The heart wrenching account of a young first love has the power to change an individual, whether for good or evil. In A Walk to Remember, Nicholas Sparks uses the character of Jamie Sullivan to reflect and develop the narrator, Landon Carter. Through the events of the novel, Landon is sent on the road to manhood, attaining the capacity to fathom his true importance. Under the influence of Jamie, Landon discovers the depths of the human heart by attending the homecoming dance, starring in the Christmas pageant, and making Christmas special for the children at the orphanage.
             Landon discovers the compassion behind aiding others by attending the homecoming dance with Jamie. Due to his recent break up with Angela, Landon is reluctant to find a date in time for the dance. As a member of student council Landon must make an appearance, and assumes that Jamie is his only hope. When Jamie accepts his proposal, they attend the dance only to discover Angela drunk. Knowing the consequences of the involvement in underage drinking, Jamie kindly takes care of Angela when she is found sick in the washroom. "She took one look at Angela and thought 'wounded critter' or something like that and took immediate charge of the situation"(59). Landon marvels at Jamie's "helper instinct"(59) and the initiative to aid others. Near the end of the night, Landon is astonished one last time when Jamie shows appreciation for their time spent together. "She was covered in puke, actually thanking me for the evening"(62). Landon is in disbelief; he is unable to understand how a person can be so grateful for a night such as this.
             By agreeing to star as Tom Thorton in the Christmas pageant, Landon realizes the significance of carrying out a favour. Jamie's father wrote the play that tells a story which reminds him of his deceased wife. Jamie asks Landon to play the role of Tom Thorton, as she wants this years production to be the best. "Except for the angel, it w...