Summary
As Katie Wilkinson is expecting a proposal, her boyfriend, Matt, breaks up with her without explanation. He sends her a diary, with a note telling her that it will be painful to read. As she begins to read it, she realizes that it is written by a lover of Matt's for their infant son. Katie is extremely hurt and confused. She wonders if Matt is cheating on her with this woman. She eventually forms a liking towards Suzanne and her stories of how she met Matt.
Suzanne explains in the diary when she married Matt, her chronic heart condition, and how much she loves Nicholas, whom she is writing to. As her heart condition worsens, she becomes pregnant again and refuses to abort it, risking her life. The baby dies and she is sent into a deep sadness. She learns to accept it and thanks God for giving her at least one son, but on Nicholas's first birthday, she drives into town, has heart attack, and crashes into a lake which kills her and her son.
Matt finishes the diary with how much he loved both them. Katie now understands why Matt has runaway--he is afraid of losing loved ones. She is unable to move on because she is pregnant, so she finds him and they live happily ever after.
Suzanne explains in the diary when she married Matt, her chronic heart condition, and how much she loves Nicholas, whom she is writing to. As her heart condition worsens, she becomes pregnant again and refuses to abort it, risking her life. The baby dies and she is sent into a deep sadness. She learns to accept it and thanks God for giving her at least one son, but on Nicholas's first birthday, she drives into town, has heart attack, and crashes into a lake which kills her and her son.
Matt finishes the diary with how much he loved both them. Katie now understands why Matt has runaway--he is afraid of losing loved ones. She is unable to move on because she is pregnant, so she finds him and they live happily ever after.
Themes
Lesson of the Five Balls - Both Katie and Suzanne learn that work will eventually bounce back no matter what, but if they don't take care of other matters in their lives, there will be serious consequences.
Love - James Patterson makes it very clear that nothing is more important than finding your significant other. Suzanne writes to Nicholas about how he can use his parents as an example to find love and happiness. God - Suzanne and Matt are thankful towards God no matter what happens. They believe that they have a path set before them and they have to trust it. Even when Suzanne and Nicholas die, Matt is grateful for the time he got to spend with them. |
Work, Family, Health, Friends, Integrity
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Quote
“She liked her. Damn it, she liked Suzanne. She hadn't wanted to--but there it was. Under different circumstances they might have been friends”(48).
To Katie, it's no wonder that Matt loves Suzanne. Even she likes her. People can't help but immerse themselves into another reality and relate to it.
To Katie, it's no wonder that Matt loves Suzanne. Even she likes her. People can't help but immerse themselves into another reality and relate to it.
Essay
Balance of Life
As humans, we are often told of how we have to balance our lives in order to find happiness or success. For many, this may involve learning a new time management method or abandoning certain people who cause tension. In Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas, by James Patterson, characters learn the outcomes of their internal equities falling apart. It reflects all human beings and the choices they can and cannot make. Over time, Katie, Suzanne, and Matt begin to understand the lesson of juggling the five balls--work, family, health, friends, and integrity--and what happens if they drop one of them.
The first person introduced in the book is Katie Wilkinson, the receiver of the book. It’s not until she reads the diary when she finds out that some of Matt’s glass balls are broken or scuffed. None of Katie’s balls are badly broken, which is what allows her to reach out to Matt. A person can’t heal someone else if they are broken themselves. Although not fully understanding the emotions he is feeling, she still sympathizes. It may seem as though she only came back because she was pregnant with his child, but she wouldn’t have bothered unless she knew he would be a good father. The diary was proof of that--Matt loved Nicholas, and he could love their child too. Also, if she knew how similar she was to Suzanne, she wouldn’t have a doubt in her mind that she was the right person for him.
Suzanne had scuffed some of her glass balls as well, but experienced some bounces in her rubber work ball. Her integrity ball was damaged when she was informed of her chronic heart condition. Nothing would ever be the same and that changed her. Deep inside she was broken, but that wasn’t going to stop her from living her life. With her belief in God, she managed to keep a positive outlook of life and that moved her on to getting married and giving birth to her son. Unfortunately, her failure to address her situation led to the devastation that Matt had to deal with, crushing his glass balls. Her work ball is different though. Suzanne worked very hard and her work ball was flying high until she became a mother. She had to give up her job in order to take care of Nicholas. She could let it fall knowing that someday it would bounce back. Being with her family was more important.
Matt broke all of his glass balls, but the influence of Katie saved him. Broken glass cannot be fixed, but it can be replaced by someone else's. Katie was willing to share with Matt. He didn’t want to burden her. His past came back to him and he couldn’t bare to tell Katie in person so, he allowed the diary to peel back his layers for her. He had to trust that she would understand. And she did. His work eventually bounced back too and they found their balance.
So, the exchange and sharing of balls was all set up in a planned path. None of them had any idea it was coming, but they learned to find their balanced juggling (even Suzanne who could find peace in heaven). Work can and should be put on hold if it interferes with any of the other glass balls. Family, health, friends, and integrity are fragile and should be treated with care. Any misfortunes, controllable or not, could ruin your life until someone decides to share with you.
As humans, we are often told of how we have to balance our lives in order to find happiness or success. For many, this may involve learning a new time management method or abandoning certain people who cause tension. In Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas, by James Patterson, characters learn the outcomes of their internal equities falling apart. It reflects all human beings and the choices they can and cannot make. Over time, Katie, Suzanne, and Matt begin to understand the lesson of juggling the five balls--work, family, health, friends, and integrity--and what happens if they drop one of them.
The first person introduced in the book is Katie Wilkinson, the receiver of the book. It’s not until she reads the diary when she finds out that some of Matt’s glass balls are broken or scuffed. None of Katie’s balls are badly broken, which is what allows her to reach out to Matt. A person can’t heal someone else if they are broken themselves. Although not fully understanding the emotions he is feeling, she still sympathizes. It may seem as though she only came back because she was pregnant with his child, but she wouldn’t have bothered unless she knew he would be a good father. The diary was proof of that--Matt loved Nicholas, and he could love their child too. Also, if she knew how similar she was to Suzanne, she wouldn’t have a doubt in her mind that she was the right person for him.
Suzanne had scuffed some of her glass balls as well, but experienced some bounces in her rubber work ball. Her integrity ball was damaged when she was informed of her chronic heart condition. Nothing would ever be the same and that changed her. Deep inside she was broken, but that wasn’t going to stop her from living her life. With her belief in God, she managed to keep a positive outlook of life and that moved her on to getting married and giving birth to her son. Unfortunately, her failure to address her situation led to the devastation that Matt had to deal with, crushing his glass balls. Her work ball is different though. Suzanne worked very hard and her work ball was flying high until she became a mother. She had to give up her job in order to take care of Nicholas. She could let it fall knowing that someday it would bounce back. Being with her family was more important.
Matt broke all of his glass balls, but the influence of Katie saved him. Broken glass cannot be fixed, but it can be replaced by someone else's. Katie was willing to share with Matt. He didn’t want to burden her. His past came back to him and he couldn’t bare to tell Katie in person so, he allowed the diary to peel back his layers for her. He had to trust that she would understand. And she did. His work eventually bounced back too and they found their balance.
So, the exchange and sharing of balls was all set up in a planned path. None of them had any idea it was coming, but they learned to find their balanced juggling (even Suzanne who could find peace in heaven). Work can and should be put on hold if it interferes with any of the other glass balls. Family, health, friends, and integrity are fragile and should be treated with care. Any misfortunes, controllable or not, could ruin your life until someone decides to share with you.