About "The Last Song" by Nickolas Sparks. Journal, Essay and Vocabulary

THE LAST SONG

The Last Song is written by #1 New York Times Bestselling author Nicholas Sparks and released on ^September 8, 2009 by Grand Central Publishing . Also it was the number one on the weekly bestseller chart of I2!New York Times Best Sellers List on September 18, 2009 ,and many reviews were written about The Last Song. Besides them, its new movie has been started to play on the cinemas in the U.S.A. since HMarch 31, 2010,so this book is so popular and remarkable, because the characters' behaviours and qualities are created uniquely, the book really impacts on our lives ,and some religious informations and sacred books are related with the characters' situations and the events in the book.

First of all, the writer creates the characters and gives them some behaviours uniquely. Firstly, the change in Ronnie from a stubborn girl to a mature young lady makes the book more remarkable and special. For example, the novel states that "It was the first time since she'd been here that she'd spoken to him without a hint of anger or frustration. " (pg.104)"In profile, he could see both the young woman she was becoming and the little girl he remembered."(pg. 105) From these quotes we learn that at the beginning she seems like a stubborn, grouchy and bad tempered girl, and her decisions, behaviours and relationship with her dad, brother, and Blaze seems untrue. Then she joins to a bad crowd which includes the antagonist Marcus ,but she changes gradually after she falls in love with Will, so she becomes a lovely, live, kind, grateful and honest girl instead of a girl who does the opposite of what her parents say to her or what she must do ,and it leads the reader to think about their relationships. Another character is definitelyjonah and, the writer creates Jonah as an amazingly funny, sarcastic, enthusiastic and playful character and mostly optimistic. For instance, "Oh," Jonah said, thinking. "Tell him you didn't see me." Jonah thought about it. "Five bucks." "What?" "Gimme five bucks and I'll forgetyou were here." "Are you serious?" "You don't have much time," he said. "Now it's ten bucks." (...) "You missed your chance. Butyour secret will be safe with me." (pg.32) "Hey, is this your house?" "That's it." "This place is awesome!" (pg.15). Also , I love the way he tricks his sister, and reacts to their situations and to Ronnie. Furthermore, from this quote, the reader see that he is too optimistic, so he finds his father's old and ruined house funny and awesome even though the house is nearly old, small, weak, and some of its objects are missing, so he can find a better way to enjoy, and be cheerful in a miserable, horrible, and uncomfortable house. He can still keep his satisfaction alive with thinking of at the sight of the house. Also he is too enthusiastic, and wants to go to the beach with a great eagerness, and zealous movements. As we see that the characters have got some special and even funny qualities combined with a great harmony of the writer's creativity and the situations of the characters.

Another reason why this book is remarkable is that the writer really impacts on our lives. First of all, this novel teaches us that there are significant moments that we mustn't miss them and mustn't regret what we miss. One example of this is "I was so mean to him. I quit the piano! I blamed him for everything, and I didn't say more than a few words to him for three years! Three years! And I can't get those years back. But maybe if I hadn't been so angry, he might not have gotten sick. Maybe I caused that extra... stress that did all this. Maybe it was me!"(pg. 321) This proves that Ronnie regrets that she should spend more time together with her father before he died, because at the beginning she treats her father cruelly and always does the opposite of what he says, so she always goes out,and spends much time with Blaze at the first time that she comes to the beach house ,and after she falls in love with Will, they spend a lot of time together as lovers. Next, there are moments that make me feel full of love and hope such as Will- Ronnie's young love. For instance, the author tells us that "Will was going to go to school here. In NewYork. With her. And with that, she slipped her arms around him, feeling his body fit perfectly against her own, knowing that nothing could ever be better than this moment, right now.(...) When he met her eyes, she saw the young man she'd loved last summer and the young man she still loved now. "I never stopped loving you, Ronnie.

And I never stopped thinking aboutyou. Even if summers do come to an end." She smiled, knowing he was telling the truth. "I love you, too, Will Blakelee," she whispered, leaning in to kiss him again. (pg. 390) It is clear that when Will says that he will stay in New York, I feel the happiness deeply, and am glad that they can see each other ,and their relationship will stay permanently and passionately, so their love will not be a summer love. In conclusion, it is a book which includes a young love, hopes and important moments in our lives, so reality and creativity in this book makes the effect on our lives.

Finally, some religious informations and sacred books are related with the characters' situations and the events in the book appropriately. Firstly, in this novel there are things about presence of God, praying and hope. The novel states that "(...)Never forget that God is your friend. (...)He longs to hear what's been happening in your life. Good or bad, whether it's been full of sorrow or anger, and even when you're questioning why terrible things have to happen. So I talk with him." (pg.165) Pastor Harris laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You have me."(...)"We talk in the same waythatyou and I do." "Does He answer?" Steve was skeptical. "Always." "You hear Him?" "Yes," (...)"but not with my ears." He put a hand to his chest. "This is where I hear the answers. This is where I feel His presence." (pg.166)From these quotes we learn that the presence of God,praying and hope is developed by Pastor Harris who is an intimate friend of Steve and his piano teacher. Pastor Harris enjoys talking with him about God's presence, Steve's questions and hearing God. Secondly, it is used one part of the Bible to describe the change in Ronnie at the end of the book. On pg. 349 we see that the part (Galatians 5:22) of the Bible in this novel "But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." explains the changes in Ronnie the best and fits with Ronnie's situation. Also she finds her first love Will. In addition, she joyfully plays piano for her father ,who suffers from stomach cancer ,and finds the peace in playing piano again since she didn't want to play piano. Besides them, she looks after her fragile father in the hospital with a great patience in her decent heart,and starts to begin behaving in a generous way towards people around her especially her mother and father, so she obeys what they say and want her to do even though at the beginning she does the opposite of what they want like a typical teenager. Furthermore Ronnie devotes herself to her family ,and learns the goodness in people's heart and even in her heart. As a conclusion, connection between some religious books and situations make the book creative and reliable ,and the connection between Ronnie and one part of the Bible really makes the end magnificent and it stays easily in our thoughts as readers.

As a final word, the characters' behaviours, situations and creations are unique, and the book really has an effect on our lives ,and using religious connections make the book more remarkable. Also if someone need a book about love, second chances, hope, forgiveness, being a family, young and even first love, he/she should buy it ,and be a part of its great place, atmosphere, characters and the unsteady and haunting events. This kind ofbooks always make me think and connect my life with the life in this book,and I learn some lessons from them.

M И http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The Last Song %28novel%29² http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/books/bestseller/besthardfiction.html Bogaç Aybey

Reader's Response Journal:

The Last Song24.01.10 Prologue:

Quote from this chapter:

Ronnie: "I was wrong, Mom. And I don't know what to do now. " pg. 2

Ronnie says to her mother, who comes to her room, when Ronnie looks at her stack of framed photographs from the small beach house where Ronnie stayed last summer. It shows that Ronnie regrets things that she did last summer around the beach house, and doesn't know how she can face with them. Also she is disappointed, and needs help. For example in the book it says "She was eighteen years old and remembering the summer she'd been betrayed, the summer she'd been arrested, the summer she'd fallen in love."

Foreshadowing:

On the bedstand beside her lay a stack of framed photographsfrom the alcove of the small beach house,!...) Ronnie continued to stare at the pile of photos, seeing nothing at all. "I was wrong, Mom. And I don't know what to do know."

"You mean about your dad?"

"About everything." pg.2

(...) For an instant, Ronniefelt a crush ofmemories overwhelm her: the fire and subsequent rebuilding of the church, the stained-glass window, the song she'd finally finished. She thought about Blaze and Scott and Marcus. She thought about Will. She was eighteen years old and remembering the summer she'd been betrayed, the summer she'd been arrested, the summer she'd fallen in love. It hadn't been so long ago, yet sometimes she felt that she'd been an altogether different person back then. pg.2

I predict that the author will begin to tell Ronnie's last summer with her father in his small beach house. in the next chapter. According to these passages and quotes, she will do wrong and unacceptable things such as to be arrested. Also she will fall in love, and be disappointed in her boyfriend or her best friend. She will have problems with her dad in the beach house, and cannot struggle with them. And the framed photographs from the alcove ofthe smallm beach house make her memories of last summer alive. Finally it seems to me that her behaviours, actions, approaches, thoughts, and feelings will change gradually in the next chapters.

The Last Song24.01.10 Chapter 1:

My Feelings about Characters:

Ronnie: In this chapter, she seems like a usual stubborn teenager, and doesn't want her mother to control her. Also they often argue with each other in the car, and in the beginning she is too grouchy, so it makes their situation worse. I noticed that she doesn't like her father, and she usually accuses him, because he leaves them. Also she is reluctant to spend her summer with her father in his beach house. On the other hand, in her depth she is longing for good old times that are before her parents' divorce, and she expresses her feeling in a sarcastic way.

Ronnie's mother: In my opinion she is a peacemaker between her ex-husband, and Ronnie, so she wants her to like him, and takes Jonah and Ronnie to his beach house. Also she loves her daughter, and wants to reassure her by putting Mozart's Sonata No.16 in C Major, which was one of the pieces Ronnie had performed at Carnegie Hall four years ago, while Ronnie was sleeping, but Ronnie wants her to close it. However Ronnie's mother seems as an authoritative figure from Ronnie's point of view, because her mother always has the last word.

Jonah (Ronnie's brother): In this chapter, he speaks rarely, but I can say that he is an enthusiastic boy, and definitely loves his father more than Ronnie, so he wants to go to the beach house.

If I Were ...

(...) "Ronnie hated the piano and swore she'd never play again, a decision even some of her oldest friends thought was strange, since it had been a major part ofher lifefor as long as she'dknown them."(...) pg.9

(...) "She was good, too. Very good, actually, and because of herfather's connection to Juilliard, the administration and teachers there were well aware ofher ability. (...) A couple of articles in classical music magazinesfollowed, and a moderately long piece in The New York Times that focusedon thefather-daughter connection came next, all of which eventually led to a coveted appearance in the Young Performers series at Carnegie Hall four years ago. That, she supposed, was the highlight ofher career. And it was a highlight; she wasn't naive about what she'd accomplished. She knew how rare an opportunity like that was, but lately she'dfound herself wondering whether the sacrifices had been worth it. No one besides her parents probably even remembered the performance, after all. Or even cared. Ronnie had learned that unless you had a popular video on YouTube or could perform shows in front of thousands, musical ability meant nothing."(...) pg.9-10

If I were Ronnie, I wouldn't stop playing piano, because she is a gifted pianist, and can have a remarkable piano career, so her father is a good and talented pianist, and has got a lot of connections. Also playing piano had been a major part of her life, and I think that it was one think which they shared with her father.

The Last Song25.01.10 Chapter 2:

My Feelings about Characters:

Steve (Ronnie's father): His life isn't so untroubled, and peaceful, so he has got problems ever since. For example, "Five years ago, he'd quit his position at Juilliard, and a year after that, he'd decided to try his luck as a concert pianist. Three years ago, he and Kim decided to divorce; less than twelve months later, the tour dates began drying up, until they finally ended completely." is written in this chapter. Also it seems to me that he is excited about his children's arrival, and wants to spend his entire summer with them, so he loves them too much. I noticed that he wants to defend his daughter, Ronnie, even though she doesn't like him.

Quotes from this chapter:

"Hey, is this your house?"

"That's it."

"This place is awesome!"

Steve wondered if Jonah was serious. The house was anything but awesome. The bungalow was easily the oldest property on Wrightsville Beach and sandwiched between two massive homes that had gone up within the last ten years, making it seem even more diminutive. The paint was peeling, the roof was missing numerous shingles, and the porch was rotting; it wouldn't surprise him if the next decent storm blew it over, which would no doubt please the neighbours. Since he'd moved in, neitherfamily had ever spoken to him. "You think so?" he said.

"Hello? It's right on the beach. What else could you want?" pg.15

Jonah says to Steve, when Ronnie, Jonah, and their mother comes to Steve's house, and Jonah rushes toward Steve, and hugs his father intensely. Then they talk about their car travel, and his house. It shows that Jonah is too optimistic even though the house is nearly old, small, weak, and some of its objects are missing, so he can find a better way to enjoy, and be cheerful in a miserable, horrible, and uncomfortable house. He can still keep his satisfaction alive with thinking of at the sight of the house. Also he is too enthusiastic, and wants to go to the beach with a great eagerness, and zealous movements.

Similar Quotes from Jonah:

1) "Are you kidding? This is going to be great!" pg. 8
2) "It's the beach," Jonah volunteered. "It's always crowded at the beach." pg. 9
3) "Can we go? After we all have dinner together?" pg. 10

"I don't know." She sighed. "And I don't think she does, either. She's in this dark, moody phase. She ignores her curfew, and half the time I can't get more than a 'Whatever" when I try to talk to her. I try to write it offas typical teenage stuff, because I remember what it was like... but..." She shook her head. "You saw the way she was dressed, right? And her hair and that god-awful mascara?" pg. 18

Ronnie's mother says to Steve, when she goes out of the car, and comes near Steve. Then they start to talk about the children's educations, behaviours, manners, problems, and appearances. I think that Ronnie wants to hide her anger for her parents' divorce, and behaves in an insensitive way with not answering or only briefly answering her mother. Also I feel that she thinks that when she dresses like that, she can forget dreadful events that she lives. It seems to me that she wants to act like a teenager, but after her parents' divorce she feels alone, and thinks that everyone in her family goes to their own way, so she can't find a person who understands her feelings, and emotions.

The Last Song25.01.10 Chapter 3:

Summary of this chapter:

The fair is crowded, and Ronnie walks along the crowd. Then she sees a beach volleyball tournament near the Wrightsville beach carnival, and wants to watch it. In the game, all the girls watch the handsome boys eagerly. Suddenly one player, who is handsome and popular, Will collide with her and spills her soda, and drenches her face, and shirt. After that, she meets, and befriends with a punker girl named Blaze. Then she sees Jonah coming through, and Jonah says that their father wants her to come, but Ronnie doesn't want, and does a deal with Jonah to hide Ronnie from Steve. Afterwards Blaze offers a dry shirt, and invites her to drink, and hang out with her friends. Then Blaze suggests going to a fireball act realized by her friend Marcus, who is the leader of the group, and Blaze's emotionally abusive boyfriend, on the pier. Next the police officer rushes through the fireball actors, and warns them. After they leave the place, Ronnie feels alone, and she goes after them.

If I Were ...

"The boys grabbed their coats and began moving up the pier, toward the carnival rides. Blazefollowed, leaving Ronnie alone. Ronniefelt the officer's gaze on her, but she ignored him. Instead, she hesitated only briefly before going after them." pg. 37

If I were Ronnie, I wouldn't go after them, because she has met with them only a few minutes ago, so she doesn't know them well. Consequently they can affect her dangerously, and unacceptably. Later she can be addicted to drugs, alcohols, and other addictive things by them, and be treated cruelly by them. I think she makes a wrong decision, but maybe she thinks that she can forget her father, and be an enjoyable summertime byjoining this gang, The Last Song27.01.10 Chapter 4: Questions about things that confuse me/wonder about: "He'd known she would follow them." Pg. 38 1) Why does Ronnie follow the group even though she doesn't know them well? "You'll talk to Blaze, but not me." "I don't even know you." "You don't know Blaze, either. Youjust met her." Pg. 39-40

2) Why doesn't Ronnie want to talk with Marcus even though she talks with Blaze?

Instead, he stared at Ronnie, liking the purple streak in her hair and her tight little body, the Glittery effect ofher eye shadow. It was sort of an upscale, trampy style, despite the stupid shirtshe was wearing. He liked that. He liked that a lot. (...)Marcus sauntered toward Ronnie and took a seat beside her. Close, but not too close. Blaze was the jealous type, and he didn't want her running Ronnie offbefore he had a chance to get to know her. (...) pg. 38-39

"I know a guy who's got a place down therejust outside ofTampa. Ifyou want, I'll bring you. We can stay there as long as you want. My car's over there." pg. 40

3) Will Ronnie and Marcus be lovers in the next chapters? (I wonderifRonnie will love Marcus, and they will be good friends.)

The Last Song28.01.10 Chapter 5:

Quotes/ Passages from the characters/book

No matter what he was doing, Will could alwaysfeel the weight of the secret pressing down on him. (...)He would see himselfrunning up the beach and grabbing Scott as he stared at the raging fire.

What the hell did you do? he remembered screaming.

It's not myfault! Scott had screamed back.

It was only then, however, that Will realized they weren't alone. In the distance, he noticed Marcus, Blaze, Teddy, and Lance, watching them, and he knew at once they'd seen everything that happened. They knew... pg. 43

(...)It was one thing to coverfor an accidentalfire. Maybe he could have done that. But someone had been injured that night, and he felt a sickening surge of guilt whenever he drove by the site. It didn't matter that the church was being rebuilt or that the pastor had long since been releasedfrom the hospital; what mattered was that he knew what had happened and hadn't done anything about it. Pg. 44

I think that Will's best friend Scott lights the church ,and Will keeps it secretly in his depths, but he is afraid that Scott will be arrested, because probably Marcus, Teddy, Blaze see Scott, when he lights the church. Also it is dangerous, and harmful, because the fire hurts the pastor and harms the church. On the other hand, Will feels guilty, because he knows a lot of things about this fire, but he doesn't tell to someone.

"The fight's over! There is no fight! Can't you see this kid is hurt?" pg. 52

Ronnie says to the fighting two groups .

"Are you okay, sweetie? Where's your mom? Let's gofind her, okay?" pg. 52

Ronnie says to the toddler.

She says them, when the two groups fight with each other, and one toddler loses its way. Then Ronnie sees it, and wants to protect it. I noticed that in this chapter Ronnie seems like a protective, lovely, and sensitive mother, because she helps the baby ,who starts walking, and loses its way, be by stopping the fight, because the toddler walks along the group members, and it can hurt. Then she takes it, and behaves in a pleasurable way. Afterwards she finds his mother, and brings it to her.

My Feelings about the Character:

Will: In this chapter, he is helpful, because he helps Ronnie's father to find Ronnie. Also he seems to me too complicated, and weary, because he doesn't know what he should do with his best friend Scott, who is the church arson, and with his ex-girl friend Ashley's behaviours, so his brain is mixed up. I think he is a quiet sensitive boy, because he rarely speaks, and answers back, when Ashley says something, he acts careless ,and often murmurs.

The Last Song29.01.10 Chapter 6:

Quotes/ Passages from the characters/book

Steve says to Ronnie:

"Who's Marcus?" when police take Ronnie to home, and Steve waits for her. pg. 59 "Good night, sweetheart," he called out. "I love you." when Ronnie goes to his horrible room, and Steve says good-bye to her. Then she is alone with her brother. pg. 59 "Do you want breakfast? I made some bacon." when Ronnie wakes up, and grumbles about her room, and the shameful event. pg. 64

It shows that Steve wants to be more lovely, and he is concerned about his seventeen years old reluctant, depressive, rebellious, angry, and bitter daughter Ronnie, so he wants to know her friends, and where she goes. Also she wants to be nice by serving her a high-quality, and fine breakfast, and speaking with her gently.

"I rode the Ferris wheel," Jonah said. "It was pretty cool to be so high. That's how Dad found you."

"It was awesome. Did you ride it?" pg. 60

Jonah says to Ronnie, when Ronnie goes to their room, and Jonah comes, and says to her that the room belongs to both of them. It shows that Jonah is a playful, and a funny boy, because he tells the things that he does in the fair eagerly, and wants to have fun, so in all chapters we can see his humours, and funny quotes.

Jonah's Similar Quotes:

""I am, too. Mom and Ronnie fought the whole time."pg. 15

"Tell him you didn't see me."

Jonah thought about it. "Five bucks."

"What?"

"Gimmefive bucks and I'll forget you were here."

"Are you serious?"

"You don't have much time," he said. "Now it's ten bucks."

(...) "You missed your chance. But your secret will be safe with me." pg.32

Foreshadowing:

Blaze shrugged, her expression mischievous, and Ronnie smiled. (...) "Do you have any money?" f...)"Why?" Blaze stood straight. "I haven't eaten since yesterday morning. I'm kind of hungry. " pg. 66

I can predict that Blaze will control Ronnie, and influence her to do wrong, and illegal things. Also Blaze will use Ronnie as a doll, so Ronnie will do unacceptable things, and Blaze'sjobs for Blaze even though they met with each other just a few hours ago.

The Last Song30.01.10 Chapter 7:

Foreshadowing:

The thing was, Will wasn't exactly sure why he was thinking about the girl. Particularly considering how little he knew about her. Yeah, she was pretty—he'd noticed that right off, despite the purple hair and dark mascara—but the beach wasfull of pretty girls. Nor was it the way she'd stopped the fight in its tracks. Instead, he kept coming back to the way she'd treated the little boy who'd fallen. He'd glimpsed a surprising tenderness beneath her rebellious exterior, and it had piqued his curiosity.

(...}Not all the time. But enough to make him realize that for whatever reason, he definitely wanted to get to know her a little better, and he found himself wondering whether he would see her again. pg.69

I can say that in the next chapters they will be not just good friends, they will be affectionate ,and tender lovers, so in these passages the author wants to give us Will's first impression ,and emotions about Ronnie. Also we can understand that Will will start to be in Ronnie's side, and his heart will go out to Ronnie. Incidentally he wants to see her again, and speak with her as her friend.

Quote from this chapter:

"Hey, by the way, did you see the girl who stopped the fight?" Will asked. "The one who helped the little boy find his mom?"(...) "You mean the vampire chick in the cartoon shirt?" "She's not a vampire."-Will

"Yeah, I saw her. On the short side, ugly purple streak in her hair, black fingernail polish? You poured your soda over her, remember? She thought you smelled."

"What?"-Will

"I'm just saying," he said, (...) "You didn't notice her expression after you slammed Into her, but I did. She couldn't get away from youfast enough. Hence, you probably smelled."

"She had to buy a new shirt."

(...) "I don't know. She just surprised me. And I haven't seen her around here before."-Will pg.68-69

(A conversation between Will and Scott, when they work with the oil drain in the Ford Explorer, and Scott starts to talk about the last night.)

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