Reader's Journal #4- The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

#4                                                       Reader’s Journal                                                                   9/20/11

Dear Mrs. Zrihen,

Today I finished reading the book The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks. I knew it would be good but it really exceeded my expectations. I loved reading every page!

A quote that stood out to me while reading this book was:

“Despite his condition, it seemed to dawn on him what Ronnie had done. Ever so gradually, she saw his grimace replaced by an expression of wonder. As her stared at the piano standing exposed in the alcove, she knew he had done the right thing. Leaning over, she kissed him on the check.‘I finished your song,’ she said. ‘Our last song. And I want to play it for you.’”

This passage on page 444 really stood out me because it was so touching. I loved reading it. The passage actually tells the readers why the author titled the book The Last Song.

I used many strategies before, during, and after reading this book. Before reading I reread parts I read before to refresh my memory of what the book is about. I also predicted that the book’s resolution would be like the movie’s resolution. While reading I used post its to write down any new literary elements I found and new figurative language the author used. Also while reading, I thought about the quote I chose and compared to quote I chose in my lat reader’s journal-the synopsis. The quote I chose now relates to the title of the book, whereas the quote I picked last week was a basic summery of the book. After completing this book I thought about all the literary elements and devices and the plot structure. I also made text-to-self, text-to-world, and text-to-text connections. Text-to-self connections I made were from the main character Ronnie and myself. In the book Ronnie learns the importance of her parents and how much she should appreciate them, which is something I have learned and am still reminded every day. Text-to-text connections I made were to other realistic fiction books I have read. Text-to-world connections I made were from Ronnie and her problems in the book to other real teenagers that go through the same things she does in the book.

I found a lot of literary elements while reading. The genre is Realistic Fiction because fictional story that could've taken place within the last 50 years. However, since this is a love story, it could fall under the genre Romance. The protagonist is Ronnie Miller, Steve Miller, Jonah Miller, and Will Blakelee. They are all round and dynamic. There is no antagonist. Some foil characters are Blaze, Marcus, and Jonah and Ronnie’s mother. These are important characters and were static, but weren’t round enough to be considered protagonists. The setting starts off in New York City and then goes to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. The time is modern day, about 2010. The weather conditions vary throughout the book and some social conditions are that Ronnie’s parents are divorced and that she and her brother are being “forced” to visit their father in North Carolina. Her father, Steve, gets diagnosed with cancer.

The exposition is when Ronnie, her family, the setting, and her conflict are introduced. The rising action is when Ronnie and her brother first arrive at their father’s house. Also when Jonah and Steve start building a stain glass window together. I believe the climax is when Ronnie meets Will because that is one of the main points of the story, but I believe another main point is when Steve gets diagnosed with cancer. The falling action is when it talks more about Ronnie and Will’s relationship. The resolution is when Ronnie finishes Steve’s “last song” and Jonah finishes the glass window. There is something else that happens in the resolution but it would really spoil the book and movie. The tone is entertaining and the mood is amused. The theme, I believe, is said on page 445:

“Life, [Steve] realized, was much like a song. In the beginning there is mystery, in the end there is confirmation, but it’s on the middle where all the emotion resides to make the whole thing worthwhile.”

The point of view in third person limited depending on the chapter. The name of each chapter is the name of a character. Whatever the name of the chapter is, that is who the chapter is focusing on. I believe the pattern of organization is flashback because in the prologue, Ronnie is talking to her mom when she asks Ronnie about her summer with her father. Chapter one starts off talking about what happened first during Ronnie’s summer. The author’s perspective is unbiased. The author’s purpose is to entertain. The conflict is Man vs. Self for two main characters- Ronnie and Steve. The rest of the protagonists don’t have any conflict.

Some figurative language I identified while reading this book was, “Even though they fight like cats and dogs, she still brings him to the park every weekend”, is a simile. “Her words stung him, and he knew she was right”, is an idiom. “’Dad said I have eagle eyes’”, is a metaphor. I’ve noticed that the author likes to include hyperboles, because I found about two. “In a million years, the same thing could probably never happen again.” “…I’d heard him scream about a million times before.”

All in all I really enjoyed this book. I would without a doubt rate it a 10 out of 10 stars and recommend it to everyone middle school and up! J

Sincerely,

Bailey Levy