Big Screen vs. Paperback

           We’ve all had it where we read a book and then watched the movie which depicts the characters and settings.  One of my favorite movies is a perfect example of this scenario- Dear John.  However, after reading the book, I found that it didn’t perfectly resemble the movie.  Though movies based on books try to tell the same story, sometimes they contain differences and even surprise you with a twist that wasn’t in the book.

            Though there are details that differentiate the book from the movie, there are several similarities.  Both the book and the movie portray a man named John Tyree who is in the Special Forces.  The other main character displayed in both the movie and the book is Savannah Curtis, a college student.  Throughout their stories, they discover that the relationship that they establish will be far from easy and will contain many ups and downs.  Savannah has to go back to college and John has to finish his enlistment in the army.  After two weeks together, they must say goodbye.  They decide to write letters to each other, allowing them to keep in touch while they are apart.  Once John’s service in the army is completed, something terrible happens… 9/11.  His whole squad makes the decision to re-enlist for three more years making John and Savannah wait even longer to be able to spend their time together.

            They keep writing letters to one another, but as the weeks go by, the number of letters that John receives from Savannah shrinks.  He hasn’t gotten mail from her in a long time, making him wonder what is happening.  He waits and waits to hear a single scrap of news.  Then, one day he receives a single letter.  Enclosed in the envelope is a message that will change both their lives forever.  Savannah tells him that she is engaged to someone else and that their relationship has come to an end.  When John returns home for his father’s funeral, he finds out that Savannah married Tim, a friend of hers.  After a short marriage, Tim becomes very ill and spends a great deal of his time in the hospital.

            Up until this point, the major details of the book and movie have stayed fairly the same.  However, this is where they take different paths.  The book tells the reader that Tim develops skin cancer.  When John finds out, he donates money that he inherited from a coin collection to Tim so he may undergo an experimental drug that ends up saving his life.  The movie paints the ending a little differently.  Tim comes down with lymphoma and doesn’t have much time to live.  John gives a generous amount of money to help pay Tim’s medical bills.  After spending a short time out of the hospital and saying his final goodbyes, Tim passes away.  Following Tim’s death, the movie leads you to believe that John and Savannah get back together again. 

            Along with the altered ending, there were also a few minor details that were changed.  For example, the book very clearly describes Savannah with dark brown hair while the movie shows her with blonde hair.  In the book, Allan, another main character, is Tim’s brother.  On the contrary, the movie shows Allan as Tim’s son.  Overall, the movie puts a bigger emphasis on the letters written by John and Savannah then the book. 

            Though they have their differences, I found both the movie and the book quite enjoyable.  They both portray main characters that learn from life experiences; some of which can be applied to our lives today.  People may tell you otherwise, but saying one is better than the other is strictly a matter of opinion and is ultimately up to you to decide which one is in your best interest.