Platonic Love in Nicholas Sparks’ The Best of Me

Abstract

Love is antidote of all sufferings and our problems. A strong love can create a healthy mind which makes a healthy body and life. Platonic love is metaphysical and spiritual. It is beyond biological. The aim of the paper focusses the platonic love of two people in The Best of Me which revolves around Dawson Cole and Amanda Collier, the hero and heroine of the novel. The novel discusses the childhood memories of the two adults. The two had a deep and meaningful connection as teenagers before being pulled apart by the differences in their socioeconomic status. As they get back together after twenty years apart to attend their mutual friend’s funeral in their hometown. Amanda and Dawson discover that their bond endures as they spend more time together. However, Amanda is married and having children and faces the difficulties in life. Amanda and Dawson fight for their feelings for one another throughout the novel even they know it is inappropriate and possibly harmful to go for a romantic connection. Despite this, Amanda and Dawson still cherish their friendship because they know it provides them with the love and support they need to move forward in life. Through this novel the study tries to explore the complexity of platonic love, highlighting its importance and power.