was fun, inviting, and there are lessons I learned such as, miracles do happen, always have faith in both yourself and in others, and to never doubt the power of love. The fact that I got those lessons out from a movie all alone made it a good movie to me. Scott, on the other hand, well I'll just have to simply do one thing: research and discover what is a good movie to him. The Notebook, hopefully? Maybe the Last Song? Or does he have a thing against Nicholas Sparks movies...
Scott, A. O. "Movie Review - A Walk to Remember - FILM IN REVIEW; 'A Walk to Remember-NYTimes.com." Movie Reviews, Showtimes and Trailers - Movies - New York Times - The New York Times. 25 Jan. 2002. Web. 24 Feb. 2011. <http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9402E0DB163AF936A15752C0A9649C8B63>.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
A Walk to Remember Movie
The movie begins with heavy, metal music that indicates something troublesome is about to happen. Unlike many movies, the movie doesn't begin with an establishing or long shot. Rather, it begins with the camera zoomed into a black sports car that one of the teenagers is driving. There appears to be low-key lighting used to set that the scene is suppose to be happening in the evening time. In addition, the camera's movement of pan is used to quickly highlight the close-ups of the few teenagers that are present in the scene. A few minutes after the teenagers arrive, another car pulls up which appears to be another one in their crew. When he is driving the car towards them, there is a track/dolly used for the camera because the camera is moving backwards while the car is moving forward. When the guy steps out from the car, there is a medium shot used which not only shows his facial expressions but also shows the type of clothing he is wearing to give the audience of the type of character he may be.
The crew is planning a prank on the new guy to make him jump into a pool in a no-go area in the junkyard. When the guy is walking up the ladder to jump into the pool, the camera is at a high angle shot not only to indicate he is walking up but to also show he is vulnerable because he is very nervous at the time. The newbie jumps into the pool but stays for a while down there because he's drowning. The crew's reaction is shown using close-ups to show their expressions that they are frightened because this guy may be dead. Then, a police car arrives and the gang all hop into their gang except Landon who stayed behind to sort-of help him out. However, soon Landon jumps into his car and drives off. While he is driving in circles trying to figure out his way out of the junkyard, the camera is at a long shot that shows the car which happens to be very miniature finding its way through cuts and corners. When Landon is then driving, attempting to escape from the police, a close-up is also used which is very relevant because he is severely sweating. The police does catch him eventually and when he does, it is shown in a point of view shot (the police's p.o.v.) as he looks at Landon who appears vulnerable and busted. As the scene transitions, there is no dissolve or fade. Rather, it shows a random person on a boat at night.
The next scene is set up with an establishing shot that shows Landon's house. There is a tree that is close to the camera, one that isn't too far away from it, and one that is far. It also shows 1/8 of a car and the garden. The mother and Landon begin to have a conversation about his recent behaviour. As they are conversing, their conversation is shown in a eyeline match to show the continuity of their conversation. For example, Landon would talk looking at the camera although the viewers know he is actually looking at the mother. Vice versa, the mother would be looking at Landon's direction but it's actually at the camera. The benefit of doing that is because it shows the proximity because the audience is able to see the mother's face or Landon's face alone while they are individually talking rather than having them in the same frame.
Towards the next scene, a bell rings to show the transition. It then shows the Reverend speaking at Mass. Then, Jamie is introduced by she singing a soft song as part of the choir. That was particularly nice because the song reflects Jamie's personality which is angelic, a characteristic of the song. A medium shot is used to give the audience a sense of what kind of character she is. After the mass scene, there is a jump cut placed in which the scene is now at the high school the characters attend. A technique I found really cool is when Landon was in the principal's office and the principal sets 4 beers in front of him. It was kind-of an over-the-shoulder shot because the camera is behind the beers and peeking through the spaces between them and still manages to show Landon's face.
On the bus, Jamie sits next to Landon as they are coming home from a tutoring center which is where Landon has to go for his punishment. As Jamie begins to speak about a subject that doesn't appeal to Landon, a reaction shot is placed because Landon fires back/yells at Jamie and she reacts to the outburst. At another day, Landon's friend drops him off at the school to go to the school play rehearsal, another of Landon's punishments. As they are conversing, there is an over-the-shoulder shot featuring the friend's face over the shoulders of Landon. Then, there is a jump cut where the drama teacher is talking and her face is shown in an extreme close-up from her eyebrows to slightly below her mouth to show her excitement over the school play.
One evening, Jamie goes to the cemetery with her telescope to look at the stars. Landon sees her while driving and stops the car then follows her. She tells him to take a look and when he's looking inside, a point of view shot is used because as he's looking, the audience is seeing the stars as his own image. Therefore, we're invited into his head/eyes. Landon embarrasses Jamie in public in front of his friends to look "cool". When he goes to Jamie's house for play rehearsals, Jamie steps outside of the house and it becomes an over-the shoulder shot to allow the audience to focus on Landon's words then Jamie's reaction as he apologizes and reasons with her.
At the play, there is a part where Jamie begins singing. To show how beautiful she now is outwardly, the filming technique is an arc because the camera spins in a 360 degrees around her as she is singing. In addition, a matched cut is used in the scene because it will show her singing then all of a sudden there is a slight dissolve and it shows her face close-up to show continuity. Back at school, Jamie is publicly embarrassed in front of the entire school. As her heart is pumping and her mind is racing, there is music in the background that demonstrates that her mind is racing. Also, the camera zooms in on her face so that it is an extreme close-up and a reaction shot.
After the two fall in love and admit their love for each other, Jamie admits that she has leukemia and that she is dying. Landon then drives to the other side of town to his dad's house, the doctor to see if he can treat Jamie. The dad says it's not possible immediately because he's a cardiologist and would have to review her cases & talk to her doctor. The frustrated and angry Landon gets in his car and drives back home. As he is driving, his face is shown as a close-up to show how angry and sad he is feeling for not having a cure for his loved one. Soon, Landon overcomes his fears a little bit and start doing things that would make Jamie happy while she is still alive. For example, he asks his mother to teach him how to dance. When he learns how to dance, they are dancing in Jamie's balcony and the camera is at a low angle shot to signify that it is important and significant to the couple.
Jamie soon becomes very sick and is taken to the hospital. There is a scene in the hospital where Landon lies down on the bed besides Jamie and mise-en-scene is used because the entire room is dark but there is lighting around Jamie's face and Landon's face and the camera focuses on that. It establishes that the atmosphere is warm and there really is love between the two.
Differences:
In the movie, it's not told from an extended flashback. It's more of a high school story and the action happening at the time. It never has the older Landon's voice stepping in to narrate or tell what lesson he has learned thus far. Also, the plot has some differences that are quite noticeable. For example, Landon's character and crowd/friends is more incorporated. Another difference is the way that Jamie and Landon got to know each other. In the book, Landon asked her to the dance as a last resort after being elected Student Council President. In the movie, his family history of politics is never mentioned (his father is a politician in the book gone 9 months of the year...in the movie, the parents are divorced and the father is a doctor) and Jamie and Landon got connected through the school play. There is also no cases of collecting jars or orphanage in the movie. Rather, Landon shows that he is changing by visiting the hospital which the newbie was sent to after being injured in the prank. He also shows change by the music he listens to. Instead of listening to the rap/hip-hop he used to listen to, he began listening to Jamie's kind of music like country. Another thing Landon has done for Jamie in the movie is making all her dreams come true : naming a star after her, allowing her to be in two places at once, giving her a dream wedding at the church her mum was married in, and giving her a tattoo.
Other differences I observed is the ending. In the book, the ending leaves more mystery to allow the readers to infer what the "miracle" was...if she survived or the miracle is changing Landon for the better. In the movie, she clearly dies and when she does, Landon is now 22, has gotten into medical school and is getting on with his life.
The title "A Walk to Remember" is more reflected in the novel than in the movie. In the book, it is more significant because Jamie is in a wheel chair and very feeble so the fact that she is walking down the aisle slowly but strong leaves everyone in the church fascinated. In the movie, when Jamie dies, he simply says he'll never forget the way she looked at him as she walked down the aisle so it isn't as significant.
Overall thought:
I thought the movie was awesome. It was an adaptation film so there are differences but overall the plot and sense of the theme remained the same. I'm a fan of Mandy Moore and Shane West reminds me of Zac Efron so it made it more exciting to watch. The cast was well cast and I didn't witness any bad acting which made the film better. I definitely will watch the film many more times and it still will feel like it's the first time I'm watching it. The director, Adam Shankman, did a nice job because I noticed a lot of camera techniques and was thereby able to use to film terms.
Although the book made more "sense" than the film in the aspect that the reader was able to fully understand their love for each other and how it began, the film was also enjoyable. In the book, they spent a while together before they fell in love. However, of course the director wouldn't want to make a five hour film so we still get the point that they went through some phases before falling in love but it wasn't as clear. Regardless, I would recommend this fabulous film to anyone who is a fan of the book or Nicholas Sparks or just plainly likes chick flicks/romance movies/enjoys crying.
Sweetest line & Last line of the movie: "But her love was like the wind. I can't see it but I can feel it." :)
The crew is planning a prank on the new guy to make him jump into a pool in a no-go area in the junkyard. When the guy is walking up the ladder to jump into the pool, the camera is at a high angle shot not only to indicate he is walking up but to also show he is vulnerable because he is very nervous at the time. The newbie jumps into the pool but stays for a while down there because he's drowning. The crew's reaction is shown using close-ups to show their expressions that they are frightened because this guy may be dead. Then, a police car arrives and the gang all hop into their gang except Landon who stayed behind to sort-of help him out. However, soon Landon jumps into his car and drives off. While he is driving in circles trying to figure out his way out of the junkyard, the camera is at a long shot that shows the car which happens to be very miniature finding its way through cuts and corners. When Landon is then driving, attempting to escape from the police, a close-up is also used which is very relevant because he is severely sweating. The police does catch him eventually and when he does, it is shown in a point of view shot (the police's p.o.v.) as he looks at Landon who appears vulnerable and busted. As the scene transitions, there is no dissolve or fade. Rather, it shows a random person on a boat at night.
The next scene is set up with an establishing shot that shows Landon's house. There is a tree that is close to the camera, one that isn't too far away from it, and one that is far. It also shows 1/8 of a car and the garden. The mother and Landon begin to have a conversation about his recent behaviour. As they are conversing, their conversation is shown in a eyeline match to show the continuity of their conversation. For example, Landon would talk looking at the camera although the viewers know he is actually looking at the mother. Vice versa, the mother would be looking at Landon's direction but it's actually at the camera. The benefit of doing that is because it shows the proximity because the audience is able to see the mother's face or Landon's face alone while they are individually talking rather than having them in the same frame.
Towards the next scene, a bell rings to show the transition. It then shows the Reverend speaking at Mass. Then, Jamie is introduced by she singing a soft song as part of the choir. That was particularly nice because the song reflects Jamie's personality which is angelic, a characteristic of the song. A medium shot is used to give the audience a sense of what kind of character she is. After the mass scene, there is a jump cut placed in which the scene is now at the high school the characters attend. A technique I found really cool is when Landon was in the principal's office and the principal sets 4 beers in front of him. It was kind-of an over-the-shoulder shot because the camera is behind the beers and peeking through the spaces between them and still manages to show Landon's face.
On the bus, Jamie sits next to Landon as they are coming home from a tutoring center which is where Landon has to go for his punishment. As Jamie begins to speak about a subject that doesn't appeal to Landon, a reaction shot is placed because Landon fires back/yells at Jamie and she reacts to the outburst. At another day, Landon's friend drops him off at the school to go to the school play rehearsal, another of Landon's punishments. As they are conversing, there is an over-the-shoulder shot featuring the friend's face over the shoulders of Landon. Then, there is a jump cut where the drama teacher is talking and her face is shown in an extreme close-up from her eyebrows to slightly below her mouth to show her excitement over the school play.
One evening, Jamie goes to the cemetery with her telescope to look at the stars. Landon sees her while driving and stops the car then follows her. She tells him to take a look and when he's looking inside, a point of view shot is used because as he's looking, the audience is seeing the stars as his own image. Therefore, we're invited into his head/eyes. Landon embarrasses Jamie in public in front of his friends to look "cool". When he goes to Jamie's house for play rehearsals, Jamie steps outside of the house and it becomes an over-the shoulder shot to allow the audience to focus on Landon's words then Jamie's reaction as he apologizes and reasons with her.
At the play, there is a part where Jamie begins singing. To show how beautiful she now is outwardly, the filming technique is an arc because the camera spins in a 360 degrees around her as she is singing. In addition, a matched cut is used in the scene because it will show her singing then all of a sudden there is a slight dissolve and it shows her face close-up to show continuity. Back at school, Jamie is publicly embarrassed in front of the entire school. As her heart is pumping and her mind is racing, there is music in the background that demonstrates that her mind is racing. Also, the camera zooms in on her face so that it is an extreme close-up and a reaction shot.
After the two fall in love and admit their love for each other, Jamie admits that she has leukemia and that she is dying. Landon then drives to the other side of town to his dad's house, the doctor to see if he can treat Jamie. The dad says it's not possible immediately because he's a cardiologist and would have to review her cases & talk to her doctor. The frustrated and angry Landon gets in his car and drives back home. As he is driving, his face is shown as a close-up to show how angry and sad he is feeling for not having a cure for his loved one. Soon, Landon overcomes his fears a little bit and start doing things that would make Jamie happy while she is still alive. For example, he asks his mother to teach him how to dance. When he learns how to dance, they are dancing in Jamie's balcony and the camera is at a low angle shot to signify that it is important and significant to the couple.
Jamie soon becomes very sick and is taken to the hospital. There is a scene in the hospital where Landon lies down on the bed besides Jamie and mise-en-scene is used because the entire room is dark but there is lighting around Jamie's face and Landon's face and the camera focuses on that. It establishes that the atmosphere is warm and there really is love between the two.
Differences:
In the movie, it's not told from an extended flashback. It's more of a high school story and the action happening at the time. It never has the older Landon's voice stepping in to narrate or tell what lesson he has learned thus far. Also, the plot has some differences that are quite noticeable. For example, Landon's character and crowd/friends is more incorporated. Another difference is the way that Jamie and Landon got to know each other. In the book, Landon asked her to the dance as a last resort after being elected Student Council President. In the movie, his family history of politics is never mentioned (his father is a politician in the book gone 9 months of the year...in the movie, the parents are divorced and the father is a doctor) and Jamie and Landon got connected through the school play. There is also no cases of collecting jars or orphanage in the movie. Rather, Landon shows that he is changing by visiting the hospital which the newbie was sent to after being injured in the prank. He also shows change by the music he listens to. Instead of listening to the rap/hip-hop he used to listen to, he began listening to Jamie's kind of music like country. Another thing Landon has done for Jamie in the movie is making all her dreams come true : naming a star after her, allowing her to be in two places at once, giving her a dream wedding at the church her mum was married in, and giving her a tattoo.
Other differences I observed is the ending. In the book, the ending leaves more mystery to allow the readers to infer what the "miracle" was...if she survived or the miracle is changing Landon for the better. In the movie, she clearly dies and when she does, Landon is now 22, has gotten into medical school and is getting on with his life.
The title "A Walk to Remember" is more reflected in the novel than in the movie. In the book, it is more significant because Jamie is in a wheel chair and very feeble so the fact that she is walking down the aisle slowly but strong leaves everyone in the church fascinated. In the movie, when Jamie dies, he simply says he'll never forget the way she looked at him as she walked down the aisle so it isn't as significant.
Overall thought:
I thought the movie was awesome. It was an adaptation film so there are differences but overall the plot and sense of the theme remained the same. I'm a fan of Mandy Moore and Shane West reminds me of Zac Efron so it made it more exciting to watch. The cast was well cast and I didn't witness any bad acting which made the film better. I definitely will watch the film many more times and it still will feel like it's the first time I'm watching it. The director, Adam Shankman, did a nice job because I noticed a lot of camera techniques and was thereby able to use to film terms.
Although the book made more "sense" than the film in the aspect that the reader was able to fully understand their love for each other and how it began, the film was also enjoyable. In the book, they spent a while together before they fell in love. However, of course the director wouldn't want to make a five hour film so we still get the point that they went through some phases before falling in love but it wasn't as clear. Regardless, I would recommend this fabulous film to anyone who is a fan of the book or Nicholas Sparks or just plainly likes chick flicks/romance movies/enjoys crying.
Sweetest line & Last line of the movie: "But her love was like the wind. I can't see it but I can feel it." :)
Monday, February 21, 2011
A Walk to Remember (160-240)
Summary
Landon realizes that Hegbert has been acting strange. Lately, Hegbert has been feeling very unhappy and overall disconnected from his usual self. Despite that, later on in the night, they openly discuss the importance of God in their lives. Landon then invites Jamie over his house for a Christmas dinner in the hopes of getting to spend more time with Jamie. She accepts the offer but during dinner, things don't go as well as Landon had planned. For one, Landon had been hoping to kiss Jamie but the time wasn't right at the time so they don't. After dinner, they take a walk in Landon's garden where they discuss Landon's grandfather and Hegbert. There, they argue for a bit about Landon's grandfather. Jamie thinks that Landon should do something to give back the wealth his grandfather gained immorally. However, Landon doesn't think it is his responsibilities to handle his grandfather's affairs. After that, they discuss Hegbert and his tremendous love and support towards Jamie which is very transparent. When Landon walks Jamie back to her house, he asks her if he could see her tomorrow and she agrees. The following day, they see each other once again and then Landon is able to have another kiss with Jamie which is what he had been seeking for a while after the first one.
Landon decides that he's far too in love with Jamie and he feels that he must date her. First, he seeks Hegbert's approval before proceeding on to taking Jamie out. Landon visits Hegbert at his office at church. After a few hesitations, he finally agrees to allow Landon to take Jamie out. However, as Landon walks out of his office, he hears a cry and realizes that Hegbert is crying. He then takes Jamie out to a nice restaurant on New Year's Eve based on his mother's suggestion. He also becomes more aware that Jamie looks far more emaciated than usual. He doesn't go more in dept about why that is so. In the following days, the two begin to demonstrate their love for each other further. Individually, they begin doing things that would please the other. For example, Jamie begins to hang out at the beach and Cecil's Diner which are the two places where Landon can be spotted frequently. Vice versa, Landon begins to spend more and more time with Jamie at the orphanage. He also attends Bible study with Jamie in order to further gain more knowledge and a sense of appreciation for God. The day after, he notices a large bruise on Jamie's finger. He doesn't say anything about it but after he hugs her, he notices that she is much thinner than she was a few days ago. He doesn't yet make an inquiry to her about what is going on. Instead, he tells her for the first time that he loves her. She then cries and tells him not to say that and she's dying.
She explain further by saying that she has leukemia and it is the incurable form. Landon is saddened by the fact that Jamie didn't trust him enough to let him know. Jamie explains her reason stating that after her father and she discovered she did seven months ago, she wanted to live without others feeling sorry for her. For the first time in a long while, Landon cries. He then tells his mother who also cries because she knows how much her son loves Jamie. Soon after, Hegbert tells the entire congregation and many do cry. The news spread so rapidly that even at school, people began to treat Jamie much nicer and even feel sorry for her. After all that is happening surrounding him, Landon begins to fear almost everything. He fears the worst outcome which is death, he fears saying or doing something that will upset Jamie and he fears discussing about his or Jamie's future because there's a possibility they wouldn't make it together. The following days in school, Landon looks out for Jamie but hasn't yet seen her around school. He then visits Jamie only to have her tell him that she has dropped out to spend more time with her father before she dies. He then asks Jamie why she isn't scared when he is crying and everyone else is. Jamie lets him know that she too is scared but someone has to be the brave and strong one between the two of them.
Landon becomes deeply religious as he continues to attend Bible studies, read the Bible, and pray in the hopes of discovering an answer. He begins to think about what he can do for Jamie with the possibility of even saving her life. He asks his mother but she suggests to him to do what his heart deems as correct. As days go by, Jamie is getting sicker which appears in her outward appearance because she continues to get sicker and receive bruises. Soon, she is on medications which she doesn't like to take. Landon does continue to visit her and promises he will do so even at the point of her death. She then reveals to him that she loves him. Suddenly, even Hegbert changes. He begins to go to his office at church more often and while he is away, he gives Landon the permission of coming indoors for a few hours to see Jamie. One day, Eric and Margaret visit Jamie. There, Eric apologizes for his wrongdoings to Jamie and even sheds a few tears. Jamie openly hugs him and accepts the $400 cash he raised for the orphanage. She tells him that she has forgiven him and he tells her she is the kindest person he has ever known.
As Jamie's condition worsens, Landon begins to get more anxious because he is awaiting for a miracle to happen. His mother calls home his dad and tells him what's happening in their son's life. Landon's dad then pays for a full medical treatment in Jamie's home. As the father continues to do wonderful things for Jamie, Landon feels close to his father for the first time in his life. Time goes by and Jamie still is becoming weaker. Landon begins to lose his faith in God slowly and begins to question why all these things are happening to him and why is he living. He also questions why is this horrible disease happening to Jamie who is like an angel. God then reveals to him what he has to do. When he finds out, he runs to the church to tell Hegbert of his idea. Hegbert who is in utter shock approves of it and then Landon races to Jamie's house. There, he asks Jamie for one favour which she agrees. The favour is to marry him.
The final chapter begins with "When I was seventeen, my life changed forever." At their wedding, Hegbert serves as the pastor who is leading the wedding. The wedding truly is a dream wedding because the entire church is filled with guests, as Jamie had wished for her wedding to look like. Landon's father is the best man at the wedding and it appears that they've formed a strong relationship. As Jamie is getting ready to go down the aisle, with the permission of her nurse, she requests to walk down instead of on her wheelchair. As she is walking, the walk is very slow and feeble but to Landon, it truly was a walk to remember. The book ends with not Landon discussing whether he is married with children or not but instead, he says that indeed, he believes that miracles happen.
Quote
"Love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people's sins, but delights in the truth. It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes." (Sparks 214)
Reaction
The passage is from the Book of Corinthians and in the novel, Landon states that it describes Jamie perfectly. In addition to that, I think that it also describes him. When Landon first began to realize that he loved Jamie, I wasn't entirely convinced because of the type of chill, laid back guy he is. However, when he started doing things that Jamie liked such as going to Bible studies and reading the Bible, I thought okay maybe he does really love her. Then when Jamie revealed to him that she had leukemia and he cried, I absolutely believed that he cared deeply for her. He also further showed that he was in love with her by sticking with her, reaching out to God, visiting her each and every day, and lastly, making her dreams come true by marrying her in a church with an influx of people. Therefore, I believe that Landon always had hope for Jamie as he was hoping for a miracle to happen and he demonstrated perseverance through Jamie's final days. He was always patient and kind with her especially at times where she was weak. Despite the fact that at times all she did was sleep all day, he was still able to stay with her and be there for her when she awoke. While he was questioning God, one of the questions he asked was why didn't he happen to him instead after all, Jamie had been so good all this while. If he had the power to reverse all that had been happening, he would have preferred to be the one with leukemia rather than Jamie. And that, that is truly love - feeling obligated to take your love one's pain away and onto yourself if that may be the case.
Overall, throughout the novel, Landon definitely grew as a person. In the beginning, he was simply a boy who didn't care about school so much, drank and did whatever he wanted, and was simply ignorant. He then began to be more open and got to know Jamie and actually see her. He didn't see her outward appearance as a problem anymore. Rather, he cared about the fact that she was willing to do anything to help those in need. He then entrusted his complete faith in God and started performing activities that were not to his own benefits but for the benefit of others. At the end, the fifty seven year old Landon reflects that he believes in miracles. He was originally hoping from God to perform a miracle that would save Jamie's life. However, in the end, God performed the miracle on him by allowing him to change for the better and allowing him to see the light.
-Most, if not all, of Mr. Spark's novels are told from extended flashbacks. His novels all have similar plots/themes. Usually, it begins with a person reflecting on the past which often involves romance. The romance then somehow causes the protagonist to change for the better. Then, a traumatic event occurs which often leads to the death or downfall of a significant other/a person the protagonist cares about and the protagonist learns a life lesson which has served him/her a long way in his/her life. So, Nicholas Sparks often tells his novels from extended flashbacks to demonstrate that the protagonist changed and learned a life lesson.
-I suppose that Jamie didn't necessarily actually "show" her inner beauty to Landon. Throughout her time living, she really was herself. It was Landon who changed and who opened his eyes to realize that Jamie is practically an angel. She rarely actually dressed up so soon after Landon accepted that fact, he focused on her personality and her humaneness. Therefore, Jamie remained herself and tried to make Landon a better person. But, really, it was more of Landon waking up and smelling the coffee.
*Did he only marry her in order to make her wishes come true only or had he always hoped to marry her when he fell in love with her?
*Jamie lived vs Jamie died
-It was never explicitly expressed in the novel that Jamie died. Therefore, Sparks sort-of left the readers to implicitly decide the ending. I'm sitting on the fence right now because it seems like either could have happened. For the argument that Jamie lived, there is a motif of miracle throughout the novel because Landon stated only a miracle could save Jamie, they both prayed for a miracle, and at the end, he believed that miracles can happen. In addition, he says that he still loves her and he never has taken off his wedding ring. If Jamie did die, he most likely would have gotten re-married and of course, wouldn't be wearing the same wedding ring as from his former wife...
*It might also be that Jamie did die but the reason why he didn't take off his wedding ring could have been because she still resides in his heart and for the ring to symbolize that Jamie was everywhere he went. After all, maybe he didn't remarry. If she didn't die, she would have been mentioned from the beginning and the novel wouldn't have made as much sense as a flashback if she survived. Plus, Landon says that he never felt the desire to take off the ring. If she did live, why would he feel the need to take it off...
I suppose Nicholas Sparks's intention is to leave the readers wondering about the true ending. It could have been either ending: the miracle that they both found love and Landon changed vs. the miracle that Jamie Sullivan surpassed the incurable leukemia.
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