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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of Writing
Love and affection are the most important things to build an intimate relationship among family members. With those things someone would be able to
know how to treat each other well, to solve every problem and to live happily together. Appreciating everything including the very bad things in life to believe
will give something to learn. Life sometimes need a sacrifice, if everyone can see from other perception will be worthy and meaningful. Every family does not
always seem perfect or the same as other families, but they have the same purpose to share affection each other.
The novel entitled The Last Song written by Nicholas Spark tells about the life of a young girl named Veronica “Ronnie”, who has a bad relationship with
her father, Steve. Her parents gets divorced and she has not seen her father for three years. Therefore, she is unexcited when she has to spend the whole summer
with her father and her little brother. On her journey, she falls in love with a handsome volleyball player, and falls in love with music. After her dad dies, she
has changed to become a young lady if compared she was in her last summer. Based on those things, the writer wants to review this book The Last Song.
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1.2 The Objectives of Study
1.2.1 To describe themes of The Last Song
1.2.2 To describe strengths of The Last Song
1.2.3 To describe weaknesses of The Last Song
1.3 Biography of the Author
Nicholas Sparks was born on December 31, 1965, he wrote his first unpublished novel while he was sidelined by a sports injury. Then, for the next
six months, in June 1994, the author began write a manuscript that become The Notebook.
When he finished that novel in early 1995, Nicholas Sparks lived in Greenville, South Carolina. There, he found an agent who found him a publisher.
Nicholas Sparks went from being a relative unknown to being a famous writer with a lot of books deals and 1 million movie rights contract.
http:thebiographychannel.co.ukbiograpiesnicholas-sparks.html
In 1996, Nicholas Sparks turned to write as a source of comfort. He started by writing a story about a man who writes letters to his deceased wife and sent
them out to sea in bottles. Later, the book entitled Message in a Bottle was published. This book was inspired by his parents’ relationship. In February 1997,
Nicholas Sparks sold Message in a Bottle to a Hollywood studio. The story was
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transformed into a film in 1999, and was featured by Kevin Costner and Paul Newman. http:en.wikipedia.orgwikinicholas_sparks
Nicholas Sparks has written 16 novels till 2010. He wrote a novel in 2002 ‘ A Walk to Remember, ‘The Note Book’
in 2004, ‘Nights in Rodanthe’ in 2008, then in 2010 ‘Dear John’ and ‘The Last Song’. His last novel till now ‘The Safe
Haven’ was published on 14th September 2010. His books ‘The Best of Me’ and
also in the list ‘The Safe Haven’ are made into films and released in 2011. Another one of his book ‘The Lucky One’ is currently being filmed and will be
released some time in 2012. http:www.famousauthors.orgnicholas-sparks
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CHAPTER II
SUMMARY
Veronica “Ronnie” Miller is a 17 years old girl. She has no desire to leave New York City to live in Wrightsville Beach with her 10 years old brother, Jonah.
She dreads spending the summer with her father; meanwhile she did not speak to him since he left his family three years ago. From the moment she arrives there in
her dad’s house, Ronnie always speaks rudely to her father, Steve. She also does her best to avoid him. She is especially angry when he plays piano. Meanwhile,
Steve and Jonah fly kites and enjoy the beach. Steve shows Jonah a stained glass window that is made for his church.
The church is burned down several months earlier, injuring his friend and mentor, Pastor Harris. After Ronnie’s shoplifting arrest, Steve affirms his belief in
her innocence and vows to stand behind her. He shows her a family of endangered sea turtles nesting on the beach near their home. Through these events and other
demonstration of his love and concern for her, Ronnie warms up to her father. Ronnie wants to protect the endangered turtles from the raccoons that often eat
their eggs . She sleeps outside to watch the nest. She and Steve call the aquarium the next morning, so someone can install a protective cage.
The aquarium sends volunteer named Will, the volleyball player who spilled soda on Ronnie’s shirt. Will and Ronnie spend the rest of the summer
together and then they fall in love. They go fishing, care for the turtles, and spend
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time with her father and Jonah. They also attend Will’s sister’s wedding at his family’s estate. The obstacle in their relationship is Will’s disapproving mother. It
is getting worse when Ronnie treats Marcus in the Wedding. Ronnie passes Steve’s church one day and hears him playing a song that he is written.
Ronnie has a moment of joy and satisfaction, seeing such a moving sight with Will, Jonah and her father. A moment later, blood covers Steve’s face. He
says he needs to go to the hospital, and he finally reveals that he has terminal cancer. He had asked the kids to spend the summer with him so he could say
goodbye. Jonah insists that he, Will, and Ronnie should complete Steve’s stained glass window. The summer is ending. Jonah tearfully returns home, and Will
prepare to leave for his first semester of college. In her grief, Ronnie breaks up with Will.
Now she is 18 years old, she decides to stay with her father to care for him during his final months. As Steve’s condition deteriorates, Ronnie and he search
fervently for God’s presence and His peace. Ronnie secretly finishes the song that was written by her father. When he is rushed to the hospital, Ronnie prays for a
miracle. Steve wakes up and asks her to take him home. She plays the song for him there, and he realizes that God’s presence has been with him all along. After
he dies, Ronnie returns to New York, and then Will appears and surprises her. He is transferred to a school in the area. So they can be together.
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CHAPTER III
REVIEW OF THE BOOK
3.1 Theme
Kategori