The Notebook By: Nicholas Sparks

1. The NotebookBy: Nicholas Sparks Presented by: Ty Matson

2. Characters • Supporting Characters • Lon Hamilton • Anne Nelson • Main Characters • Noah Calhoun • Allie Nelson

3. Setting There are two main settings in the book: • New Bern, North Carolina – 1946 • The nursing home the couple lives in - 1995

4. First Main Conflict All of this occurs in Noah’s notebook In 1932, Noah and Allie spent the summer falling in love with each other. But, Allie moves to Raleigh at the end of the summer and they lose touch with each other. Allie then sees Noah in a newspaper 14 years later, (it’s now 1946), with a new house he bought. Allie tells her fiancé, (yes, she’s now engaged), that she is going to New Bern to buy antiques. She is really going to see her lost love.

5. First Main Conflict: cont’d • She surprises Noah by showing up out of the blue at his house. They had not seen each other in 14 years, yet they recognize each other with no trouble at all. That day, Noah and Allie walk along the trails in the New Bern woods, talking. • That day, as they cook dinner, they realize they are still in love with each other, after all the years. That night is very stormy, and the two share Noah’s bed in the light of the fireplace. Now Noah has to convince Allie to let go of her fiancé and stay with him.

6. How the First Conflict is Solved Anne Nelson, comes to Noah’s house to talk to Noah and Allie. Anne tells Allie that she will support and love her daughter no matter who she chooses, whether it be Lon or Noah. After careful thought, Allie goes to her hotel, where Lon is waiting to talk to her. This is where Noah’s notebook ends.

7. Second Conflict • Noah is now an 80 year-old man. Him and Allie have now been married for 50 years, and are living in a nursing home. But, there’s a problem. Allie has severe Alzheimer’s and doesn’t even know who Noah is anymore. He is a stranger. • But, when Noah reads this notebook to Allie, she remembers. It only lasts for a few minutes at the most, but Allie is herself again. It kills Noah when Allie once again looses who she is.

8. How the Second Conflict is Resolved (somewhat) • Every time Allie looses herself again after finally remembering, Noah once more begins reading her this precious notebook of his. • This notebook was written by his wife shortly after her diagnosis. She knew her love would overcome anything, even impossible odds and a degenerative brain disease. • Alzheimer’s can’t be cured, so there really is no way to resolve this issue. At the end of the book, Noah dies next to his wife on the night of their 50th anniversary.

9. My Feelings about The Notebook • Personally, I kind of liked The Notebook, (even though it is more of a girls’ book). I liked how it gave an overview of older Noah before going into what was in the notebook, and wrapping it up after the notebook material was finished. • I would recommend it to girls our age more than guys our age. (Romance novels aren’t really my favorite kind of reading).