A Walk to Remember: Characters

Landon Carter

Landon is the protagonist of the novel who comes of age and becomes mature, loving, respectful and selfless. When we meet Landon at the beginning of the novel, he is being raised by his father to become a gentleman. He is a good student who is liked by most of his classmates. He attends church every Sunday, is respectful toward his parents and teachers, and not arrogant for belonging to one of the richest families in town. He is also elected as president of the student body.

Although Landon comes across as a perfectly well-behaved teenager, there are issues when you analyse his character more closely. He invests time and energy in only tasks that are expected of him, sneers at many of his classmates, and is sarcastic about most of the events around him.

When he meets Jamie, he realizes she’s everything he’s not: compassionate, helpful, and hardworking. She leaves him frustrated and makes him question his actions. It is only when Landon becomes self-aware, does he make efforts to change himself.

Jamie Sullivan

Jamie is a complex character who defies stereotypes. She carries a Bible everywhere; however, the Bible is not a symbol of her piousness but of the connection with her mother whom she had never met. Jamie does not judge people for their choices; for instance, she never chastises Angela for consuming alcohol. Jamie believes in seeing the good in every person.

Jamie has a close-knit family. In the absence of siblings, she chooses to spend time with orphans. Although not economically well off, Jamie chooses to share her resources with those who need them. Even when Jamie is dying, she and her father did not tell anyone because they did not want people to pity Jamie. She spent the last year of her life helping people.

It is Jamie’s spirit to live life to the fullest, help everyone around, and her determination that attracts Landon. Inspired by Jamie, Landon tries to bring about changes in himself.

Hegbert Sullivan

Hegbert is a southern Baptist preacher, who, initially, does not seem as kind-hearted as his daughter. However, the readers discover a lot about him from the play that he writes, The Christmas Angel. It is a semi-autobiographical drama in which the protagonist sacrifices everything for his daughter’s sake. As the novel progresses, we understand that Hegbert shares a similar bond with Jamie. In fact, Landon asserts that he learnt a lot about love by observing Jamie and Herbert.

From Jamie, we learn that Hegbert has a great sense of humor, and from Landon that he cries at his desk over Jamie’s illness. He is a complicated character who has faced many adversities in life, ranging from the death of his wife to the impending death of his daughter. Throughout all his loss, Hegbert continues to love his daughter and preach to his congregation.