Plot Overview

The Longest Ride is about two very opposite

people, Luke and Sophia, who meet at a bull riding
competition and begin to fall in love. Ira Levinson is
an elderly widower who gets in a car accident and
has flashbacks of him and his deceased wife, Ruth.
Ira sees his wife in the passenger seat- his mind
creating images because of the accident- and she
replays their memories, so he has something to
hold on to.The flashbacks take place in different
settings depending on Ira is thinking while trying to
survive in the car. One night, Luke and Sophia see
Iras car on the side of the rode and get him to the
hospital. From there, Ira teaches Luke that true love
conquers all, and Sophia isnt someone to take for
granted. If bull-riding means death then Luke has to
retire.

About the Author

Nicholas Sparks
Nicholas Sparks was born on December 35,
1965 in Omaha, Nebraska. It wasnt until he
was an adult when he realized his family was
poor, but that didnt bother him at all. Sparks
got a sports scholarship to the University of
Notre Dame, and he and his relay team set a
record that still stands to this day. Although,
Sparks got a massive injury and went into
business and writing. His inspiration for The
Longest Ride was finding a reference to Black
Mountain College in North Carolina. This
college takes depth in the American art scene
with WW2 included, and that is how Ira and the
novel, The Longest Ride, came to life.

Historical Context
The Longest Ride takes place in 2015, the
present. In this society, our economy is not very
strong, so some families have financial
problems. Thus, being the reason for why Luke,
one of the protagonists, has to compete in bullriding to help support his mom. With all of
Lukes sacrifices of bull-riding, his life
contradicts with Sophias life because she has
money and Luke doesnt.

Novel Notes
The Longest Ride
Nicholas Sparks
Alexis Caasi
9-25-15

Essential Quotes
"But your lives aren't just on different tracks,
they're on different continents. And that means
you're going to have to watch your heart from
here on, because if you don't, it's going to end
up breaking into all sorts of pieces" (Sparks
243).
Both couples, Ruth and Ira & Sophia and Luke,
consist of different people, yet each couple falls
in love in their own ways.
"If it's important to you, I wouldn't miss it for the
world" (369).
Like Ira, Luke would do anything for his lady to
be happy. Ira and Luke would spend countless
hours at an art museum, if it meant something
to Ruth and Sophia.
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Character Analysis
Ira Levinson is a ninety-one year old
widower who fought in WW2 and has
recently got into a car accident. His wife died
nine years ago, and Ira has never been so
lonely. He clings onto all of the paintings he
and his wife bought in Black Mountain
College and all of the letters she wrote him.
Ruth is the wife of Ira Levinson and
is deceased. She has always wanted kids,
but a tragedy in WW2 prevented Ira from
giving her that. Ruth was a very passionate
teacher who loved her students as much as
they loved her. She died on her bed from a
stroke.
Sophia is a college girl from New
jersey, and she isnt like any of the girls in
her sorority. Sophia had been a recent
breakup with a guy named Brian and meets
Luke through him saving her from being hurt
by Brian. Throughout the story, Sophias
future changes as she falls in love with
Luke.
Luke is a professional bull-rider who
isnt like any of the frat boys Sophia has
encountered. He lives in a house he made
next to his mothers house and supports
their barn with the money from the riding
competitions. His future also alters when he
meets Sophia and begins to fall in love with
her.
Brian is Sophia's ex boyfriend and he
is the reason for how Luke and Sophia met.
Luke's mother is a hard working
woman who cares deeply about her son.
Her whole life revolves around her barn and
she works from sunrise to sun down, so she
can pay rent.
Luke's father is deceased, but he is
the reason why Luke rides bulls.
Marcia is Sophia's best friend and
only wants the best for Sophi

Themes
True love never dies. : Ira and Ruth have been
together since they were young adults. Throughout
all of their marriage, they still loved one another like
at the beginning of their marriage. After Ruths
passing, Ira still loves her.
"If you love someone, you'll do anything for them.":
Luke's mom has supported Luke in everything he's
done and ever since his big accident, she
/ had trouble paying for the medical and barn bills,
so Luke is risking his life trying to help her out.
"Opposites attract.": Ruth and Ira were complete
opposites, but still found their ways of being in love.
Luke and Sophia are also complete opposites, and
are finding their ways of being in love.
"If you love someone, nothing will separate you
from them.": Ruth wanted children, but Ira couldn't
give her that, but that didn't stop her from loving
him. Sophia went to college and didn't have many
chances to see Luke, but they still managed to fall
in love.

Motifs and Symbols

The paintings Ira and Ruth bought:
These paintings represent all of the
memories Ira and Ruth made throughout
their marriage. These paintings also are the
reason for how Ir interacts with Sophia and
Luke again.
The mechanical bull: Lukes father
gave this toy to Luke as a present, and this
bull represents Lukes father. The bull is
where Luke can practice at any speed, and
it is the reason for why he began riding.
Black Mountain College: Every
anniversary, Ruth and Ira would go to Black
Mountain College and buy paintings, so this
setting represents the couple's annual
tradition.
The cabin: The cabin is like Black
Mountain College. Luke and Sophia go
there, not annually or for tradition, but the
cabin is their little getaway.