1. In the first sentence of the prologue, John asks: “What does it mean to truly love another?” How does John’s answer to this question change over the course of the novel? How would you answer this question?
2. Savannah and John meet when John is on a furlough from the military and they fall deeply in love after only a few days. Is their love believable? Do you think it is possible to have such an intense connection with someone you’ve only just met?
3. Trying to explain her interest in John’s dad’s coin collection, Savannah says, “The saddest people I’ve ever met in life are the ones who don’t care deeply about anything at all. Passion and satisfaction go hand in hand.” Do you agree with Savannah? Do you think John’s father is a satisfied man?
4. Why does John get so angry when Savannah suggests what she does about his father and how, in the end, does this revelation change John’s life and his relationship with his father?
5. Savannah is described by both herself and Tim as being somewhat naïve. Do you think Savannah is naïve? Why or why not?
6. When John goes back to Germany after his furlough, he and Savannah vow to stay in touch and to marry when he returns. Do you think it’s possible to stay in love with someone without seeing them for months or years at a time? How does being apart affect Savannah and John’s relationship?
7. John eagerly awaits his discharge from the military so he can begin a life with Savannah, but John also has a deep sense of duty and loyalty to his country and fellow soldiers. After September 11, John makes a decision that will change his life and Savannah’s life forever. Do you think John made the right decision? Does Savannah think he made the right decision? Given the outcome, do you think John regrets his decision?
8. Do you think Savannah should have waited for John to come home or do you think it was understandable that she moved on with her life?
9. After fighting in the war in Iraq, John has a hard time telling people about his experience there. Instead, when asked what it was like, he responds with a harmless anecdote about the sand because doing so “kept the war at a safe distance” for other people. What does John mean by this? In what ways does the Iraq War change John and what are his feelings about his role in the war?
10. After John’s father dies, he goes to visit Savannah. How has their relationship changed at this point? Is Savannah different from who she was in the beginning of the novel? Do you think Savannah is still in love with John?
11. How do you think John views Tim, and how do his perceptions change by the end of the novel?
12. What do you make of John’s actions at the very end of the novel? Would you have done what he did if you were in his position?
13. How do you interpret the novel’s ending? How do you imagine John’s future?
2. Savannah and John meet when John is on a furlough from the military and they fall deeply in love after only a few days. Is their love believable? Do you think it is possible to have such an intense connection with someone you’ve only just met?
3. Trying to explain her interest in John’s dad’s coin collection, Savannah says, “The saddest people I’ve ever met in life are the ones who don’t care deeply about anything at all. Passion and satisfaction go hand in hand.” Do you agree with Savannah? Do you think John’s father is a satisfied man?
4. Why does John get so angry when Savannah suggests what she does about his father and how, in the end, does this revelation change John’s life and his relationship with his father?
5. Savannah is described by both herself and Tim as being somewhat naïve. Do you think Savannah is naïve? Why or why not?
6. When John goes back to Germany after his furlough, he and Savannah vow to stay in touch and to marry when he returns. Do you think it’s possible to stay in love with someone without seeing them for months or years at a time? How does being apart affect Savannah and John’s relationship?
7. John eagerly awaits his discharge from the military so he can begin a life with Savannah, but John also has a deep sense of duty and loyalty to his country and fellow soldiers. After September 11, John makes a decision that will change his life and Savannah’s life forever. Do you think John made the right decision? Does Savannah think he made the right decision? Given the outcome, do you think John regrets his decision?
8. Do you think Savannah should have waited for John to come home or do you think it was understandable that she moved on with her life?
9. After fighting in the war in Iraq, John has a hard time telling people about his experience there. Instead, when asked what it was like, he responds with a harmless anecdote about the sand because doing so “kept the war at a safe distance” for other people. What does John mean by this? In what ways does the Iraq War change John and what are his feelings about his role in the war?
10. After John’s father dies, he goes to visit Savannah. How has their relationship changed at this point? Is Savannah different from who she was in the beginning of the novel? Do you think Savannah is still in love with John?
11. How do you think John views Tim, and how do his perceptions change by the end of the novel?
12. What do you make of John’s actions at the very end of the novel? Would you have done what he did if you were in his position?
13. How do you interpret the novel’s ending? How do you imagine John’s future?
1 comment:
1. I don't remember what his first and last answer to that question was. But I do know he understood at the end that you can love sombody and not be with them the way you want to. I would answer that questions as when you truely love somebody you will do whatever it takes to make sure that person is happy, not matter what you have to give up, or who you have to give up.
2. I believe their love is truely believable. I do think relationship like that can last a lifetime.
3. I agree with her. Everybody should have a passion in life. I believed Johns dad was completely happy with the way his life was.
4. He gets mad because nobody wants to hear anything bad about their family members. In the end though when he comes to terms with it and it helps him understand his father so much better.
5. I believe she is naive in some ways but she is pretty smart in the same.
6. I do believe that being part for long periods of time you can still be in love with eachother. In their relationship it seemed that she just couldn't wait that long. She didn't mean to fall in love with Tim it just is something that happened on its own.
7. I believe after september 11th John made the right decision. I don't feel that Savannah felt that he made that right one for them. I know she understands why he did it, but wishes he hadn't. In the end him signing up for more years, which put more time between them, is what hurt their relationship.
8. I think it is perfectly understandable why she moved on. She thought that he was going to be there and when he wasnt waiting got harder. It wasn't something she had planed on happening.
9. For John the war was hard on him, and to share the hard details with those that were not there is like reliving them over and over again. If you are not over there most wont understand how bad it is.
10. Their relationship has changed very much. Not only is she married to Tim, but she has her own life away from John now. Savannah is very different, she is worn down and not as full of life as she was in the start of the book. I believe Savannah is very much in love with John, and if she wasn't married to Tim I believe they would be together.
11. I think John respects Tim. He doesn't hate him for marring Savannah, he understands that Tim has always been in love with her.
12. I was shocked when I found out what he did. I would like to think that I would have done the same things so that the love of my life can be happy.
13. I would like to think that John moves on with his life, but I feel that he will always compare every woman to Savannah and he'll always go to that stop on the hill and check in on Savannah and Tim.
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