Dear John door Nicholas Sparks

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  • 21 juni 2011
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64 keer beoordeeld

Boek
Auteur
Nicholas Sparks
Genre
Psychologische roman
Taal
Engels
Vak
Eerste uitgave
2006
Pagina's
335
Oorspronkelijke taal
Engels
Literaire thema's
11 september,
Autisme

Boekcover Dear John
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Dear John door Nicholas Sparks
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Title: Dear John
Author:Nicholas Sparks
Used year: 2010
Year of release: 2006
Number of pages: 338
Publisher: Sphere

Summary

The story is about a rebellious boy, John Tyree, who goes into the army after graduation from high school. There is no connection between him and his father anymore, because his dad only talks about his coins and John isn’t that interested in his fathers’ hobby since he was young. His mother left John when he was still a baby. In the army, he changes. And during his leave, he meets Savannah. Together, they have the greatest time of their lives, but eventually Savannah has to go back to school and John has to go back to Germany to serve his country. Savannah won’t be done with school when John is free to go, but he promises her to come back for good after that. In the meantime, they write each other, but sometimes it takes a while to receive the letters from one another. And they promise each other to remember their time together when it’s a full moon, because they first met on a full moon.

But just before he gets another break to go home, September 11 happens. He goes home, but tells Savannah he has to serve his country for two years longer. Savannah understands eventually and they keep writing, but the contact is very hard to remain. When John gets a chance to go to her, his father is in the hospital and he goes home instead. Savannah understands again and tries to be supportive as much as possible, but she has to go to school and this wasn’t what they needed to repair their relationship.

Eventually – when John is in Germany again – she writes him a letter: she’s fallen in love with someone else. Tim, her new lover, is a good friend of Savannah ever since their childhood. John decides to stay in the army, since he doesn’t have anything left at home anymore.

When his dad dies, John goes home and he also visits Savannah one last time. Her new boyfriend Tim is in hospital; he has cancer and will die soon if he won’t get the medication he needs. John does not feel comfortable at Savannahs house, he feels like he doesn’t belong there anymore. Nevertheless, John sells his dads coin collection and makes an anonymous donation for Tim, so Tim can get the medication he needs. Savannah never knows and never sees John again.

A year later, when he’s on a break once again, he goes to see Savannah and he watches her looking to the full moon, remembering their time together. But still he doesn’t let her see him.

Title description

At the beginning of a letter, you start with ‘dear’ . John is the main character and Savannah writes him letters while they are apart. He also writes back, of course, but through the letters you get the idea of her vision.

Main characters

John: a man of 23 years old. At school, he was rebellious. That’s why he decided to do something with his life and join the army. He loves surfing and has a father, but they don’t seem to have a connection (anymore). He also had one friend in the army and his girlfriend Savannah waiting for him to come home.
Savannah: a 19 year old girl. She helps to build houses in her holidays for a foundation, she still studies and she loves horses. First, her boyfriend is John, but when he stays in the army for another two years, she falls in love with Tim. Tim gets ill and then John comes back. After that, she never sees John again.
Tim: a friend of Savannah, he has been in love with Savannah for a while and he has a little brother: Alan, who’s autistic. He takes care of him, his parents died in a car accident. Because of an anonymous (John) donation, he gets better when he’s ill (cancer).
Mr. Tyree: Johns father. A man of routine, he probably has autism. He’s anti-social and only busy with his coins collection (for the time he’s not at work). He gets ill and dies eventually.
Alan: Tims little brother. He had autism and because of that, he’s not very social. He can get along with Savannah because she knew him his whole life.

Genre

Genre: novel
Subgenre: realistic, drama, love, war

Place

Germany: John is here with his army, but the story about his life in the army is not much described in the book. It’s about the relationship between Savannah and John. It’s about the calls and letters he gets from her and writes/gives to her.
Wilmington, NC: John meets Savannah here. His dad lives here. Savannah doesn’t live there, but builds houses for a foundation.
Lenoir, NC: Savannah lives here. First with her parents, but after her graduation with her husband and Alan. John has been there too, during one of his breaks.

Time

The story takes place in 2000 – 2006. Then, John was 23 years old (he was born in 1977) and because of this, they witness September 11.
The book covers six years. The book was published in 2006, because the last chapter was written in 2006. In the first year, John meets Savannah, but has to go back to the army. But when he can return for good, September 11 happens. He stays in the army, to serve his country. Savannah totally understands, but can’t help to fall in love with Tim. If John goes back to the USA, Tim is in the hospital (as is his father, who dies when he’s back in Germany again). He helps them to sell his dads coins collection and saves Tim then. He turns back a year later, but doesn’t show himself.

Writing style

I recognize the writers style. It’s not only telling what the story is about, but it describes a lot as well. He paints a picture so that you can see in your mind what’s happening. It’s not very hard to understand and there aren’t that much dialogs.

Telling method

It’s written by John. The story is told by him. That’s why Savannah is a bit harder to understand sometimes. It’s about Johns thoughts and feelings. Only with the two letters which are written in the book, you can read Savannah’s vision.

Theme

Love, separation

Motives

Letters, army, autism

Author


Nicholas Charles Sparks (born December 31, 1965) is an internationally-bestselling American novelist and screenwriter. He has 16 published novels, with themes that include Christian faith, love, tragedy and fate. Six have been adapted to film, including Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember, The Notebook, Nights in Rodanthe, Dear John and The Last Song. Two more are in various stages of development. The Lucky One is expected to be released as a film in early 2012. "Safe Haven" is expected to begin filming in 2011.

Source: Wikipedia

My opinion

I’ve seen the movie first, but I still think the book is very good. Love can survive very much, but can also change. Sometimes you have to let something go to go on with your life, for example: someone has made a decision which you fully respect, but you can’t help to go on.

Differences with the film

In the book, Alan is the brother of Tim. In the film, Alan is his son and his wife is ‘on vacantion’. John gets shot while he’s in the army, but in the book he doesn’t (it’s already over with Savannah and his dad isn’t in the hospital yet, that happens years later). Tim dies in the movie and Savannah and John meet each other again. In the book, Savannah never sees John again and Tim gets better. John also stays in the army in the book.

Van dit boek is ook een Nederlands verslag.

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