Does true love never die?
The Best of Me is a novel by Nicholas Sparks. The book is about two childhood
loves who have lost each other, and now, later in life, find each other again.
When Sparks started writing this novel, he immediately knew what he wanted to
focus on: the ‘what-if’ questions on choices you have made in the past. What
would have happened if you had made a different choice?, as he himself said on
his website.
As the theme I have chosen love. However obvious that seems, this fits perfectly
with the story. In the novel, love is divided into three aspects, namely their
former puppy love, their reborn love in later life, and sacrifice. I will continue to
treat these aspects with related questions.
What was their puppy love based on in the past?
Amanda Collier and Dawson Cole came from a completely different origin.
Amanda was a popular, wealthy girl, whereas Dawson's family had an infamous
reputation. That is why Amanda's parents were strictly opposed to her having a
relationship with this inferior boy. Still, that could not stop the adolescents from
being together.
Dawson had always had a hard time at home with his father, and had never been
interested in girls. That all changed when he met Amanda. She had shown him
what it was like to be loved and to be happy. As you can see in the following
quote:
“With Amanda, it was easy for him to be himself; with Amanda, he was content
for the first time in his life.” {Best, page 17}
But Amanda's feelings were also very strong. She loved the way he made her
feel, like no one else could. “Here it was easy to remember how strong she’d felt
when she was with Dawson, and how unique and beautiful he’d always made her
feel. She could recall with utter clarity her certainty that Dawson was the only
person in the world who really understood her. But most of all, she could
remember how completely she’d loved him and the single-minded passion with
which he’d loved her back.” {Best, page 38}
Is it possible that after all these years, they can go back to how their
love was?
When they are both in their forties, they meet again, arranged by an old dear
friend. They quickly become closer and spend a lot of time together. It feels like
their love never stopped. That makes me believe that it is indeed possible to
continue their past love, backed up by the following quotes:
“He [Dawson] seemed genuinely interested in her life, and she [Amanda] found
that it felt oddly natural to ramble on, almost like they were picking up the thread
of a long-interrupted conversation.” {Best, page 74}
“He’d loved Amanda once and he’d never stopped loving her, and spending time
with her tonight hadn’t changed that simple truth.’ {Best, page 80}
The Best of Me is a novel by Nicholas Sparks. The book is about two childhood
loves who have lost each other, and now, later in life, find each other again.
When Sparks started writing this novel, he immediately knew what he wanted to
focus on: the ‘what-if’ questions on choices you have made in the past. What
would have happened if you had made a different choice?, as he himself said on
his website.
As the theme I have chosen love. However obvious that seems, this fits perfectly
with the story. In the novel, love is divided into three aspects, namely their
former puppy love, their reborn love in later life, and sacrifice. I will continue to
treat these aspects with related questions.
What was their puppy love based on in the past?
Amanda Collier and Dawson Cole came from a completely different origin.
Amanda was a popular, wealthy girl, whereas Dawson's family had an infamous
reputation. That is why Amanda's parents were strictly opposed to her having a
relationship with this inferior boy. Still, that could not stop the adolescents from
being together.
Dawson had always had a hard time at home with his father, and had never been
interested in girls. That all changed when he met Amanda. She had shown him
what it was like to be loved and to be happy. As you can see in the following
quote:
“With Amanda, it was easy for him to be himself; with Amanda, he was content
for the first time in his life.” {Best, page 17}
But Amanda's feelings were also very strong. She loved the way he made her
feel, like no one else could. “Here it was easy to remember how strong she’d felt
when she was with Dawson, and how unique and beautiful he’d always made her
feel. She could recall with utter clarity her certainty that Dawson was the only
person in the world who really understood her. But most of all, she could
remember how completely she’d loved him and the single-minded passion with
which he’d loved her back.” {Best, page 38}
Is it possible that after all these years, they can go back to how their
love was?
When they are both in their forties, they meet again, arranged by an old dear
friend. They quickly become closer and spend a lot of time together. It feels like
their love never stopped. That makes me believe that it is indeed possible to
continue their past love, backed up by the following quotes:
“He [Dawson] seemed genuinely interested in her life, and she [Amanda] found
that it felt oddly natural to ramble on, almost like they were picking up the thread
of a long-interrupted conversation.” {Best, page 74}
“He’d loved Amanda once and he’d never stopped loving her, and spending time
with her tonight hadn’t changed that simple truth.’ {Best, page 80}
