Study Guides

 

Message in a Bottle

Summary

Nicholas Sparks's novel "Message in a Bottle" is a love story between two characters who happen to meet under unusual circumstances. Sparks begins the novel by introducing the main character, Theresa Osborne, who has just experienced a divorce after eight years of marriage. She is grieving over the loss of her marriage when she finds enclosed within a bottle a handwritten letter. She reads the letter, publishes it, and seeks to find the writer, who is Garret Blake. Blake, too, has experienced loss. He is grieving and surviving the loss of his dead wife. Sparks's novel shifts locations, between Boston and Wilmington, North Carolina, where Blake lives. The two meet, fall in love, and experiences highs and lows within their relationship. Theresa feels Garret hasn't made peace with his wife's death and they both separate. By the end of "Message in a Bottle," Blake dies due to an accident involving a storm, but not before sending her a message in a bottle. In it, he believes that his wife has brought them together and he is now ready to devote his heart to Theresa. Sparks ends the novel with his characters finally making peace with each other and moving past their grief.  

 

1. In the first letter, Garrett Blake mentions a dream he has of his deceased wife Catherine, in which he longs to be with her, but cannot join her. Is such a dream realistic? Have you ever had dreams that seem to carry such symbolic meaning in your own life?

2. The sailboat that Garrett Blake restores is an important setting for many of the major scenes in the novel. He'd been restoring it with Catherine, it was there she first told him she was pregnant, it was also the scene of Garrett and Theresa's first date and Garrett's death. What does the sailboat represent? Could another setting have worked as well? Does the destruction of the sailboat at the end of the novel say anything important to you?

3. Garrett Blake is plagued by memories of his deceased wife throughout his courtship of Theresa. In the end, we learn that Catherine was pregnant when she died. How did this affect Garrett's relationship with Kevin?

4. When Theresa comes down to "meet" Garrett Blake for the first time, was she secretly hoping to fall in love with him, or was it as she implied, simply because she wanted to meet someone "who could love like that?" Was it right or wrong for her not to have told him about the messages she'd found right away? What would you have done in that situation?

5. When asked by his father, Garrett tries to deny his new feelings for Theresa, but his father doesn't accept his answer. Do you think he did this because he thought Garrett was lying, or because he wanted to believe that Garrett was lying? Is there a difference between the two? Was he speaking as a father or friend, or both?

6. Theresa regrets hiding the letters and knows she has to tell Garrett about them eventually. But Garrett learns about their existence before she does so and he storms out of the house, thinking that she's lied to him from the beginning. Why does Garrett change his mind about Theresa in the days following their argument? Did that discovery lead to Garrett's death, or would he have sent the final letter anyway? Did Garrett's discovery make him love Theresa more or less? Why?

7. Were you surprised when Garrett took the boat out, knowing that a storm was coming? What does this say about Garrett Blake? Had he not died, would he and Theresa have gotten married? If so, where would they have lived?

8. Garrett loved Catherine with all his heart. Had his love been romanticized by her loss? Did he love Theresa with the same intensity? Knowing that Catherine had been pregnant when she died, did Theresa's son Kevin add to their relationship or detract from it?

9. Was the fact that Theresa Osborne was able to find evidence of three letters plausible? Why or why not? What role does coincidence play in their relationship? 

 

 

Book Quiz:

1)

What does Theresa do while wandering around Wilmington for the first time? (from Chapters 4-5)

Holds a picture of him to try to find him.

Introduces herself to strangers to find Garrett.

Scans every woman and wonders who Catherine is.

Scans every male face and tries to guess which person is Garrett.

2)

When boarding the plane returning to Boston in Chapter 12, who does Theresa see and where? (from Chapters 12-13)

Catherine's ghost in the terminal.

Garrett in the terminal.

Jeb in the terminal.

She does not see anyone when on the plane.

3)

What does Garrett think about when preparing for his first voyage with Theresa? (from Chapters 6-7)

Catherine.

Theresa.

What to prepare.

His dad.

4)

What does Garrett suggest Theresa do after she asks about the boat? (from Chapters 4-5)

Walk with him to his dive shop.

Take a closer look so he can corner her and ask her what she wants.

Untie the boat from the dock so he can go sailing.

Take a closer look at the boat so he can describe it to her.

5)

What do Theresa and Garrett agree to do after sailing for a while on their first date? (from Chapters 6-7)

They go back to the dock.

They continue sailing.

They drop anchor and have dinner.

They drop anchor and sight see.

6)

What does Theresa find on Garrett's nightstand? (from Chapters 8-9)

A photo of him and Catherine.

A photo of Catherine.

A photo of Catherine and a child.

A picture of Theresa.

7)

In Chapter 12, when Theresa leaves Garrett's house, where is Garret left standing alone? (from Chapters 12-13)

In the kitchen.

In the bedroom.

On the deck.

The middle of the street.

8)

Why does Theresa stay in Wilmington after learning about Garrett's death? (from Chapters 12-13)

To get his boat and diving gear.

To get his belongings and other messages.

For the funeral.

To get his body.

9)

When walking on the beach during his second date with Theresa, what does Garrett ask her about? (from Chapters 6-7)

Missing Kevin.

Missing David.

Wanting to date him.

Seeing anyone.

10)

When did Garrett and Catherine meet for the first time? (from Chapters 6-7)

Infancy.

Adulthood

Early childhood.

Teenagers.

11)

Where does Garrett bring Theresa and Kevin to give them their first diving lesson? (from Chapter 10)

A lake.

The bathtub.

The ocean.

The pool.

12)

What do Garret and Theresa soon find themselves doing at the end of their third date? (from Chapters 8-9)

Kissing.

Hugging.

Laughing.

Saying goodbye.

13)

When the course is set during their first voyage together, what does Garrett show Theresa? (from Chapters 6-7)

The landmarks in the area.

The cabin.

Maps of the area.

How to steer the boat.

14)

How does the Thanksgiving dinner host prepare for Theresa's arrival? (from Chapter 11)

Has his house cleaned and buys a new tie in his excitement.

Goes to pick Theresa up from the airport.

Cleans Garrett's house and buys Garrett a new tie.

Cooks dinner.

15)

After he learns that Theresa has never gone sailing, what does Garrett suggest? (from Chapters 4-5)

That she go sailing with him and Catherine.

That she take a boating class.

That she go sailing with him that morning.

That she go sailing with him on Happenstance that evening.

16)

What is Theresa's plan for her and Kevin for the weekend following his return? (from Chapter 10)

To go visit Garrett.

For Kevin to go back with his dad.

For Jeb and Garrett to visit Theresa and Kevin.

For Garrett to visit Theresa and Kevin.

17)

Where is Theresa supposed to go for Thanksgiving? (from Chapter 11)

Wilmington and to her parents.

To California.

To her parents.

To Wilmington.

18)

What does Garrett dream the night Theresa leaves to go back to Boston? (from Chapters 8-9)

That he no longer has a choice to make.

That he needs to choose between Theresa and Catherine.

That when Garrett chooses Theresa, he can no longer find Catherine.

That when Garrett chooses Catherine, he can no longer find Theresa.

19)

When Garrett's father comes over after Theresa and Garrett's fight in Boston, what does Garrett's father try to do? (from Chapters 12-13)

He tries to tell him that Catherine was not the one and that Theresa is.

He tries to talk Garrett through his anger at Theresa.

He tries to tell him it was not meant to be.

He sits with him in silence.

20)

How does Garrett die? (from Chapters 12-13)

He died in a car accident.

He took Happenstance out during a storm.

He fell off a cliff.

His plane crashed.

21)

What is Garrett not bothered about while on his second date with Theresa? (from Chapters 6-7)

Theresa asked him to dinner.

Theresa found the messages.

Theresa was married before.

Theresa already has a child.

22)

What does Garrett's dad advise him to do the day following Theresa's return to Boston? (from Chapter 10)

Give the relationship a chance and not run away too soon.

That Jeb should give his approval before Garrett gets involved.

To avoid Theresa and see what happens.

Slow down because the relationship is moving too quickly.

23)

What do Theresa and Garrett do after dinner on their third date? (from Chapters 8-9)

They sit outside.

Theresa goes home after dinner.

They walk on the beach.

They stay inside by the fire.

24)

When Kevin and Theresa arrive to Wilmington, how does Kevin feel? (from Chapter 10)

Excited.

A little shy.

A little nervous.

Angry.

25)

Why is Theresa disappointed when searching for Garrett? (from Chapters 4-5)

He does not seem to be there.

She finds out he passed away.

She finds out he moved for the season.

He does not want to speak with her.