The Last Song By Nicholas Sparks

1. The Last SongBy Nicholas Sparks Genre: Romance Sub-Genre: Contemporary Romance

2. Plot Summary Ronnie & her brother Jonah spend the summer with their dad in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. While here, she meets and falls in love with the one person she never thought she would, Will Blakelee. With the drama of falling in love, she soon finds that her dad is dying of advanced stomach cancer. With the difficulties of falling in love and trying to get to know her father in a short amount of time, Ronnie learns a lot about true love and relationships.

3. Reading… • I am reading an excerpt from page 130: • At this point, Ronnie and Will have met a few times. Ronnie found an sea turtle nest in her backyard, and wanted to guard them. Will was responsible to set it all up and it didn’t happen. A simple misunderstanding, but Ronnie got mad and yelled at Will. He chased after her, she yelled some more (she’s a little fiery!)..and now he’s on his way back to work.

4. Analysis: Setting • This story takes place in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina • Exotic: Still the same country, but has many differences (New York vs. North Carolina) • Also, decided by sub-plot: went to be with her father and then met Will

5. Analysis: Archetypes • Hero: Ronnie and Will • Antagonist: Marcus • Sidekick: Blaze and Scott • Wise Person: Steve (Ronnie’s Dad) and Megan (Will’s sister)

6. Analysis: Plot • This is a complex formula: • Forced to be together by Ronnie visiting her dad and the sea turtles • Misunderstanding between her and Will because of Ashley, Will’s ex and also after the wedding • They realize they truly love each other when Will has to leave for college really soon, then Ronnie gets mad and tells him to leave • Funeral they talk for the first time in a long while and finally Will moves to New York and transfers to a different university • There is also a sub-plot: her dad being sick and the trial

7. Analysis: Theme • They’re better people because of each other • Ronnie has learned to love her father again and care for someone that she use to think betrayed her; she learned to forgive him • Will realized that because he comes from a wealthy family, it doesn’t mean that it should define your future, whether it be education or love • They complete each other • Although Will and Ronnie come from different backgrounds and are even different in personality, they are at their best when they’re together • I also think that an underlying theme is that even though someone is gone physically from your life, it doesn’t mean that they are gone forever..they are in your thoughts forever!

8. Comparison I think that other books like this one are: • A Walk to Remember • The Notebook Nicholas Sparks • Dear John • This Lullaby • Truth About Forever Sarah Dessen • Lock and Key • Just Listen

9. Recommendations • If you like a really good page-turner about teenage love that makes you cry, then you’ll like this book. • If you’re more into action and adventure, I can tell you now, you won’t like The Last Song very much.

10. Criticism This book was definitely amazing! I’ve read a lot of books, and this one by far is my most favourite. It wasn’t that fairytale story “formula” that we see so much of. It was much more than that. Maybe it was because the characters were more my age, or maybe it was because I felt I could relate a little more to the events, but this one had me sucked in from the beginning! I actually picked a different book for this project, but chose this one instead. It only took me two days to finish it! Overall, I feel that Sparks outdid himself this time!