April Monthly Review

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks is about two people who fall in love in a month. John Tyree is a man in the army, about to be sent to post in Germany. Savannah Lynn Curtis is a girl building houses for her club Habitat for Humanity. It is a novel in which the two are separated, and promise to marry each other when John comes back. When John comes back, 9/11 splits the two apart. John chooses to serve his country for a few more years. After two years, John comes home, and finds out Savannah loves another man.

6) When John goes back to back to Germany after his furlough, he and Savannah vow to stay in touch and to marry when he returns. Do you think it's possible to stay in love with someone without seeing them for months or years at a time? How does being apart affect Savannah and John's relationship?

10) After John's father dies, he goes to visit Savannah. How has their relationship changed at this point? Is Savannah different from who she was in the beginning of the novel? Do you think Savannah is still in love with John?

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?

When John goes to Germany, Savannah becomes very depressed. It's hard on Savannah to keep her promise to marry John because she rarely sees him. People in the military are sent in year-long missions and can't return back. All they are allowed to do is write letters to their family and loved ones. Being apart from your "fiancee" (John hasn't actually proposed) is hard. After a while, the relationship just loses its meaning, and question why it happened. Letters aren't the same as seeing somebody in person. You can communicate, but you can't see. It's like talking on a phone; you can talk, but you can't see.

I could talk about my long distant relationship, but I rather not post it in public. Instead, I will talk about Phoebe's long distant relationship from the TV show Friends. Phoebe met a guy in a coffeehouse, after embarrassing him in public. She dated him for about two episodes, so about two weeks in the show. After, the guy was given an opportunity to go to Moscow to do a science experiment. He chooses physics over Phoebe, because Phoebe wants him to take the opportunity. She lets him go because he may never have the chance again, and if he succeeds, he will become rich and famous. After 3 years, he finally comes back. She finds out he was unsuccessful. He calls Phoebe to go to dinner with him. After a while, she realizes it's wrong to have dinner with him, because she's dating another guy named Mike.

After John returns for the first time, John and Savannah lose their ability to talk about themselves. It was just plain awkward, and they couldn't think of anything to talk about. They haven't seen each other in a long time. John could have told about his friends in the army, and Savannah could have talked about college. Time has drifted the two apart, now they don't know what to do now that they're back together. Even though they didn't talk that much, they still kept their promise to marry each other. Savannah and John had only known each other for one month, and they were in love. It was too fast, and they didn't even really get to know each other that well. The only part I don't get myself is why Savannah and John didn't get married during the time John came back from Germany. He could have taken Savannah, but he didn't. Instead, he just goes back to Germany after the incident of 9/11. John chooses to serve his country over his relationship. He could have had the life he wanted, a life with Savannah.

John comes back the second time on an emergency leave. His dad just recently died, and he wants to see Savannah. She just told John in a letter that "...I didn't mean to fall in love with someone else." John probably wants to see who he is. She tells him they lost their "magical bond" that kept them together. After some months, she began to fall in love with another man. She can't be waiting for John forever. Now, their relationship went from awkward to just good friends. She is now married to Tim. Even though Savannah is married, she still has feelings for John. Tim is in the hospital, dying from cancer. They don't have the money for an operation Tim needs to survive. The whole town gave money for the operation, but it's still not enough. She starts losing hope, and needs somebody to talk to. When she offers to write letters to John, he immediately realizes that she still has feelings for him, and kindly declines her offer.

Savannah has definitely changed since John left. She has matured into a woman. She drinks wine, talks more maturely, and sounds more calm. In the beginning of the story, she's more talkative, and talks about her past. She always liked talking about where she grew up, her dreams, etc. Now, all she can talk about is Tim in the hospital and the operation. The only good thing is that they can actually talk without an awkward silence. At the hospital, Tim makes John promise "...promise that you'll always treasure her the same way I do."

John realizes Savannah will not be able to raise enough money for the experimental treatment Tim needs to survive. And so, John takes action. He has to raise money for the operation. John realizes that Tim loves Savannah even more than he does. Tim had loved Savannah since he was twelve. John willingly sold his dad's treasured coin collection; the only thing John had to remember his dad. He sold all of the coins, except for one. Most of them he sold underpriced, but John needed to sell the money fast. John feels like he has to earn enough money for his ex-fiancee because he doesn't want Savannah to be lonely. He doesn't want her to be stuck with Alan, Tim's younger brother for the rest of her life. John quickly donated all the money to Savannah, and saved Tim's life.

If I were in John's position. I probably would have sold only half of his dad's coin collection. It's all that he has left to remember his dad by. I think half of the coin collection would have gotten enough money. John shouldn't have sold all of his dad's coin collection, his hard work, all the years he spent collecting. If it still wasn't enough money, I could sell more coins. I'd at least keep more than one coin. I'd feel as if I had a duty to keep Tim alive. I couldn't just let him die knowing that I could have prevented his death. I would be forced to get the money, even though it's not my problem.

April Literature Circle Letter #3

This week, I have read the third part of Dear John, the end of this heartbreaking novel. In Part III, Savannah had just told John she loved another man. It was pretty predictable since John hasn't been back in a year. Savannah would have to get over John and find somebody else. She couldn't be waiting for John forever. Except, John's dad just had a heart attack. Later on, John looked after his dad, recently being released from the hospital. John's dad's last words were to John was "I love you, too, John." Seven weeks later, John's dad died. John went to visit his dad under emergency leave. A visitor came by after, telling about John's dad's will. He gave all the coins to John, everything in his possession. John's dad prepaid already for the funeral, it's like he knew he was going to die.

After a while, John decides to visit Savannah. She was in a barn, and the second she saw John, she just froze instantly. When they start talking to each other, John notices a ring on Savannah's left hand. John began asking if he can meet Savannah's husband. But, then she tells him "It's Tim." When John was away, Savannah had a hard time. She needed somebody to comfort her. And that person? It was Tim. Tim was always there to support her. It turns out that Tim has cancer. Savannah and the whole town started getting money for Tim's operation. It still wasn't enough. Tim told John to make Savannah happy after he's gone. Tim feels hopeless because there isn't enough money for the operation. Alan, Tim's brother, has always clung to Tim. Alan needed special attention, and Savannah would have to take care of Alan if Tim passes away. After realizing how much Savannah loves Tim, John sells his possessions. He sells his dad's coin collection, except for one coin. John sells them for less than what they are worth, in time before Tim dies. John makes a donation to Savannah, but anonymously. John decides he shouldn't tell Savannah he donated his dad's coin collection money for Tim's operation. Tim survives, although it is not certain if he will live to an old age.

Spring Break

This Spring Break I went to Anaheim to go to Disneyland. We went three times. It got boring after the second time. We went on all the big rides, like Big Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain. My family went on Monday. I got so bored I read my English reading book, Dear John. I had nothing to do for eight hours. We were stuck in traffic for a very long time. I brought my Itouch, and Nintendo DS to play. I started playing Pokemon, but I got bored after I got to Lake of Rage. I had other games, like Cooking Mama. It reminded me of Biology Class because we played Cooking Mama after finals. On my Itouch I started playing Zenonia 2. The first game was pretty fun, so I got the second. Zenonia 2 is an RPG game that has basically better graphics and a better story plot than the first. We took about 3 breaks for coffee at Starbucks, lunch at In-N-Out, and a bathroom break.

When we finally arrived at the hotel, the Sheraton Park & Resort, I immediately stood up. My legs were falling asleep. Usually when my feet fall asleep, I take a hot shower for ten minutes. Anyways, I even got my own key card, well it was my dad's. He let me have it since my sister got a room key, and I didn't. The hotel was pretty nice. It had two beds, an OLD TV, and a separate sink from the bathroom. It was pretty good since my sister takes a long time in the shower, and at the same time I can brush my teeth. I'm pretty picky about where I stay, and how nice the hotels are. I hate really disgusting hotels with unclean glasses. We stayed there from Monday to Friday. Every single day, we went out for lunch and dinner. We ate in our room, usually cereal or bread. I was surprised, there was a 7/11 and ABC store there. It probably isn't part of the ABC stores in Hawaii because the things they have are different. They don't have those calendars of women or men in the ABC store in Anaheim. My dad and I bought milk from 7/11. We bought whole milk for my dad and I, and two percent milk for my mom and sister.

Anyways, we stayed at Disneyland from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. We usually ate at a fast food place, or somewhere at Downtown Disney. Afterwards, we'd take a break and eat dinner. One day we ate at Kagura. The food was delicious, Japanese food. It was sort of Americanized, the walls were really pretty cool. I ate Kobe beef for an appetizer, it was really tender. It looked like it wasn't cooked, but my parents said it was fine because Kobe beef was supposed to be tender. This particular Japanese restaurant had no noodles, or ramen. I was surprised because I usually order ramen or udon, so I ate teriyaki chicken. On Tuesday, we went to Disneyland, and eventually hopped over to California Adventure. It sort of got boring...and it was really hot. We decided to get frozen yogurt from the soft serve place. I asked for a strawberry swirl, they said they ran out. I asked for an orange swirl, they also said they ran out. I got really mad so I just ordered plain vanilla. Later, I got really hot again so I ate another soft serve. Their ice cream tasted so good, their ice cream tasted like they added whole milk. It was pretty thick, and was the best soft serve ice cream I ever had.

April Literature Circle Letter #1 & 2

For these two weeks, I have not annotated the book at all. It does not improve my reading skills. I feel as a waste of time and lead. I do not read over the book a second time. If I needed more information on a specific part, I will simply just find it in the book. In the first part, I liked how John and Savannah 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. John was a "hero" and was invited to a party Savannah was going to. John gets to know Savannah, and vice versa. They begin to understand each other, and go on dates. They never ran out of things to talk about, like their past, family, what they do for a living. John works in the army, and has to leave in one month. Savannah is building houses. After the month, they fall in love. Unfortunately, John has to go to Germany. Savannah writes letters to John, hence the title, Dear John.

Another part of Dear John that I liked was when John came back for a week. Things become...rather awkward between the two. John and Savannah lost their interest in each other, and have basically nothing to talk about. It becomes so awkward that they go talk to John's dad. Savannah studies John's dad to see if he had a disorder. John gets offended and gets mad at Savannah. Savannah also wrote letters after, about how she loved somebody else. John became very upset.

For the monthly review, I plan on writing #2, 4, and 8. They are the same questions I answered for Bastard Out of Carolina. I like these questions because they are very open. I will continue with these questions until the school year ends. I would probably recommend this book to anybody. This book is a very easy-read book, and it goes by quickly. It's a love story, so some guys may not want to read it. I was debating over reading it, and during my trip to Disneyland, I decided to read the book. (I was stuck in the car with nothing to do for eight hours.) Dear John is a love story, for guys too. I loved this book, and the ending made me cry...sort of. The author does use the words "Like I said," a lot. I found it quite annoying, as I read the book in two days. I will probably write about Savannah or John, the main characters of the book. Or maybe John's dad, he only likes to talk about coins, possibly having a disorder.

One question I have is why Savannah falls in love with somebody else. Why doesn't John quit the army to live with Savannah if he loves her so much? Didn't John "propose" to her? How did she fall in love with somebody else? John should be going back to ruin the couple, and get back with Savannah.

I predicted that Savannah and John's relationship wouldn't last. It seemed a little to perfect. In the beginning, it was an adventure, learning about each other. They spent the entire month together, learning about their past, goals, etc. If they kept talking and talking, they would have run out of topics sooner or later. Nobody can keep talking to the same person everyday, and not run out of topics. In Part Two, it becomes very awkward. Although, they do it. It creates a better chance of John and Savannah getting married, but it's very slim.