Walk To Remember Themes

Romantic relationships are exceedingly valued by teenagers in today’s society. However, Landon Carter and Jamie Sullivan do not follow these norms. They do value their relationship together, but they put their belief in God and the help of others before their own needs. In the novel, there is a reoccurring theme of the Lord’s plan, whereas the movie focuses more on the theme of judgment based on appearance. Both the novel and the movie, however, share the theme that love conquers all. These different themes affect the audience's interpretation of the meaning of the novel and the movie.
In A Walk to Remember, one of the themes present is the Lord’s plan. Jamie Sullivan is the Reverend's daughter, and has always had a strong faith in God. Landon
Jamie Sullivan has never been referred to as a typical teenage girl, “Jamie didn’t care much about outward appearances, because she was always looking for things likes “inner beauty” and I suppose that’s part of the reason she looked the way she did.” (Sparks, p.21) She often wears loose clothing, her hair up and does not have many friends. Landon dresses like a typical teenage boy, and has many friends. The role of Landon’s friends play a greater role in the movie than the novel. Landon’s friends in the novel are intimidated by Jamie: they make fun of Landon’s attraction to Jamie but do not want to mock her directly or openly due to thinking she was able to speak with God. Whereas in the novel, his friends play a cruel joke on Jamie and make fun of her to her face. In the beginning of the movie, Landon and his friends are sitting outside of their school and see Jamie approaching them. One of Landon's friends, Margaret says, “I wore that dress in the fourth grade,” then proceeds to say: “nice sweater.” (Adam Shankman director, “A Walk to Remember” Warner Bros, 2002) to Jamie in a mocking manner. Jamie does not understand the sarcasm and says with much sincerity, “Thank you.” (spoken by Jamie, 2002). Landon and his friends then laugh and mimic Jamie's “Thank you.” (spoken by Landon's friends, 2002) Later on in the movie, Landon’s friends photoshop a photo of Jamie in undergarments, and
Throughout both the novel and the movie, Jamie and Landon have many struggles in their relationship; the mockery of friends, the disapproval of family and a deadly sickness. Against all odds their love overcomes it all. In both the novel and the movie, Jamie says to Landon, “You have to promise you won't fall in love with me” (Sparks, p.44). Landon, thinking that she is joking, agrees to this. However, the audience does not know that Jamie has a rare form of leukemia and that is why she does not want Landon to fall in love with her. In A Walk to Remember, Jamie knows that Landon will fall in love with her and does not want him to get hurt so she states she will pray for him. Despite all of her efforts to push Landon away they eventually begin a relationship together. The novel and the movie have different manners of showing the theme that love conquers all. In the novel, Landon is frustrated as a result of the whole school knowing that he is walking Jamie home, and they are making fun of him for it. Jamie asks Landon what is wrong while walking home. He then yells, “I’ve just spent all day hauling crap, I haven’t eaten since lunch, and now I have to trek a mile out of my way to make sure you get home, when we both know you don’t even need me to do it” (Sparks, p. 124). Landon immediately feels guilty for yelling at Jamie and apologizes the next day. Nevertheless, Jamie forgives Landon right