Chapter Logs

PAGE 1 - 61

PLOT

In the very beginning of the novel Clare is 20 and Henry is 28. The reader doesn’t really get to know that much about the characters, except for that Henry has a rare genetic condition which makes him travel in time to different phases of his life.

In most novels the beginning usually introduces and speaks about the characters, but since this novel is constantly skipping in time and the characters are constantly changing age, it is hard to get to know them, since people act different, like different things and are differently developed depending on what age they are, since every one changes with the years. The scenarios change really fast too and I think that you have to have read the entire novel or at least get a little further into it to see a red line.

Basically what happened is that Clare and Henry meet when Clare is 20 and Henry 28 at a library, which is the first time Henry sees Clare, so he doesn’t recognize her, even though Clare has known him for her entire life. The whole time traveling thing is very complicated and can take time to understand, but Clare anyways, has already met Henry when she was six and he was 36.

The rest of the "chapter" tells the reader about other times when they meet when Clare is just a child/teenager and Henry is around his 30s - 40s. 

Personally I would have liked the author to have told us more about the characters, especially Henry, since I don't really know that much about him yet.

SETTING

The chapter takes place in many, many different places because of the traveling, but the main place, where Henry first meets Clare is at the library that he works at, 1991 in Chicago.

CHARACTERS

Clare: When Clare is in her 20s she seems very kind and tolerant. She knows that Henry doesn’t recognize her and why, and even though she is madly in love with him she tries to take it slow and explains everything to him, about who she is and so on. The reader gets to know a bit about her appearance and that she is and artist too. There is a big difference from how she is when she is 20 and how she is when she is a child. She is very conservative and religious, but as she grows up and spends more time with Henry her opinions and values seems to have changed a lot.

Henry: It i hard to say who Henry really is, because the reader never gets and proper expectation of how he looks like and how his personality is. I know a few facts about him but yet I haven't got any stronger opinions about him. 

OWN RESPONSE: 

I think this was a good introduction to the novel and I accually enjoyed reading it. I think that the author explained how the time traveling works in the best way possible, even though I haven't fully understood it yet, but I'm shore I will sooner or later.

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PAGE 61 - 114

PLOT

As always Henry is traveling a lot in time, so there are many different stories from Henry's and Clare's life packed in to these few pages, so I decided to write about my favorite one, which took place when Clare was 16 and Henry was 32. I guess I like the stories from when Clare is a teenager the most since it is easier for me to relate to.

Anyways, what happened was that Clare and Henry were in some weird way in love, and Henry knew that they were going to get married, since he has seen it in the future, so stayed with her and they eventually fell in love, despite the age difference. So since Clare was in love with Henry she didn't want to date anyone else, and she didn't want to tell her friends about Henry since it is was very complicated. Her friends started to wonder why Clare didn't go out with any guys, so she decided to go out with one guy to keep her friends quiet for a while. So when a guy named Jason once asked her out she said yes. So she and him went on a date, watched a movie and ate dinner at an Italian restaurant.

After the date Jason took her to a barn that young people usually goes when they want to make out. But Clare didn't want that, she just wanted to go on a simple date. Jason got furious and started to hit her and then drove away let her walk home all the way alone with all of the bruises that he gave her.

When she told Henry about what happened asked him to help her to get revenge on him he was so mad that he accepted. The first idea was for Henry beat him up like he had hurt Clare, but instead they threatened him with a gun, tied him to a tree, took of all his cloths and called a bunch of girls so they could come and see, then run.

SETTING

This chapter was set on a field (where Clare told Henry about what Jason had done to her), at Clare's school (where Jason asked her out), at the cinema and the italian restaurant (where Jason and Clare went on the date), at the barn (where Jason hit Clare) and at the woods (where Henry and Clare took revenge on Jason).

CHARACTERS

Clare: My opinion of Clare hasn't changed that much, since this chapter didn't talk that much about how she is a person. The plot of it was to show how much Henry cares about Clare.

Henry: It has gone so far into the book and yet the reader doesn’t know much about him. My opinion hasn't really changed about him either.

Jason: Jason is one of those one time characters that you'll never see again. He seems a bit insecure about himself, even though he is really popular (according to Clare). At least he cares a lot about his reputation and doesn’t want everyone to know that he got rejected by Clare, so he got angry and hit her. 

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Pages 115 – 147

PLOT
The main story in this chapter happens when Clare is 20 years old and Henry is 28, which is about a month after Henry met Clare for the first time. Clare invites Henry to dinner her apartment with her roommate Charisse and Charisse boyfriend Gomez (which is a short name for Gomolinski). While he is there they are laughing, talking and just having a good time. The plot of this chapter is just for the reader to get to know the two knew characters, Charisse and Gomez, which I think we will see more of in the future.  

SETTING
The chapter is set in Clare’s and Charisse’s apartment, I’m not sure if Gomez lives there too, but probably not.

CHARACTERS

Clare: Clare is very kind and open, but in compressing to Charisse, Gomez and Henry she is a bit more quiet and maybe more of a listener.

Henry: In this chapter it appeared very clearly that Henry has a bigger general knowledge than the others (because he has very different life experiences than the others) and sometimes he gives comments that the others don’t quite understand the way he does.

Gomez: Gomez seems funny and honest. He seems to like Henry a lot even though he says some harsh stuff to him sometimes.

Charisse: Charisse is almost like a female version of Gomez. She seems to be a bit kinder though, and for some reason seems to be more likeable, but their humor, the way they act and speak is very similar.

OWN RESPONSE
I really liked this chapter even though nothing special happened in it. I really find the knew characters interesting and I really hope that they will appear a lot in the future. They should though, since Charisse seems to be a good friend to Clare.

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Pages 148 - 211

PLOT
The year is 1991 and Henry is for the first time going to meet Clare’s family by celebrating  Christmas at her parent’s house in Michigan. When they arrive Henry notices that the house is enormous.

Through their entire visit Henry feels uncomfortable and frightened to make a bad impression on Clare’s parents, since they seems so tidy and strict, but later it turns out that the family Abshire is just one of those families with a good name that tries to look like they perfect family even though they have some big issues going on behind the scenes. Lucille, Clare’s mom, for example is having a lot of issues with Mark’s choice of fiancé. They are both really young, but they had no choice but to get married when they found out that Sharon was pregnant, and Lucille would have liked it even less if they would have the baby without marriage since she wants everything to be  traditional and “old-school”.

Through the chapter Henry builds up a very good relationship to Sharon since they seem to understand each other somehow and they are both in the same position: visiting their partner’s crazy family.

SETTING
The chapter is set in Clare’s parent’s house in Michigan.

CHARACTERS

There were so many characters in this chapter, so I just putted a depiction on a few.

Clare: In this chapter Clare seems to try to show Henry her childhood home and have fun. She is a little bit sad though because she has met Henry there her entire life. That was the place where she spent so much time and got to know him through her childhood, so it makes her sad that Henry can’t remember it, since he hasn’t lived it yet.

A fun thing that Sharon says to Henry is: “I think you’ve got the only nice one.” (Niffenegger, 172-173). She means that even though her parent’s actions are very questionable, Clare actually turned out very open minded down to earth.

Henry: Henry seems very uncomfortable in this chapter but still tries his best to look calm get to know Clare’s family.

Lucille: Clare’s mother seems to put her pride in front of everything. For example she seems deeply concerned about Mark’s and Sharon’s marriage and it seems like it is for the wrong reason.

We also get to know that she once tried to commit suicide after losing a baby and is now diagnosed with manic depressive disorder.

Philip: The chapter doesn’t focus that much on Philip actually. We do get to know though that Lucille’s and Philip’s made for the same reason as Mark and Sharon are going to get married.

Sharon: Sharon seems very likeable and kind. She is studying at a medical school and that her parents are afraid that she will quit if they have the baby and get married.

Etta: Etta is the house keeper. She doesn’t appear much in this chapter expect for in the beginning when she and the cook are the first people to meet and Clare after the arrival.

Other characters:

Mark, Aunt Dulcie, Nells and Alicia.

OWN RESPONSE:
I really enjoyed this chapter since the reader got introduced to a lot of Clare’s family member and their situation which a find very interesting. There are a lot of strong personalities, both likeable and irritating.

I also don’t find the marriage between Mark and Sharon very smart or necessary; if I were them I would either make an abortion in an as early stage as possible or kept the baby without a marriage, but I guess it is hard for me to understand how they see it since I’m not religious like them.

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Update: Something happened with the text so it turned out in Caps Lock... :(

PAGE 212 - 269

PLOT
IN MAY 1992 HENRY DECIDES THAT HE WANTS TO ASK CLARE TO MARRY HIM, EVEN THOUGH HE ALREADY KNOWS THAT IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, ALL THANKS TO HIS CHRONO-DISPLACEMENT DISORDER.

ANYWAYS, SO HE GOES TO HIS FATHER’S APARTMENT AND ASKS HIM IF HE CAN GET HIS DEAD MOTHER’S RING TO GIVE TO CLARE. HE GOT INTO A DEEP ARGUMENT WITH HIS DAD, BUT  AT LAST HE GAVE HIM THE RING SO HE COULD PROPOSE TO CLARE.

THE REST OF THE CHAPTER WAS EVERYTHING LEADING UP TO THE PROPOSAL AND THEIR MARRIAGE.

SETTING
THE CHAPTER WAS SET AT HENRY’S FATHER’S APARTMENT, AT CLARE’S AND HENRY’S APARTMENT AND ON VARIOUS OTHER PLACES.

CHARACTERS:

HENRY: IN THIS CHAPTER HENRY REALLY SHOWS HOW MUCH HE LOVES AND CARES ABOUT CLARE AND ASKS HER TO BE HIS WIFE, BUT EXCEPT FOR CLARE HE ALSO SHOWS HOW HE CARES ABOUT HIS FATHER. THEY DON’T TALK THAT MUCH NOWADAYS, BUT WHEN HE COMES BY TO ASKS FOR THE RING, HE ALSO HELPS HIM OUT FROM ECONOMIC PROBLEMS AND SHOWS COMPASSION FOR HIS CONTAGIOUS SADNESS OVER HIS DEAD WIFE AND TRIES TO CHEER HIM UP A LITTLE BIT.

CLARE: CLARE REALLY SHOWS HER PATIENTS IN THIS CHAPTER WHEN HENRY DISAPPEARS (TIME TRAVELS) DURING THEIR WEDDING AND DOES WHAT SHE CAN TO DISTRACT THE GUESTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS FROM HIS ABSENCE TILL HIS GONE AND SAVES THE MOMENT. I THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD HAVE FREAKED OUT IF THAT HAPPENED ON THEIR WEDDING.  

MRS. KIM: MRS. KIM IS RICHARD’S (HENRY’S DAD) LANDLORD, AND EVEN THOUGH HE HASN’T PAID HIS RENT IN MONTHS MRS. KIM DOESN’T HAVE THE HEART TO BOTHER HIM SINCE SHE SEES HOW MISERABLE HE IS. I THINK THAT IS AWFULLY SWEET AND THOUGHTFUL OF HER.

RICHARD: HENRY’S DAD HAS STARTED DRINKING HEAVILY EVER SINCE ANETTE, HIS WIFE PASSED AWAY AND LED TO HIM DAMAGING HIS HEALTH BADLY. HE CAN’T MOVE HIS HAND PROPERLY ANYMORE WHICH MEANS THAT HE CAN’T WORK AS A VIOLINIST ANYMORE WHICH LED TO HIM NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY FOR THE RENT. I CAN FEEL HIS PAIN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME HE SHOULD HAVE LET GO OF HER A LONG TIME AGO. I THINK IT IS SO SAD WATCHING PEOPLE LIKE THIS WASTING THEIR TALENTS ON ENDLESS AMOUNTS OF ALCOHOL.

BEHIND ALL OF THAT I THINK THAT HE IS A FASCINATING CHARACTER. I DON’T KNOW WHY, BUT I TEND TO ENJOY FOLLOWING CHARACTERS WHO FEEL A LOT OF PAIN. I THINK IT IS EASIER TO CREATE PICTURES IN MY MIND OF THEM.

THERE WERE A LOT MORE CHARACTERS ON THE WEDDING TO THAT ONLY APPEARED BUT DIDN'T SAY MUCH.

OWN RESPONCE
EVERYTHING IS SLOWLY STARTING TO FALL IN PLACE AND THOSE MOMENTS THAT HENRY TOLD CLARE ABOUT WHEN SHE WAS A TEENAGER ARE STARTING TO GET SHOWN WHICH MAKES ME UNDERSTAND A LOT MORE OF THE STORY. THE ENTIRE NOVEL IS A GIGANTIC PUZZLE AND THIS CHAPTER IS A KEY PIECE.