Love

Finding romantic love is John's ultimate goal in life; it shapes his sense of self, his actions, and his outlook on the world. John's concept of romantic love is defined by the example his parents have given him since childhood. John's mother and father met and fell in love instantly, getting engaged only three days after meeting one another. Thirty-five years later, they are still together and wildly in love. This establishes romantic love as something that "hits you instantly, effortlessly, and all at once" (17). John also is taught to believe that love never fades or changes and that it defines a person.

At the start of the book, John has never experienced this kind of love. If fact, he has never been in love romantically to any real extent and has never had a real relationship. Because romantic love is put on a pedestal in his mind...