dearjohn

=Dear John **- Nicholas Sparks **= =The repercussion of not doing the work for the week is that you have to do it that weekend and next week you have to bring in all the group. If the work is not completed by Sunday of that week, the person should recieve a 0 because of lack of group effort. This will effect only the person who failed to complete the task. =

A) Person A (Group Leader) - This group member will be responsible for both keeping the group on task throughout the meeting as well as responding to the week's topical questions, listed below. B)Person B(Quotation Finder) - This group member will be responsible for finding 5 important, meaningful quotations from their section of the text. They will also facilitate a discussion regarding these quotations. C) Person C- (Summarizer) This group member will be responsible for posting a thorough, two-paragraph summary of the group's Friday meeting, to be posted on the group wiki no later than the Sunday following the meeting. D) Person D (Questions)- This group member will be responsible for providing 5 open-ended questions regarding the week's reading section. These questions, and their responses, will be posted on the group's wiki.

Week 1:  Person A- Alexa: Leader

John- John is a sweet guy who became this way because of Savannah. He is in the military because he didn't know what else he could do, so he thought he would go it it. After high school, John didn't go to college and joining the military was just something to do to and this also allowed John to make money. John grew up living with his father and never had a mother. John and his father never got along very well. His dad never came to his sports games and John was always embarrassing by him and his house, so he never had people over. Everyone is drawn to John because of he sweet words and actions towards Savannah. All girls reading probably wish they could date him.

Savannah- Savannah is the perfect child. She had great grades, helped out the neighbor who had problems, and took care of the animals. She is a very loving figure and cares so much for animals. You can tell because when she told John about her ranch and her horse she was so happy. Also, she is at the beach because she is building homes for those in need during her summer vacation. While Savannah and John are together, Savannah does a lot of the talking and sometimes it seems like she is the only character in the book. People may be drawn to her because of her bubbly and outgoing personality and others may not like her because she is usually the center of attention everywhere she is, running the show.

Father of John- John's dad is a quiet, awkward man. His wife passed and he raised John on his own. The only thing John and his father had good conversations about were coins. He collects all different types of coins, just like his own father did. He is obsessed and that is what he spends mostly all of his time doing. When John was into collecting coins, they had a great relationship. When John grew bored of it, they barely talked. Many are drawn and simpathetic to him because they feel bad and hope their relationship will get better.

Person B- Dara: Quotation Finder

Prologue, Line 1 - "What does it mean to truly love another?"

Page 13, Paragraph 1, Line 6 - "He sat in the stands, an odd balding guy wearing a worn sport jacket, and socks that didnt match. Though he wasn't obese, his pants nipped at the waist making him look as if he were three months pregnant, and I knew I wanted nothing to do with him. I was embarrassed by the sight of him, and after the game, I avoided him. I'm not proud of myself for that, but that's who I was."

Page 19, Paragraph 1, Line 7 - "I've met geniuses and idiots, but when all is said and done, we do what we do for one another. For friendship. Not for country, not for patriotism, not because we're programmed killing machines, but because of the guy next to you. You fight for your friend, to keep him alive, and he fights for you, and everything about the army is built on this simple premise."

Page 44, Paragraph 1, Line 5 - "There's nothing quite as exciting as catching a wave and living within a wall of water as it rolls toward shore. But I'm not like a lot of those dudes with freeze-dried skin and stringy hair who do it all day, every day, because they think it's the be-all and end-all existence. It isn't. For me, it's more about the fact that the world is crazy noisy almost all the time, and when you're out there, it's not. You're able to hear yourself think."

Page 76, Paragraph 1, Line 1 - "Outside my window, I saw a shooting star cross the sky in a brilliant streak of white. I wanted to believe it was an omen, though of what, I wasn't sure. Instead all I could do was replay Savannah's gentle kiss on my cheek for the hundredth time and wonder how I could be falling for a girl that I'd met only the day before."

 Person C- Kelsey:Summarizer

 Starting out this book club, we had two new people to the book club 'experience'. Alexa and I, who had you last year new the routine. Even though they didn't have experience, the book club was a lot better than last year. We discussed the book and the questions first. Erin's questions were a lot about Savannah and John's relationship. Because Nichloas' Sparks books are easy to read, the discussion went. Erin brought drinks form Dunkin Dounuts, Alexa brought bagels, dara brought goldfish and I brought cream cheese and butter. We talked about how Savannah and John were alike, but in a way where it brought them together.  We also talked about the relationship with John and his father. The only thing that the two had in common was talking about coins. Once, John told his father that his love for coins was only his father's, their relationship was dead. Overall, the book club was productive and we gave each other insight of each other's points of view. We deciphered the quotes really easily and it took our discussion to a new level.

 Person D- Erin: Questions

 1) Do you think that the differences in John and Savanna's personalities will cause them to clash?  No because they aren't that different, they are actually similar. Even if they were different, then differences in personalities bring people together in relationships.

 2) Are they too different morally to get along?  They are morally different, but she can help change him for the better. She has a can-do attitude and is willing to help people, including John.

 3) Why do you think John is falling for a girl practically opposite of the guy he was just years ago?  We think that it was John’s military instinct to save people. Also, he’s had everything set in stone during his military leave and needed to do something good/different for a change.

 4) Do you predict any changes in John and his fathers relationship? How do you think Savanna will influence this? <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Their bond will get better because of John's happiness. John is happy because of Savanna and she wants to make their relationship stronger.

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> 5) How far do you think John and Savannas relationship will get before he is reenlisted in a few weeks? <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> They have become close in the matter of two days; we can imagine how close they will be before he is reenlisted. It will be devastating when he leaves because both of them have never felt something so strong before.

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Week 2:

Person A- Dara: Leader

This book is very easy to read because Nicolas Sparks makes us feel as if we were Savannah. The author uses 'easy-to-read' language, but keeps it appealing to adult readers. The author's writing jumps off the page and lets us relate to the story. You can call this a conversational piece, based on the fact that the author allows you to picture, in your mind, the scene, the characters and connection between Savannah and John. I believe this book is written for teens and younger adults, not necessarily adults though. Even though the writing is easy to understand, the topics are deep and not appropriate for people younger than teens. He gets into detail about suicide and getting sexually assaulted, which i believe is not appropriate for middle school kids. Overall, it is an enjoyable book because of the language and the story line.

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Person B- Erin: Quotation Finder

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> pg.93 last paragraph- "Finally, I sat up, wishing I had told her how much our day had meant to me. Outside my window, I saw a shooting star cross the sky in a brilliant streak of white. I wanted to believe it was an omen, though of what, I wasn't sure. Instead, all I could do was replay Savannah's gentle kiss on my cheek, for the hundredth time and wonder how I could be falling for a girl that I'd met only the day before."

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> 115- "When you asked me why I was here, I made a joke because I thought the answer was obvious. Spending time with you just feels... right, somehow. Easy, like my parents They're just comfortable together and I remember growing up thinking that one day I wanted to have that, too."

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> 122- "When I felt Savannah rest her head on my shoulder, I found myself wishing I hadn't joined the army. I wished I weren't stationed overseas, and I wished I'd chosen a different path in life, one that would let me remain a part of her world."

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> 150-"I had always imagined the words would be hard to say, but they weren't. In all my life, I'd never been as sure of anything, and as much as I hoped to one day hear Savannah say those words to me, what mattered most was knowing that love was mine to give, without strings or expectations."

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> 151-"And when her lips met mine, i knew that I could live to be a hundred and visit every single country in the world, but nothing would ever compare to that single moment when i first kissed the girl of my dreams and knew that my love would last forever."

<span style="color: #ff00b2; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Person C- Alexa: Summarizer

<span style="color: #df2eae; font: 13px/19px Book Antiqua; margin: 0px;">The second week of book club was great, especially with our food and great lemonade made by Mrs. Witt! We also had really good conversations about the book and relationships between the characters that mostly stemmed from the question that Kelsey wrote, but also the quotes from Erin. It think that the new job, Quotation Finder adds much more to book club in a positive way. It gives the group more to talk about and allows us to highlight parts we liked or we thought were important parts of the book. Now, we could look back and see when certain things happened throughout the story by looking at quotes. When everyone is involved the conversation is always great, whether we argue about our opinions or agree with each other. <span style="color: #df2eae; font: 13px/19px Book Antiqua; margin: 0px;"> Compared to last year, book club is more productive and I think that Kelsey, Dara, Erin, and I work really well together. We all think that the book is easy to read and a great story. Our group has also mentioned that the character John is somewhat unrealistic in the way he acts and the things he says. We all wish that all boys were like that. We also talked about Johns and Savannah's past and why each of them in particular is "running from it". This was be a key conversation in pulling them closer together and also it allowed John to admit that he loves her. We hope that each section of the book keeps getting better and better!

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Person D-Kelsey: Questions
 * 1) <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Do you think that Savannah will change the relationship with John and his father? Why or why not? We think that Savannah has already changed John and his father's relationship. Savannah allowed John to be able to open up and have a progressive conversation with his father. When Savannah talked to John's dad, it made the father really happy.
 * 2) <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Why did Savannah open up to John about her past? I think because she didn't want to hide anything from him, but we thought it was very random and didn't seem to go with the flow of the conversation. It also made John admit that he loved her.
 * 3) <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> After John goes on leave, do you think he’ll be able to hold him self-together without Savannah? No he can barely stay without her for a day, so how is he going last 3 months? We know he is going to have to, but he will be distracted from work.
 * 4) <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> When John saw Toby, why did he try to get out of the restaurant as soon as possible? What was he running from? He didn't want to remember what type of person he once was. Toby was his friend in high school and he is a different person now and is always running from his past and his actions during his high school years.
 * 5) <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> How do you think the kiss, that night, is going to affect John and Savannah’s relationship? It closed the deal of the relationship that they have. It official, they are in love.

<span style="color: #000000; font: 13px/19px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0px;">﻿Week 3: <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> Person A- Erin: Leader

The mood so far is very romantic and intimate. The overall emotions of this book are love, excitement, and ocassionally anger, when something goes wrong in John and Savannah's relationship. Whatever the John feels, is reflected through the writing and the reader feels as if they're experiencing it as well. When reading this book, Nicholas Spark's style makes you feel as if you're in the relationship. The reader is taken on an emotional roller coaster whenever reading. When John and Savannah fight, you feel their pain. When they're happy, you're happy for them. When they make progress, you're proud. After John and Savannah fight over the textbook, as a reader, you wished you could reconcile their relationship. And when they made up, it makes the reader happy. Overall, the reader experiences the same emotions and moods presented in the book, making it hard to put down.

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Person B- Kelsey: Quotation Finder

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> 1. "I didn't want to think about my dad or Savannah or what I'd done to Tim's nose. But all night long I stared at the celling, unable to escape my thoughts." (pg 148) <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> 2. "A person with autism lives in his own world, while a person with Asperger's Lives in our world, in a way of his own choosing." (pg 154) <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> 3. "We walked to the den together, and when I felt him place a gentle hand on my back, all I could think was that I hadn't felt this close to him in years." (pg 157) <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> 4. "I'll call you as much as I can, and I'll write you when I can't, and I'll get another leave next year. Whereever you are, that's where I'll go." (pg163) <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> 5. "But I kept moving, watching her image in the mirror grow smaller and smaller, feeling my dream slip away," (pg 166)

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Person C- Dara: Summarizer

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> This week of book club was very interesting. The group discussed many aspects of the book, and how we all enjoy reading it very much. Though we usually talk about the book itself, this week we branched off onto events happening in the book and how they connected to experiences in our life. We all agreed that we would love to have John as a boyfriend, or at least somebody as romantic and loving as he is. Also, we discussed how we would react if our boyfriend or husband was a soldier in the army. We decided that we would not be too happy if they were away for a year! We also talked about asperger syndrome, because that is what Johns dad has. One of the group members did not know what the syndrome was, so we explained that to her. Alexa sparked up conversation with a couple of questions that made us think. Also, Kelsey's quotes reminded us of many times in the book where the message was strong, and that also sparked conversation. Erin lead the group in discussion, and the meeting went very smoothly. The delicious bagels, Arnold Palmer, and fruit snacks, were, as usual, a bonus to the day! We hope that all the rest of the book is as good as it has been so far, and we can't wait to know what happens in the end!

Person D- Alexa: Questions

1. Do you think John's father has the disease that Savannah has diagnosed him with or thought he had and how do you think John will react when he finds out if his father has the disease? Do you think their relationship will change? - We think he definitely has the disease. Also, that John already knows but he does not want to accept it. Now, we think John and his fathers relationship will change positively, because John will start treating his father better and spending more time with him. 2. Why do you think after the fight, Tim appeared at John's house and what does this show about Jim and Savannah's relationship? - He appeared at his house because he is a sweet person and he did not want to upset Savannah. Tim and Savannah are so close that they could be brother and sister. 3. What was the tone when they were talking about marriage on page 133? - The tone was very casual, and unexpected. John seemed to be really unprepared, like he did not know he was going to ask Savannah to marry him that day. 4. How do you think John and Savannah being separated for a year will affect their relationships? Are the letters going to be able to keep them together when they are some many miles away from each other? - We think that John and Savannah's relationship will crumble after being separated for a year. The letters, though they are very sweet, will not be enough to keep them together. 5. Do you think their relationship pick up just the way they left off when he dropped her off at her house the last time he saw her? - We think that John thinks it will a little bit awkward when he gets back, and that it will not be the same when he gets back.

<span style="color: #000000; font: 13px/19px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">﻿Week 4:

Person A- Kelsey: Leader

One theme in this book that seems to repeat itself is regret and unhappiness. The theme is that happiness is hard to find, so once you have it, hold on to it. I feel that John and Savannah, whether apart or together, always find a way to get in a fight. This is caused by regret or being unhappy because of what one has done to the other. Another theme is that bad choices will come back to haunt you in life. For example, John had a terrible relationship with his father, this however comes up later in his life and he has to fix the problem. Meeting ends with his father is harder now than ever, because of his bad decisions as a kid. Also, John makes a bad decision or reenlisting in the army for another 2 years, jeopardizing his relationship with Savannah. He knew the consequences, yet he still made the bad decision. Images that Nicholas Sparks uses in this book is the picture perfect 'image' of Savannah and John. He makes it seem as if it's the cheerleader and the football quarter back couple of high school. He twists this image around, however, and gives them obstacles and hard decisions to face.

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<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Person B- Alexa: Quotation Finder

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Page 153- "But I didn't know how to act. Should I jog towards her as soon as I spotted her or stroll casually, cool and in control?"

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Page 159- "I guess I hadn't fully realized that she was living a life that seemed complete and fulfilling, even without me."

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Page 174- ""I know I promised," she said, "but I can't help it." <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> "It's going to be okay," I said. "It's only six months. with all that's going on in your life, you'll be amazed how fast that goes." <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> "Easy to say," she said sniffling. "But you're right. I'm going to be stronger this time. I'll be okay."

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Page 187- "I know that sounds like an excuse, but pleas believe me when I say that I didn't mean to fall in love with someone else. If I don't really understand how it happened, how can you?"

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Page 203- "I'm sorry that I can't be here for you now, and I hate myself for doing this to you. But I'm scared, Dad. I don't know what else to do."

Person C- Erin: Summarizer

This week's book club was intense, and brought about a lot of questions about the book. We're at a point in the book when everything changes, and we're all unsure of what's going to happen next. This book really keeps us guessing! We talked a lot about how Savannah and John's relationship was effected by John joining the army for another two years after 9/11. Our group hypothesized a lot about how John's dad's sickness will play out. We found it very surprising that Savannah had fallen in love with another man and let John know through her letter. The book is in the midst of a very depressing time for John, losing the girl he loves, having a very sick father, and nothing really important in his life besides the army. Our group is eager to see how it plays out for him. It surprised us how quickly the whole tone of the book has changed, from love to heartbreak. We all guessed as to who we think Savannah has fallen in love with, since she didn't reveal it in her letter. Next week is the final week of book club, and we are all eager to see how the rest of the book plays out, and how John will get through all the pain he is experiencing!

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<span style="font-size: 1em; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"><span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Person D- Dara: Questions ======

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> 1. Does the fact that Savannah and John were so excited to see each other, that John even had a countdown, prove that young love truly exists? If so, how? <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Yes, it does, because they couldn't wait to see each other. They stayed with each other through the good and bad.

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<span style="font-size: 1em; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"> 2. What do you think Savannahs first reaction was when she heard about what happened on September 11th? ====== <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> She was probably scared for John because she's afraid that he'll get hurt. At first, she was all for him reenlisting, .eventually she was also scared for their relationship when she found out he would be in the army for more than 2 years.

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<span style="font-size: 1em; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"> 3. Do you think that if John had not chosen to serve his country, him and Savannah would still be together and why? ====== <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Yes, because they had a strong relationship throughout his leave. We feel that this wouldn't change because of the bond they share. Their love would have been able to last, if they were together for a longer period of time.

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<span style="font-size: 1em; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"> 4. Why do you think Savannah ended things with John, especially through a letter? ====== <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> We think she should have called him, but she was afraid to hear how upset she was through the phone where she had to answer to him directly.

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> 5. In what ways do you think John seeing his dad so sick will change him, either for the better or for the worse? <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> We think that his dad being sick will change him for the better because he's going to look back on how badly he treated his dad. He wants to change his relationship with his dad and forget about how he treated him the past years.

Week 5: <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> Person A- Alexa: Leader

<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> The moral of the story is that if someone truly loves another then they want nothing more but for them to be happy even if that means they will be hurt in the end. This is very apparent because of what Tim told John at the end of the book. I would only recommend this to girls and I didn't think it was a good ending because of the dramatic twist that Nicholas Sparks added. A few of us didn’t like the character of Savannah because of her actions throughout the story. This book was very similar to others because it is just another love story. I think another one of Nicholas Spark’s books, The Last Song was much better than this one because all the characters were very likable and that ending was sad, but very good. This book is not appropriate for school curriculum. Boys wouldn’t like this and some girls wouldn't either. Also, some content in the book is awkward and inappropriate to read in school. This book will be quickly forgotten and was only a big hit because of the movie.

Person B- Dara: Quotation Finder

"'I love you, Dad.' To this he knew exactly what to say, for it had always been part of his routine. 'I love you, too, John'...It was the last time I ever saw him alive." Page 249

"That night, I slept in my dad's bed, the only time I'd done that in my life." Page 256

"It was, perhaps, her touch that emboldened me to really look at her, and though I saw the mysteriousness and maturity that had always made her attractive, I noticed a hint of sadness and reticence as well. to my aching heart, the combination made her even more beautiful." Page 271

"As she drew near, her face half in shadow, I knew with certainty that I was still in love with her. Despite the letter, despite her husband. Despite the fact that we could never be together now." Page 285

"I watch her drink in the sight, sensing the flood of memories she's unleashed and wanting nothing more than to let her know I'm here. But instead I stay where I am and stare up at the moon as well. And for the briefest instant, it almost feels like we're together again." Page 335

Person C- Kelsey:Summarizer

For our last and final book club, we discussed the book as a whole and the outcome. Alexa and I both agreed that we disliked the book, mainly because of its ending, and Savannah's character. We feel that Nicholas Sparks, trying to make a twist on the classic love story for the worst. The way the book was written was good and we enjoyed reading it, but we felt that the ending ruined the classic love story for us. Comparing the book to //The Last Song// and other classics, //Dear John// falls a little short. Our dislike for this book didn't start from the beginning because in the the beginning we enjoyed it. In fact, we loved coming to book club to talk about what we thought was going to happen next and we loved the relationship between Savannah and John, but as the plot progressed, their relationship hit rock bottom, making the story less interseting.

Dara's quotes were touching and we talked a great deal about them. Nicholas Sparks knows how to touch someone's heart whomever they may be. Alexa brought in bagels and I brought in the drinks, we spent the first part of class eating and then dove into the questions. Erin's questions were thought provoking and brought out our opinions of the book, overall. We enjoyed our last book week of bok club of the marking period and we talked about books for the next. We discussed what bookk not to choose because of learning how we didn't really care for //Dear John//.

Person D- Erin: Questions

1) Do you think it was smart for John to go back? Yes, John had unanswered questions, and he needed answers.If he didn’t get them, it would be haunting him for the rest of his life.

2) What do you think would happen if Tim hadn’t gotten better? We think that they would still remain apart. John wouldn’t want to win Savannah like that. If he was going to marry her, he wouldn’t want it to be because of her husband’s death.

3) Do you believe the outcome was for the better? No, because they would both clearly be happier if they were with each other. Even though what happened wasn’t necessarily bad, it could have been a lot better.

4) Do you think Savannah would be second guessing if Tim didn’t get sick? View 1- I don’t think she would be guessing it because she wouldn’t have started to think about it. I think the only reason she looked back was because she was losing what she had. It was like Tim was the original back up plan, but then when she needed to refer to that, John became her back up plan.  View 2- Savannah would still feel the regret of marrying Tim. He would always be in the back of her mind. She settled for Tim, and she’ll always have what-ifs about John.

5) Do you think John did the right thing by selling the coins? Yes, because it’s Tim and he wanted Savannah to be happy. John’s father would want this for Savannah. Plus, the coins weren’t sentimental for John. The coins tore them apart, and then brought them back together, and the value of those memories will always live on. The selling of the coins didn’t represent the end of John and his fathers bond. It made the bond live forever.