A Walk to Remember: Film Response

When i first started watching the movie, i was immediately exciting because the film stars Mandy Moore and Shane West. I LOVE Mandy Moore, i think shes such a good actress, so i already had a feeling the movie was going to be really good. When the movie started, I began to realize that Landon and Jamie's names were still kept the same, but the names of Landon's friends were changed (nothing major though). The movie starts out with 3 cars driving into a junk yard, and the camera shoots this from a birds eye view. Landon and his friends all come out of their cars and they're waiting for a boy named Clay. Clay wanted to be a part of their "cool" crew, so that night he was going to have to pass the test. There's this really tall type of boardwalk that has a big mass of dirty water under it, and Clay had to make the dive. Landon tricked him by saying he was going to jump in with him, but when they counted down to three, Landon didnt jump. Clay belly flopped into the water and hit a pole that was in there. Landon climbed down the ladder and went in the water to save him, but by the time landon got in the water, a suspicious security guard was already calling for back up. Everyone left except for Landon, who couldnt leave in time. He was arrested by the police and got off with a slap on the wrist. As punishment by his principal, he had to participate in the school play (where he and Jamie started connecting). This whole part was not included in the book.

There were also other things that were different between the book and the novel. The play wasn't as big of a deal in the movie as it was in the film, Jamie's father was not involved in the play at all, although she did play the leading role, the play was not about her. A lot of the specific things that happened in the novel, like visiting the orphanage and Landon collecting jars didnt happen in the movie. But the overall plot of the story was kept.

I reaaaaaaaaallllyyy enjoyed the movie, but it wasn't as good as the book. I feel like with the book, you really got to understand there thoughts and watch them gradually fall in love with each other. Whereas in the movie, Landon falling in love with Jamie happened pretty quickly. I would definately recommend the novel and the movie to anyone, and also any novel by Nicholas Sparks, he's AMAZING!

A Walk to Remember (pages 155-207)

Jamie had been acting weird lately, then Landon finally told her how he felt. He said "I Love you, Jamie" and Jamie began to cry. As he hugged her, Landon realized she was very thin, his arms went all the way around her, she had lost weight. She told him he couldnt be in love with her, because she was dying.

Jamie had Leukemia and everything became so clear. Landon understood why Jamie was the christmas angel in the play this year, why hegbert freted that he keep coming by the house, why she wanted christmas at the orphanage to be special this year, why she didn't think she'd go to college, why she gave him her bible.
Jamie was getting very sick, very fast. Landon felt in his heart that there was still something he needed to do. He read the bible daily with Jamie and his father even paid for the medical machines to be brought to jamies house, so she could spent her final days at home. Landon prayed for a miracle, for jamie to get better. Then Landon realized what he had to do, what his heart was longing to do, marry Jamie.

So Landon and Jamie had a nice wedding, it was short notice but almost everyone in town showed up. As weak as she was, Jamie was determined to walk down the aisle on her own, and so she did. With her father holding her arm, Jamie walked down the aisle to her teary groom. there wasnt a dry eye in that church! Jamie and Landon got married and he recalls it to be the best moment of his entire life.

Quote: " I was so in love with her, so deeply in love that i didn't care if she was sick. I didn't care that we wouldn't have long together. None of those things mattered to me. All i cared about was doing something that my heart had told me was the right thing to do. In my mind it was the first time God had ever spoken directly to me, and I knew with certainty that i wasnt going to disobey" (Sparks, 202).

Reaction: I really loved the ending of this novel. I feel like it didn't have a happy ending, but then again it did. It would've been great if, jamie and landon, complete opposites, fell in love, got married, and spent the whole rest of their lives together, but that wouldve been too predictable. It wouldve made A Walk to Remember just like all those other cliche romance novels out there. The fact that Jamie doesnt live, takes away from the "happily ever after" ending, but on the other hand, the fact that they both found love and we able to get married before she died, gives it that happy ending that warms people's hearts <3.

A Walk to Remember (pages 103-155)

Summary: When i left off, Landon was walking Jamie home when all of a sudden, Eric and his girlfriend Margaret drove him. Landon says that Eric's the kind of friend that liked to stick it to him once in a while, do things that would embarass him. So they drove up, and Eric was being extremely nice, because around Jamie, EVERYONE was extremely nice. He didn't do anything really bad, but the fact the Landon didn't want people knowing he was walking Jamie home made him really mad. So, without any control, he flipped out on Jamie. He told her the only reason he was doing the play was because of her father, and that he didn't want to do it at all, and that he and Jamie aren't friends and that he doesn't even want to talk to her. After he said all those hurtful things, he began to feel really bad.

It was the day of the play and Landon wasn't nervous until he stepped on stage and actually seen how much people there were in the audience. Landon had a line, where Tom first sees the angel, and he's supposed to say "You're beautiful" and actually mean it. But having to say it to Jamie, wasn't really working out for him because he couldn't get himself to say it with actual meaning. But, when Jamie stepped out on the stage, everyone's jaw dropped. She had her hair down, a touch of makeup on, and a white flowing dress, she WAS beautiful. And Landon was able to nail the line. and everyone knew he meant it.

Landon had apologized to Jamie for the way he acted the day he walked her home and for the things he said. He told her he'd do anything to make it up to her. So, she asked him to collect the jars that she put in stores all over town to help raise money for the orphanage, so she could buy the children gifts for christmas. Landon agreed to do it, and he collected all of the jars. When he counted up the money, there was only $77. Landon felt extremely bad. Landon met with Jamie the next day so they could count the money together, and magically, there was almost $247. Jamie invited Landon to the orphanage so they could see the children open their gifts, Jamie had enough money to buy each kid a couple of special things. Then, Jamie gave Landon her bible. This was an very touching part of the novel, because Jamie's mother died, and the bible was the only thing she had left of her. She cherished the bible, and she gave it to Landon. Landon was overwhelmed, he couldn't believe she gave it to him, he even cried. He gave her a sweater, like the ones she always wore, and she seemed very appreciative of it. That night, he fell in love with Jamie Sullivan.

Landon invited her over for dinner on christmas and they began spending alot of time together. On new years eve he took her out on a date. He went to her father to ask him for permission, but he said no. So, Landon begged him and he could see that Landon really loved his daughter, so he allowed it. As Landon was walking away, he saw that Hegbert had his face in his hands, crying.


Quote: "'i'm sorry for those things i used to do when i was younger, and i'm sorry that i didnt always treat Jamie the way she should have been treated. But from now on, things will change. I promise you that.' He seemed to look right through me. It wasn't enough. 'I love her,' i said finally, and when i said it, his attention focused on me again" (Sparks, 154).

Reaction: This quote is from the part in the story when Landon goes to ask Hegbert if he can take Jamie to dinner. This is a very crucial moment because Landon knows that Jamie is not going to go against her father, so he NEEDS Hegbert's approval before he can do anything with Jamie, and so far he hasn't been getting it. I feel like this is where we see that Landon has completely matured. He stopped hanging around with his bad influencing friends and he's owning up to his mistakes and responsibilities. It almost has the essence of a bildungsroman :)

A Walk to Remember (pages 1-103)

Summary:
The main character, and narrator of the story is a boy named Landon Carter, who's seventeen years old. The setting is 1958 Beaufort, North Carolina. He lived in a town that was very religious and was centered around churches. His father was a congressman, so he lived a pretty well-off lifestyle. He wasn't insanely rich but he was   wealthier than most. His father and the minister of the Southern Baptist Church, Hegbert Sullivan, had been long time rivals because Hegbert had worked for Landon's grandfather, who never payed his workers. Landon and his friends used to make fun of Hegbert, and shout "Hegbert's a fornicator" at him. Hegbert's wife went through six miscarriages before their daughter Jamie was born, and then she died. That became the plot for a play that the church put on every year, called A Christmas Angel, which was Hegbert's version of A Christmas Carole.

Jamie was basically known as the minister's daughter. She always walked around with a bible with her, a brown sweater on and a long plaid skirt. She was often made fun of by Landon and his friends, like Eric Hunter, who was the most popular guy in school. Jamie was a sweetheart, and all the adults adored her. She volunteered at an orphanage, donated to charity, helped out anyone she could, and took stray animals to the animal shelter.

Landon's father tells him its a good idea for him to  run for student body president, because it would look good on his college applications. None of his competitors stood a chance and Eric had helped Landon get votes, so Landon ended up being president. Being the student body president, he had to attend the homecoming dance, which he didn't have a date for. He had gone steady with a girl named Angela Clark, but she dumped him for a guy named Lew. Landon was desperate for a date and everyone had rejected him or didnt want to go. So, he ended up asking Jamie to the dance, and she said she would under one condition - He had to promise he wouldn't fall in love with her...

The dance wasn't as bad as he'd thought it would be, except Lew spiked the punch bowl and Angela was throwing up all over the place. Jamie and Landon helped get her home. A couple days later, Jamie asked Landon to stop by her house. Then, she had asked him to be Tom Thorton in the A Christmas Angel play that the town would be putting on. Jamie would be playing the angel, of course, because her father wrote the play about her, and she wanted Landon to be the main character. Landon couldn't turn her down, because she was so nice, plus there wasn't anyone else who could play the part, so he agreed to do it. People at school began making up rumors about Landon and Jamie, saying they were dating, and Landon's friends were making fun of him, because he was always spending time with her.

Landon then invited Jamie over his house for dinner and he began walker her home often, because her house was on the way to his. They even visited the orphanage together, where they asked the director if they could put on the play for the kids, but he said no because he felt like the play might make them sad. Its about a father who loses his wife and wants to find the perfect gift for his daughter and an angel comes down from heaven and helps him. The part about him losing his wife might've been too much for the orphans. Landon didnt know if he was falling for Jamie or if he was just doing this all out of pity.

Quote:"'id love to,' she said finally, 'on one condition.' I steadied myself, hoping it wasn't something too awful. 'yes?' 'you have to promise that you won't fall in love with me.' I knew she was kidding by the way she laughed, and i couldnt help but breathe a sigh of relief. Sometimes, I had to admit, Jamie had a pretty good sense of humor. I smiled and gave her my word" (Sparks, 38).

Reaction: this is my FAVORITE part of the entire story, only because i know what happens in the end. I think that this quote foreshadows what will happen in the future, and it makes you wonder. Will Landon fall in love with her? Why CANT he fall in love with her? And why doesn't she want him to? I just really love this quote, and in the end you definately think back to it, maybe its a warning....

Someone Like You (pages 245-281)

Summary:
So this was the end. Halley and Scarlett getting ready for prom. Scarlett wore a dress Cameron's mom hand sewn for her. He was her date. Halley was going to prom with Noah Vaughn, her ex boyfriend from 2 years ago, whose family was close with hers. Halley didn;t have a choice, she was forced to go with him by her parents. Noah was completely drunk before they even arrived at the prom, and he accidentallly ripped Halley's dress in the back. Halley ran into the bathroom and a girl helped her put it together using bobby pins. Elizabeth Gunderson and Macon were back to dating. She came into the bathroom to check up on herself when she told Halley that Macon still loves her. He doesnt admitt to it, but she knows he does. She asked Halley if she still loved Macon, and Halley said no.

While they were in the bathroom, Ginny Taylor ran in the bathroom and told them Scarlett went into labor. Halley rushed out the bathroom and guided her outside, Scarlett refused to be in an ambulance. Macon ended up giving them a ride to the hospital. While they were in the delivery room, halley had never seen scarlett in so much pain before. She couldn't take it. She had to get out. Scarlett shouted "dont leave me!" but halley ran out. She was so ashamed. And just when she felt like giving up, she saw her mom walking down the hallway. She told her she couldn't do it, it was all too much. But her mom told her scarlett needed her and she had to be there for her. Her mother gave her strength. She went in there with her mother and scarlett gave birth to a baby girl, whom she named Grace Halley Thomas.

Quote:
"I watched my mother do what she did best, and realized there would never be a way to cut myself from her entirely. No matter how strong or weak I was, she was a part of me, as crucial as my own heart. I would never be strong enough, in all my life, to do without her" (Dessen 275)

Reaction:
This quote really touched me. I can relate to Halley so much, and that quote was one of the reason's why. Sure teens and their parents argue, and they dont always get along, but at the end of the day, they need to realize that their parents are their backbones. No one in this world is going to love them like their parents do, and even if they think they'll be better off without them, in the end they're going to need them. I loved the ending of this book because it showed how Halleys mother gave her strength when she was weak, how no matter what, her mom was going to be there for her. It was a very inspirational and touching ending.

Someone Like You (Pages 170-245)

Summary: Halley's mother decided to take her out for lunch at a little restaurant. Her mother started talking to her about Macon, which led to an argument. Her mother tried to explained to her that she only wanted what was best for her but Halley refused to listen. Her mother always thought she knew everything. They left the restaurant in shame and began their long car ride in silence. When they walked into the house, their father was on the phone and had a worried look on his face. Something was wrong. Her mother later told her that her grandmother fell and she was badly hurt. This put all the arguments between her and her mother on hold. Her mother left to visit and take care of her grandmother and her father was busy with his radio show, so Halley was able to basically do whatever she wanted.

Halley and Macon were becoming more distant. Every time they did see each other, they ended up kissing and Macon would try to put his hand lower towards her waistband, but Halley always stopped him. Macon was getting frustrated and wondered why it was such a big deal to Halley. She felt pressured to do something with Macon in order to keep him. She wanted to show him that she was capable of hanging around with his crowd. So on new years, Macon invited Halley to a party. She began drinking A LOT and even used a bong to take a couple hits of weed. She was turning into someone completely different. Someone her own grandmother didn't even recognize. At the partying, she had already planned to lose her virginity to Macon, but when he tried to unbutton her pants, she stopped him. She told him she felt really sick from drinking but Macon didn't wanna hear it. He was still trying to convince her to do it but Halley couldn't take it anymore. She ran out of the house and into the woods. Apparently she passed out and Macon carried her to the car. He was furious, and while they started arguing, he began to drive faster and faster, avoiding the red light he was approaching. The car crashed, Halley was injured. She had a sprained wrist, lacerations on her back, stitches to bind the cut by her eye and two bruised ribs. She finally realized what was happening to her and the results of her actions. 

Quote: " 'Halley, you don't always know what's at stake, and I do'
'I will never learn,' I said to her slowly, 'until you let me' " (Dessen, 245).

Reaction: I really love this quote because I can relate to how Halley felt. Parents, including my own, always try to tell their kids whats best for them and they try to prevent them from making mistakes. Although their intentions are good, they need to realize that their kids are not going to learn if they dont let them. If they never give them the chance to make mistakes, they'll never have the chance to learn from them, and when the parents are gone, they wont know how to handle things because they won't have experiences to look back on.

Someone Like You (pages 120-170)

Summary:
Halley got grounded for sneaking around with Macon, but she was allowed to have a little fun on her birthday. She, her family, Scarlett, and the Vaughns (the family of Halley's ex boyfriend, who are close with her mom and dad). Afterwards, Macon stopped by and picked Halley up, she snuck out for her birthday. After all, she was entitled to have a little fun right? He drove her all the way to Topper Lake and they sat on the edge of  a sort of dock. Halley couldn't really see anything because of how dark the night was. Then, out of nowhere, there was a big BOOM! A burst of light came out of nowhere and Halley saw the "DANGER DO NOT ENTER" signs. She realized she was sitting on a thin strip of concrete, looking over at the massive dam with roaring waters beneath her. She felt like she was falling in midair, it was beautiful.

At school, in art class, Halley went to the supply closet and the head cheerleader Elizabeth Gunderson approached her. She told Halley to watch out for Macon because he has a past of mistreating girls. She said he called used to talk to her friend Rachel and then never called her back. Halley just tried to brush it off. Then in the middle of class, Scarlett ran out of the room because she had to throw up. She and Halley THOUGHT they were alone in the bathroom, but sneaky Ginny Tabor was hiding in one of the stalls and overheard the whole conversation. She promised not to tell anyone but as soon as 3rd period ended, the whole school knew Scarlett was pregnant. Scarlett didn't really care and she made a new friend named Cameron who was from france.

Halley missed curfew again. She went over Macon's house, which he really doesnt spend much time at. He lived in a pent house and he never really talked about his mom or his family at all. Halley's mother and father were really upset about the fact that ever since Macon came around, Halley has been acting differently and misbehaving. They came to the conclusion that Halley can no longer see Macon anymore.

Quote:
"So i went, up to my room, my heart thumping. As I passed the mirror in the hallway I glanced at myself, at a girl with her hair tumbling over her shoulders, in a faded jeans jacket, lips red from kissing. I faced my reflection and committed this girl to memory: the girl who had risen out of that night at Topper Lake, the girl who belonged with Macon Faulkner, the girl who broke her mother's heart, never looking back. The girl I was" (Dessen 161)

Reaction:
This quote stuck out to me because I think that it shows Halley maturing, maybe not in the best way but she is maturing and growing up from the girl she used to be. That can be proof that this book is a bildungsroman. Also, this represents the life of a typical teenage girl growing up and giving to the temptations of what girls are doing around her and what is "cool".