Plot Summary
Love Story
Erich Segal
Love Story
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1970
Plot Summary
Set in contemporary Northeast America, Love Story (1970), a romance novel by Erich Segal, follows the trials and tribulations of a young couple's ill-fated relationship. Segal originally penned the tale as a screenplay that was picked up by Paramount Pictures, but the company requested that he also write a novel adaptation. The book was released on Valentine's Day that year, and it became the bestselling fiction book of 1970. The movie adaptation, released in December 1970, is still one of the highest grossing films of all time.
Oliver Barrett IV is born of privilege. Now, in his senior year at Harvard, he is heir to his family's fortune and will soon be heading off to Harvard Law School. He is studying in the library at the school's Radcliffe campus because it is quieter and, perhaps most importantly, has more girls there. He approaches the clerk on duty for help finding a book, but she simply insults him, calling him a "preppie." He returns the insult, calling her a "cliffie," despite the fact that he is attracted to her beautiful brown eyes and long legs.
He invites the girl, Jennifer Cavilleri, the daughter of a working-class Rhode Island family, out for coffee under the pretense of being able to study the book he needs. They spend the time insulting each other, yet also flirting. Oliver next invites Jenny to come to watch his hockey game. Despite the fact that they are opposites, their attraction is undeniable, yet they desperately try to convince themselves that they are not falling in love. Jenny is not like other girls, and Oliver finds that he is afraid to use his typical playboy persona on her. She sees through him in ways no one has before, and thus, he can only be real with her.
Eventually, the relationship becomes serious enough that Oliver takes Jenny home to meet his parents. She sees right away that Oliver does not get along with his father. He feels crushed by his father's many accomplishments and does not know how to make his own mark on the family name. After meeting Jenny, Oliver's father declares that if Oliver marries her, he will be cut off from the family fortune. Oliver takes this as a sign and proposes to Jenny.
They are married, and for the next three years, Jenny supports Oliver as he attends Harvard Law School. They are incredibly poor and must pinch every penny, but they are happy with each other. One day, Oliver receives a peace offering from his family: an invitation to his father's sixtieth birthday party. He refuses to go, angering Jenny. They have a terrible argument, and Jenny storms out of the apartment. Frantically, Oliver looks for her throughout the night; finally, he finds her waiting for him on the stairs leading to their apartment.
At last, Oliver graduates from law school and takes a lucrative job. They enjoy their new wealth, buying all the luxuries they had gone without during the past three years. With this newfound financial stability, they decide to start a family of their own. However, Jenny has trouble getting pregnant.
Oliver and Jenny go to a fertility doctor for assistance, and the doctor runs some tests. The results are not what Oliver expected—Jenny has leukemia and is dying. The doctor cannot tell how much time she has left. Oliver does not tell Jenny about her diagnosis, per the doctor's advice. Instead, he tries to continue living life normally for her benefit, but Jenny finds out about her illness on her own when she confronts the doctor.
Her illness progressing rapidly, Jenny soon has to be hospitalized. Oliver quits his job so that he can spend every moment with her; however, he now has no way to pay the hospital bill. Swallowing his pride, he goes to his father and asks to borrow $5,000, but does not say what the money is for. Despite the fact that is has been three years since they have spoken, his father writes him a check.
Oliver informs Jenny's father that she is dying, and he moves into the couple's apartment. He takes up the cleaning duties as if in hopes that one day, Jenny will be well enough to come home. Jenny assures them that she is not in pain, but that dying is like "falling off a cliff in slow motion."
Soon, Jenny is at death's door. She and Oliver say goodbye, and she dies in his arms. As Oliver leaves the hospital, he runs into his father. His father, learning why Oliver borrowed the money, rushed immediately to the hospital to be there for his son. Sobbing, Oliver collapses into his father's arms.
Oliver Barrett IV is born of privilege. Now, in his senior year at Harvard, he is heir to his family's fortune and will soon be heading off to Harvard Law School. He is studying in the library at the school's Radcliffe campus because it is quieter and, perhaps most importantly, has more girls there. He approaches the clerk on duty for help finding a book, but she simply insults him, calling him a "preppie." He returns the insult, calling her a "cliffie," despite the fact that he is attracted to her beautiful brown eyes and long legs.
He invites the girl, Jennifer Cavilleri, the daughter of a working-class Rhode Island family, out for coffee under the pretense of being able to study the book he needs. They spend the time insulting each other, yet also flirting. Oliver next invites Jenny to come to watch his hockey game. Despite the fact that they are opposites, their attraction is undeniable, yet they desperately try to convince themselves that they are not falling in love. Jenny is not like other girls, and Oliver finds that he is afraid to use his typical playboy persona on her. She sees through him in ways no one has before, and thus, he can only be real with her.
Eventually, the relationship becomes serious enough that Oliver takes Jenny home to meet his parents. She sees right away that Oliver does not get along with his father. He feels crushed by his father's many accomplishments and does not know how to make his own mark on the family name. After meeting Jenny, Oliver's father declares that if Oliver marries her, he will be cut off from the family fortune. Oliver takes this as a sign and proposes to Jenny.
They are married, and for the next three years, Jenny supports Oliver as he attends Harvard Law School. They are incredibly poor and must pinch every penny, but they are happy with each other. One day, Oliver receives a peace offering from his family: an invitation to his father's sixtieth birthday party. He refuses to go, angering Jenny. They have a terrible argument, and Jenny storms out of the apartment. Frantically, Oliver looks for her throughout the night; finally, he finds her waiting for him on the stairs leading to their apartment.
At last, Oliver graduates from law school and takes a lucrative job. They enjoy their new wealth, buying all the luxuries they had gone without during the past three years. With this newfound financial stability, they decide to start a family of their own. However, Jenny has trouble getting pregnant.
Oliver and Jenny go to a fertility doctor for assistance, and the doctor runs some tests. The results are not what Oliver expected—Jenny has leukemia and is dying. The doctor cannot tell how much time she has left. Oliver does not tell Jenny about her diagnosis, per the doctor's advice. Instead, he tries to continue living life normally for her benefit, but Jenny finds out about her illness on her own when she confronts the doctor.
Her illness progressing rapidly, Jenny soon has to be hospitalized. Oliver quits his job so that he can spend every moment with her; however, he now has no way to pay the hospital bill. Swallowing his pride, he goes to his father and asks to borrow $5,000, but does not say what the money is for. Despite the fact that is has been three years since they have spoken, his father writes him a check.
Oliver informs Jenny's father that she is dying, and he moves into the couple's apartment. He takes up the cleaning duties as if in hopes that one day, Jenny will be well enough to come home. Jenny assures them that she is not in pain, but that dying is like "falling off a cliff in slow motion."
Soon, Jenny is at death's door. She and Oliver say goodbye, and she dies in his arms. As Oliver leaves the hospital, he runs into his father. His father, learning why Oliver borrowed the money, rushed immediately to the hospital to be there for his son. Sobbing, Oliver collapses into his father's arms.
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